Quote:
Originally Posted by Slava
The club should not be free from criticism, and that's not my point. But the reality is that this city has what...3/4 failed attempts to have professional soccer gain a foothold here? This is by far the most successful to date, and while there are things that I dislike (I mean $16 for a beer is egregious!), the reality is that they're not running a charity. Fans want everything to be perfect, but it all costs money. I got back and forth between wanting things to be cheaper and more reasonably priced and also wanting the club to be profitable and financially viable.
That's not to suggest that there haven't been missteps through the years. The first game, when they had one beer tent, was hilarious, and they just plain did not understand the type of supporters they were going to attract. And yes, parking was a headache for a while. But the truth is, Spruce Meadows has adapted through the years, and at least a piece of the fantastic game day experience is based on their efforts.
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Agree with pretty much all of this. But going back to the "softball" comment, they still haven't figured out the relationship between prices, profit, and developing/nurturing the fan base. And I think that's where the "softball" comment came from initially.
Higher prices do not always equal more profit, and can actually be detrimental to strengthening the fan base. Whether it is general ticket prices, a $40 "viewing party", inflated travel packages to Victoria, beer, etc. they often seem to miss the mark on price, leading to less overall profit, and slower development of the fan base / supporter culture. There's no reason we couldn't have 5.5k in the stands every week (and all of the knock-on beer and merch sales that those extra people would buy), an irresistible package deal to Victoria (our shirt sponsor is Westjet!), a free viewing event, etc. They'd make even MORE profit and the fans will feel more like supporters and not just customers. Win-win-win.
It feels almost dirty to say it on the verge of record attendance and potentially the greatest day in club history. Tomorrow is going to be glorious in so many ways, and the club, players, and fans all deserve this more than anyone else in the league. Absolutely. We are extremely fortunate to have this ownership family, the venue, etc and "we" are indeed the class of the league.