Calgary Vipers = Joke

[worth]

They actually dropped the prices a bit from Thursday. It was $10.50 for beer and sausage and it was down to 9 or 9.50 on Sunday.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I disagree - going to a ball game is just as much about the beer and hotdog as the game itself. It's the entire experience - because really who gives a rat's rear end about anything that happens in the "Golden League".

The Vipers should be selling the experience.

The Vipers have to create an experience first.

The sad thing is, we could have had Russ Parker in control of this team, but the Northern League wasn't willing to give him the year to properly build an organization. The Northern League's gross incompetence nearly killed professional baseball in Alberta, as the league went out and got the biggest jokes in sports to run the franchises. I'll give Gidney credit for stepping up and trying, but he clearly did not enter with any idea on how to run a team, and Young is a clown who's destroyed every sporting enterprise he's touched.

That said, I do still enjoy the ball, and lets face it, you are never going to get to see someone like Jose Lima pitch when you go see the Dawgs play, so there is value to this level of baseball.

But yeah, if you are looking for a good baseball experience, go see the Dawgs. First class organization all the way, and quite entertaining. The biggest mistake Peter Young ever made was to treat the Dawgs as an enemy rather than a partner.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Ahhhh, has anyone pointed out that Foothills stadium isn't owned by the Vipers, and it's probable that they don't have any say in the prices of the food?

Just saying.

[Julio]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Ahhhh, has anyone pointed out that Foothills stadium isn't owned by the Vipers, and it's probable that they don't have any say in the prices of the food?

Just saying.

The Vipers do directly operate the stadium, and they do set the prices on their food products.

[Resolute 14]

That, and they operate the concessions themselves. The Vipers kicked Aramark out two years ago. That was a good decision, imo.

The city gave the Vipers complete control of the stadium as the city really wants nothing to do with its maintenance. That is why Young was able to behave like such an a-hole towards the Dawgs. The Vipers were their landlord in 2005, and the only reason why the Dawgs even played in Foothills that year was because the city mandated it - they were worried about getting burned by another fly by night team a la the Outlaws. The Dawgs, meanwhile, had been stable for two years at that point.

[kirant]

Reading this topic: Who now misses the Calgary Cannons?

[Resolute 14]

Pretty much every hard core baseball fan in this city...

One thing about the Vipers though, is they are a damn good team. League finalists the past two seasons, and storming out of the gates this year as well. Hopefully they can finally capture a league title.

[Oracle]

Being a Vipers employee, I must say I'm very disappointed in how the organization is run. Currently we are very short-staffed and queues are beginning to become longer, the food is overpriced and staff is underpaid. They closed down one of the concession stands so the remaining ones are getting very busy and beginning to have long lines. I don't know who this president guy thinks he is, but his trying to save/make as much money as possible with no concern for the consequences is digging the Vipers' grave. I can see that many of the higher-ups are very unhappy with what's going on, but they are powerless to do anything about it since the temperamental president seems to be off in his own world and will not listen to suggestions, however beneficial they may be.

Knowing the shady methods used in running the Vipers, I'm pretty sure that I'll be fired for expressing such an opinion regardless of whether I'm expressing my freedom of speech or not....If they find out who I am, that is.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Julio

The Vipers do directly operate the stadium, and they do set the prices on their food products.

I stand corrected.
Carry on.

[krazycanuck]

As someone who previously worked fairly closely with the Vipers Organization (through sponsorship) I will say that Peter Young is the biggest idiot out there. Everyone I came into contact with from Vipers employees to other sponsors absolutely hated the guy. I hate to throw the whole organization under the bus, as there are alot of people at Foothills who absolutely bust their butts...but Young is a moron. Unfortunately the way he treats his employees has lead to alot of employee turnover.

It's no coincidence that the Vipers have seemed to switch radio partners year after year. It's no coincidence that they flip flop between the herald and the sun as their sponsor seemingly every year. Why is Big Rock not a sponsor? Where did Spolumbos go? Look at this list of sponsors...

http://www.calgaryvipers.com/sponsors.html

that list gets shorter and shorter every year, no beer sponsor? Do you have any idea how easy it is to get a beer maker to sponsor a sports team? Cardel Homes who was one if their earlier and biggest ($) supporters is gone.

I truly believe Gidney is into this business for the long haul, but why he's allowed someone like Peter Young to stick around with the team boggles my mind.

It doesn't take a brain surgeon to realize that baseball in Alberta doesn't sell. The experience does. Cold beers on a warm night, well put together distractions from the game, a cheap night out, good reasonable priced food. The Vipers have always advertised themselves as "BASEBALL!" they are yet to realize that baseball doesn't sell in Calgary except to a small few...a fun night at the ballpark is widespread.

As an example, and I hate to glorify anything from Edmonton...but the Edmonton Capitals (formerly Cracker-Cats) were purchased from the Oilers this year, immediately attendance has spiked dramatically. The game experience has been improved and is more professional, concession prices were lowered, there is a promotional schedule on the website (something the Vipers are ######ed for not having), they have cheap food nights midweek, bigger events on the weekend like movies on the outfield wall and fireworks, celebrity hitting competitions...etc. Again, they aren't selling baseball, they're selling a night out.

http://www.capsbaseball.ca/web/guest...ional-schedule

A team in the golden league with it's low overhead should be a huge success for any owner in Calgary or Edmonton...you just need to have the right people in there to market the team. I think Edmonton has got those right people as of this year with the Oilers as owners...Ken King...care to step up to the plate?

[Resolute 14]

And that is pretty much why I will always hate the Northern League. First they brought in the Japanese owners who bailed right away, then given the choice between Russ Parker and Peter Young, went with the idiot. It was Young who brought on Gidney. I respect Gidney's passion, but he's gotta do two things: Dump Young, and step back and let a baseball guy manage the day to day operations.

[BOSSY]

Couple things...

Gidney did take the President job away from Young and brought in someone new -nothing has changed.

Edmonton's attendance spiked for the opening weekend and they are now drawing the same as the Vipers, although over the long term they will by far outdraw the Vipers just as the Trappers did the Cannons.

The Vipers don't need a baseball guy running the day to day operations, they need a respected Calgary business person with ties to the community and the ability to change the face and repuatation of the organization to do it.

[anyonebutedmonton]

I have been to two games this year (Home Opener and the 18-7 blowout last night) and I have to say I am extremely dissapointed. For the past couple years me and a bunch of buddies have made it out to about 10 games a year and have had a decent time having a few big rocks and sitting back with spolumbos.

Its apparent to anyone who goes to these games that:

A. The baseball is not high quality

b. Even if it was Calgary wouldnt give two sh*ts

I agree that what is fun about the vipers is the experience. You go to hang out, drink a beer and heckle opposing dug outs. I really could care less about the quality of baseball, if I did I wouldn't be there.

Raising the price is going to alienate a large percentage of your already pathetic fanbase and is the exact opposite of what should be happening.

Someone had said that they have lowered the prices a bit which is fine and all but I want to know how much things are going to cost BEFORE I go to the game. There is nothing worse than showing up and being told that the combos that they built a lot of their fan base on no longer apply.


On the plus side my gf won the 50/50... a whopping $154

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by BOSSY

Couple things...

Gidney did take the President job away from Young and brought in someone new -nothing has changed.

Young is still walking around like he runs everything. That much is evident.

Edmonton's attendance spiked for the opening weekend and they are now drawing the same as the Vipers, although over the long term they will by far outdraw the Vipers just as the Trappers did the Cannons.

The Trappers never outdrew the Cannons by a large margin. We were usually in the low to mid 4000s, they were in the low 5's, spiking to around 5500 after championship seasons. I went to probably 20 Trapper games in their final three seasons. Let me tell you, they inflated their attendance counts something fierce. I doubt in 2000 or 2001 they ever outdrew Calgary at all in reality. 2002 they did, but mainly on the attendance plummet in Calgary for the lame duck season.

The Vipers don't need a baseball guy running the day to day operations, they need a respected Calgary business person with ties to the community and the ability to change the face and repuatation of the organization to do it.

Absolutely. Either way, Gidney needs to step back. He doesn't have the ties to the city, and Young's done a masterful job of burning bridges for him.

[Traditional_Ale]

Wow...

I really don't like baseball, but I was thinking about checking the Vipers out.

Thanks for the heads up.

Baseball still sucks.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by anyonebutedmonton

On the plus side my gf won the 50/50... a whopping $154

I won a Cannons 50/50 once that was half that... course, it was during a rainy game in April that probably should have been postponed, but meh.

[Vipersfan]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Wow...

I really don't like baseball, but I was thinking about checking the Vipers out.

Thanks for the heads up.

Baseball still sucks.

..

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Vipersfan

Awww, dont listen to those guys. Give it a shot for yourself. If you go into something with the attitude that you arent going to have a good time then you wont. Having caught at least the last 3 or 4 innings of every game this year I can tell you that the people I saw all seemed to be having a good time.

Guess those haters dont want the team to succeed, maybe they have something against people from Manitoba...... If Gidney wants to sink his money into the team here, who is it hurting? Not sure why all these people have such a hate on for the Vipers - go ahead and hate on Young all you like but please dont lump him in with the rest of the staff and the team.

That is what people are doing.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Vipersfan

Awww, dont listen to those guys. Give it a shot for yourself. If you go into something with the attitude that you arent going to have a good time then you wont. Having caught at least the last 3 or 4 innings of every game this year I can tell you that the people I saw all seemed to be having a good time.

Guess those haters dont want the team to succeed, maybe they have something against people from Manitoba...... If Gidney wants to sink his money into the team here, who is it hurting? Not sure why all these people have such a hate on for the Vipers - go ahead and hate on Young all you like but please dont lump him in with the rest of the staff and the team.

Honestly, I think everyone in this thread wants a baseball team to thrive and succeed in Calgary, that's why we're venting about the way things are being run, because we want it to be the best it can be.....and unfortunitly in a non baseball market like Calgary, it will take good food and beer prices, along with promotions and entertainment to draw people in and keep them coming.

[krazycanuck]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Honestly, I think everyone in this thread wants a baseball team to thrive and succeed in Calgary, that's why we're venting about the way things are being run, because we want it to be the best it can be.....and unfortunitly in a non baseball market like Calgary, it will take good food and beer prices, along with promotions and entertainment to draw people in and keep them coming.

The sad thing is, the team is either not listening, or has no desire to change the way things are. Ever since the inaugural season, one of the big complaints from fans a was lack of a lot beside the game going on. In the inaugural season, you could have forgiven them for the lack of time to pull things together, but since then...nothing still.

Peter Young has always figured making the ballpark "fun" by trading players for bats, signing hockey players or sending out press releases stating interesting in Steroid users will bring people to the ballpark. It has not worked yet, and I doubt it ever will.

the team has spent alot of money upgrading the ballpark: adding new seats (it was never a lack of yellow seats bringing people out to the game) adding a video scoreboard (that at least the last time I was at a game, didn't provide updated stats, didn't show replays and wasn't used for sponsorships) and adding a grass berm (that is so far away from the seats and has terrible views). All money that was absolutely wasted in my opinion.

What they should have done is: put in a non-video LED scoreboard, which is cheaper to operate since you don't have to pay camera operators...etc. Secondly, i'd put in a massive playground where the (rarely used) 1st base BBQ tent is...and put a net over it to protect kids from foul balls. The Cannons always had this, and it was always busy with kids. In this sense you're marketing to kids, get them to the ballpark, make sure they have fun and you'll get them asking their parents to come back. I asked Peter Young once, why they didn't install a playground at the park and his reply was something about it "being a liability". The city has how many playgrounds? Do they consider them a liability? Heck if youre really worried about it, take your camera people and put them on babysitting duty...aka playground supervisors.

Other than that:
-have some cheap midweek food specials where you sell beers for $2.75, or hot dogs for $2 and pop for $2.
-have movie nights on the weekends after the game on that white elephant giant screen. Not only do you give people more value for their ticket, you stretch out their time in the park (more concession $$$)
-have cheesy theme nights (70s, 80s, Star Trek, Superheros).
-more giveaways. There are alot of companies who would love to give out free stuff if given the opportunity (think the Hitmen 5 goals=free Wendy's burgers). Get some things like that worked out even if you don't make sponsorship money off it, it's added value for the fans. You get more fans out...2 years down the road, people will line up to pay you to be able to give out their stuff at games.

Finally, get this all up on the website. The vipers have had promotions in the past that joe blow would have no idea about, because they are only announced at foothills. I remember a couple years back they let you in for free to the game in the afternoon if you had a ticket to the Stamps game at night. That game could have easily sold out and introduced alot of fans to the game, but it was only announced to fans at the park already earlier in the week. Let the casual, never been to a game before fans know you have a Beer + Sausage for $6.