by Charlie Danrick

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Have you stopped to consider what would happen in the event of another strike? Would fans be as forgiving as they were after the ’94 one and I have news for you…..too many never forgave and I ought to know because for 20 years I was an entrepreneur in the BUSINESS of baseball and sales receipts were much better pre-’94 than post. And here’s some scary info I took off the NY Post today, 6/14/02 but first….

Click “Read More” to continue reading.Think back, if you will, to Bud Selig’s plan for contraction. Didn’t it involve only the Twins, Expos and Devil Rays? Maybe one more was in there too but I’m too lazy to check it out on the Internet. But it didn’t stop there because I distinctly remember Mr. Selig also mentioning later on that about 6-8 teams were in real trouble. I wondered about it despite knowing that “real trouble” was an acronym for “cash flow crisis.” Today over breakfast, as I perused the Post and came across some figures, I nearly tipped over the coffee and suddenly, that onion bagel with margarine didn’t taste too good either. Here’s some upsetting ATTENDANCE figures. Keep in mind that attendance says it all because when that drops off, along with owners’ revenue, so do all those concession sales which have become important beyond belief. It’s just like Broadway, NYC. Not enough people in the theaters and the shows do NOT go on.

Let’s take some positive stuff to try and ameliorate the negative. In the NL, the Giants lead the pack with an average home attendance of 39,549 per game. Not bad at all. The Diamondbacks are second with 38,596. But the Phillies, VERY POPULAR FOR UMPTEEN YEARS, are averaging just 18,463. Did you know that the Vet is the BIGGEST park in the National League? It holds 62,382. Did you know that Phillies fans are devoted beyond belief? They are fanatics. I’ve been to the Vet and never would dare to wear any other cap than the red one with the large white P above the brim. These fans are so excitable they boo the hotdog vendors and beer hawkers. For generations the Phillies have been like a religion to the City of Brotherly Love and it now draws just 30% of capacity? It’s dreadfully astounding! Even though the team is 9 games back, they still have more than enough to win the NL East but…but…who cares in Philadelp! hia? Then there are the Marlins averaging just 11,416 and here’s one for the record books-the Expos, a much better team than last year and just 6 games back is averaging a paltry 8,125 patrons. It’s not “O CANADA.” It’s “OH BROTHER, CANADA.”

Now for the AL. The good news? The Mariners lead in attendance with an average of 42,518; the Yankees are second with 41,130 and the hearty Bosox fans are still filing into that loveable Fenway bandbox to the tune of 32,835. Ever been to Fenway? I have and it’s not recommended for claustrophobics. Now for the BAD NEWS.

For all you fine A’s fans, your Network Associates Coliseum holds 43,662. It however is averaging 22,116 so where in the world have 50% gone? To the movies? But it gets worse because the Twins are averaging 20,208 DESPITE LEADING THE CENTRAL; the Chisox,19,835 despite being a close 2nd; the Blue Jays,18,340; the Tigers,17,974; the Royals,17,711 and the Devil Rays,13,009.

And so it also means that these beautiful new stadiums popping up all over the place mean zip. What is causing the drop off in patronage? The economy? I don’t believe it because in boom and bust, America has always been a sports loving, entertainment prone nation. Is there linging resentment over the ’94 strike? Is there general fan resentment toward the so-so players making a fortune and the stars making empires as the prices of admission keep escalating? How about fan resentment about cable TV fees to watch their favorites? Whatever the reason or reasons, they are being translated into NO SHOWS and apathy which, if not reversed, will destroy our national pastime. Add another strike to the mix and as Russ Hodges used to say, “It’s bye bye baby.”

Charlie