Quote:
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.
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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.