August 13, 2004
Base Excitement
I've chided the fans of a number of contending teams (Royals, Marlins, Twins) for not getting excited about their teams. That's not happening in Cleveland. People are buying tickets, and Indians fans are ready to win.
Andrew Grover, 21, of Moreland Hills, brought a broom to Thursday's game that he planned to bring again Sunday in anticipation of an Indians sweep of the Twins.
"I'm confident that these young players have the talent and pitching to go all the way and definitely win the division," he said. "They're just starting to come together."
Doug Cocklin, 56, of Canton, agreed. "I was a little leery for a while, but it seems like these young players are finally jelling."
The Tribe's No. 1 fan, John Adams - who has been beating a boom-booming bass drum in the bleachers at every home game for the last 31 years - has noticed an increased fervor in the stands.
"There's a lot more excitement going on with the fans," he said. "They're not just watching to see what these guys do. Now they're excited about what they're doing."
One nice thing about this surge in fan interest is that it will provide the Indians with a little more money to use over the winter to improve the team.
Posted by David Pinto at
09:02 AM
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David -
Generally, I agree with you that fans of contending teams should go out and support their club. However, being a Miami resident and a Marlins supporter since I moved here in 1995, I have to admit that I've given up on them. I'm a season ticketholder, but the last Marlins game I'll ever attend was last Friday's game against the Brewers.
It's not that the product on the field isn't worth supporting - it is (despite the fact that they won't make the playoffs this year). It's that the in-stadium experience is so horrible. I've had too many days where I try to bring in a brand new, factory sealed bottle of water (to avoid paying $6 for water inside) on a hundred degree day and am told to take it back to my car (even though a bottle of water is allowed inside). That's a small example, but attending a Marlins game is a chore and it shouldn't be.
It isn't like that in the six other cities I've attended games in during the past year. I think that's the untold part of the Marlins attendance woes. It's just a horrific customer service experience on many levels. Sure it rains and sure it's hot, but people in Miami know how to deal with those things - that's just part of life here. Plus there are plenty of other places in town where they're not usually outright belligerent with you (like at the movies or a Heat game) - and I think that's why folks are more likely to spend their money on those things instead of a Marlins game.
Mike
FLA fans have been dreadful, they are barely averaging 20K in the year following the Series...inexcuseable. Spin it any way you like, it's terrible support. The Twins, after years of winning, aren't doing any better. Both have horrible stadiums, but c'mon.
CLE sold out several years in a row, correct? They have wonderful fans, and have picked up several diamond in the rough types.
I think it's a bit too soon to start patting Tribe fans on their backs.
Despite having a great park and good young players, Cleveland has the worst attendance among AL Central teams.
Al -
It's not spin, it's just reality. Plus the stadium the Marlins play in was built for football - not baseball. That's not an aesthetic hindrance as much as it is a negative for getting people to/from the game.
The Marlins draw from Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Pro Player Stadium is central to each of them, but close to a population center of none of them. This is fine for football with ten home dates per year, but is a real stretch for baseball. Think about it - the teams that draw well for baseball are located near population centers and/or near business districts. The Marlins are in neither, plus they don't have generations of fans like other cities, Miami is a poor place (the lowest per capita income of a major metro area in the country the last time I checked), and the customer service is abysmal.
There are a lot of reasons for low attendance at Marlins games and the counter that fans should just support the team because it's there doesn't look at the whole picture.
Mike
wasn't it just a few years ago that cleveland was a "large market" team? maybe there aren't as many people in cleveland anymore. hahaha
but seriously, except for that $#^% bullpen, they are a good team.