Why indoor football will never work in big markets

[UnoBomber]

After attending the Baltimore/Erie game in Baltimore this past weekend, I think it's pretty safe to say that indoor football will never work in big markets.

1. Ticket Prices - When I saw the ticket prices for the Mariners I about pooped my pants. I pay 15 bucks a ticket and i'm in an endzone seat front row for Erie home games. I'd have to pay $40+ for the same seat in Baltimore... Wha wha WHAT!? I understand that Baltimore standard of living is probably double of Erie's. Seriously though, unless you have an undefeated team or are in the top 3 teams in the league you'll never sell enough to justify the rent cost of the arena.

2. Food Prices - This is a universal gripe that most patrons of arenas will bitch about, but for 2 chicken tenders baskets, 2 fries and 2 waters was $23 bucks and the food was terrible. Even The Q in Cleveland doesn't rape the fans that bad!

3. Minor league sports are well minor. That's where they should stay. M&M are either taking the largest bath in minor league history, or they are taking the dues that are collected from other teams to keep a team in Baltimore. This is a speculated comment and not fact. But with no money coming in from Baltimore fans, how could they fuel the fire otherwise? Again take that idea with a grain of salt.

4. Location Location Location. I've never been to Baltimore, so we stayed the weekend and went to the National Aquarium and toured the inner harbor. We had to stay 6 miles outside of baltimore to get a room that was $70 a night. If you want to stay in the inner harbor, expect to pay $400-500 a night. Which I find overpriced and overrated (The hotels, not the Inner Harbor, we had a blast). If the market can demand that kind of price, then so be it.

I think if this league is going to survive, it needs to step back and look at the consistent mistakes it is making. Every team has hardships to overcome, but when you're in an arena that can hold 10,000 plus with a city population of 2,000,000 and can only draw maybe 400-500 fans, then I think it's time to cut your loses and fold.

[Standard Deviation]

I saw nothing locally that promoted the team. With the various shops at the Inner harbor, I saw Orioles and Ravens gear everywhere. Not one little kiosk with Mariners stuff at a place screaming for it. No banners, no promotions of any type. ESPN Zone 6 blocks away; HELLO? How about a sign or two, maybe some pocket schedules. SPORTS FANS go there to eat and play, maybe tell them there is a game to go to. Even when they gave t-shirts and hats away during the game they were AIFA items and not the Mariners.

I dont think its a problem with the market, its a problem with the way the team is run. I get the impression that they started a team, opened the doors and are hoping for the best. Even their in-game stuff, had no sponsors or purpose. All they did was play some games on the field until the Chick Filet parachute drop. That was the first sponsor i heard all night.

With that arena and market, they should be doing a better job.

[UnoBomber]

Seriously they should do a promotion where the 2nd level seats are 10 bucks. Or a bogo for like $25. PUT ASSES IN THE SEATS!

Hell this idea wouldn't hurt in Erie too!

I totally agree Don, the lack of marketing definitely shows. Their presence in the market is a joke at best.

[frostbite]

dude, did you just say "baltimore standard of living"?

i bet the residents of hamsterdam would like to see an indoor football game, eh?

[expressfan01]

Look at what Reading has done the past 2 seasons with gaining fans, just a few billboards, radio ads, newpaper ads and posters inside the arena during other events. It doesn't take much to advertise a team. Advertising is just about the only way to keep a minor league team going.

[Sykotyk]

expressfan01 is right.

And effective advertising need not break the bank.

Sykotyk

[slocoma]

May 2, 2008 12:34:29 GMT -5 expressfan01 said:

Look at what Reading has done the past 2 seasons with gaining fans, just a few billboards, radio ads, newpaper ads and posters inside the arena during other events. It doesn't take much to advertise a team. Advertising is just about the only way to keep a minor league team going.

Reading is a different area though, and I mean that in a good way. They have higher attendance in all minor league sports compared to just about every other city. They double our attendance in minor league baseball just about every year.

[d'oh!]

I'm not sure about the Royals, but the Reading Phillies have built themselves to where they are. Since the current ownership took over, they have always improved the stadium to keep the fans coming.

In the early days they used to have freebie tickets left and right. I had a friend who only would buy a 12 ticket book each year and attend all the rest (up to 60 more games/year) with give-a-way tickets.

I noticed they don't do that as much, but they now have that fanbase built up to where they don't need it. And freebies didn't hurt as much as you think since each person would buy food and drinks (small sidenote, the Reading Phillies have their own food services, as opposed to an outside contract, and IMO it makes their food much, much better than others I have had) Not to mention it's the AA affiliate of the Phillies and smack in the middle of their fan base.

I also think the Reading Phillies, and what they have done for minor league sports in Berks County has spread t the other minor leagues. People know what minor leagues are like, and what to expect.

The Reading Express has had decent PR promotions (I still think having a local HS marching band in the home opener, helped solidify the place selling out that night) and while there hasen't been a crowd close to that night, the attendance is still very good for the AIFA.

B.

[frostbite]

that, and balmer is a sh!thole and should sink into the bay...

[The Stable Master]

i think that pocket schedules are a good way to advertise. and you can collect some money from selling ads in the schedules. put a box of em at restaurants and places where sports fans go.

[djh0722]

I am glad to see this thread has turned into a bashing of Baltimore.

[frostbite]

why not?

your team is bad, the owners are bad, the marketing is waaay bad, you have our super bowl trophy, and you let omar get killed by a little kid dammit!

[djh0722]

Hahaha... ok. point taken.

[chaingangjim]

Guys...Guys...Guys!!!!

Marketing in Baltimore is very tough. The local papers and news will not cover any team other than the Ravens and Orioles. If you think the prices are high for food and hotels in the area what do you think the price of marketing is.

It is alot easier in smaller markets to sell a product. When the Mariner fans went to the Reading on a bus trip we were amazed of how cheap the prices were. The food prices were what we pay for high school games. The ticket prices were also very good. But unfortunately in the Baltimore/Washington area the price of living is very high. When you guys came down here I could only Imagine the Shock of the prices. We are used to them though.

There are a lot of projects in the works as we speak to promote the team. Just this week the team just put up a couple billboards around the city to promote the team. Don't think for one second that we don't want to have 5000 fans for every game. The fans for the last couple of weeks have been throwing around the idea of a fan club. It looks it is gonna happen finally. Give us some time. The fans will come.

I heard a radio DJ say the other day "The Mariners are known as the best kept secret in Baltimore". I was just happy to here that from a station that was not a sponsor!!!Good publicity or bad just spell the name right.

As for the jerks!!!! Forget it you would not even understand it anyway


:smileymariners:

[chaingangjim]

Sorry one more thing....

As for advertising at the inner harbor it is a tourist trap. Most of people who visit the harbor and the ESPN zone are from out of town.

You guys would never last a second in a major market.