Blackouts Not Just A Tampa Bay Thing
October 1st, 2010
With news that the Raiders and Chargers are going to be blacked out, Joe is finally fed up with insensitive Bucs fans who mock those who are not going to games.
The Chargers are expected to have a solid team this year, perhaps win the AFC West, yet this week will mark the second blacked out game this season for San Diego.
The Raiders are one of the most historic sports franchises in the nation, with a rabid, strong following.
Both these teams have more going for them than the Bucs. What they also have in common is that both are located in California, which is an absolute trainwreck economically. If California’s terrible unemployment rate isn’t bad enough for residents, the taxes will choke any sensible citizen.
Oh, and the unemployment rate in San Diego isn’t quite as bad as it is locally in the Tampa Bay area, pushing 13 percent.
In short, fans not going to the games or not owning season tickets has little if anything to do with Team Glazer or, perhaps, not even the expected Bucs rebuilding season.
As James Carville, then working for Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign in 1992 once so famously uttered, “It’s the economy, stupid.”
Earlier this week, amid national hysteria of what a rotten sports market the Tampa Bay area is, the Rays generously gave away 20,000 tickets to the final regular season home game. The Fruitdome was packed, the Rays handed out the freebies in 90 minutes.
If this town was so rotten of a sports market, the Rays would not have been able to give away that many tickets in such a narrow window of time.
Oh, anyone see a televised game at Florida State this season? To hear the Seminoles crowd, the fact the school ran off the man who built the program to historic levels, Bobby Bowden, was supposed to be a watershed moment for the school, that the football team would be a college football version of Lazurus.
FSU booster accounts were bursting with streams of newfound revenue, so the narrative went, since that old coot Bowden was gone.
Yet Seminoles home games have been played this season before scores of empty seats. Joe wasn’t aware Team Glazer was affiliated with Florida State?
No, the Bucs’ blackouts have little to do with Team Glazer despite what the haters may suggest. The blackouts have everything to do with about a third of people’s homes underwater worse than the Upside Down Barge Reef off of Indian Rocks Beach, one of Joe’s favorite local dive spots.
October 1st, 2010 at 2:26 pm
#1 reason has always been the economy, the Rays proved that with the 20,000 free tickets. (sure there are other factors that play into each indiviual person’s decisions) but its a lot of $ to go to a game and despite what the President and the finacial eggheads in the government keeps saying, the recession is not over even if it is according to charts and graphs.
Charts and graphs don’t create jobs, buy groceries or pay electric bills.
October 1st, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Cost is definitely a much bigger factor than team quality.
October 1st, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Seems like the folks up in Jacksonville and down in Miami arent having blackouts so far this season. Same State.
I believe the bucs were the only home blackout on opening day.
The Raiders have been abysmal for years. Charger fans likely have one and doneitis.
Is the economy a factor? Of Course. Probably the leading factor. Are the Glazers and their rebuilding fiasco another? Yep.
Test my theory Glazers, hire Bill Cowher and put some money into payroll well see if there would be any blackouts next year. I say none.
October 1st, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Joe,
You like facts. Here are some facts for you. Every week the Federal Reserveputs out economic numbers for Metropolitan cities. Yes , you are right, Tampa Bay has close to 13 percent of those who are on unemployment insurance. If you add in those who have just expended unemployment insurance, that number goes to 22 percent. If you add in those who are unemployed, expended insurance and who have stopped looking for work, that number is 28.7 percent.
Almost 30 percent of Tampa Bay is unemployed. Think of it…30 percent. I call for the Glazers to do what Steinberg did, buy all of the tickets and give them away to unemployed Buc fans. I also say that as a season ticket holder. I think our sports teams need to show the region (and more importantly the respective leagues) that they as part of the community want to help people in their time of need.
Kornheiser and Wilborn can go to hell.
October 1st, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Joe here,
Eric – It could be dissected all day long (as it is on sports radio). The Bucs’ sales ticket demise started after the 2007 season, when far too many season ticket holders didn’t exercise their options on playoff tickets. PLAYOFFS!! And the game was played before a sea of Giants fans. That can’t be blamed on the Glazers.
Then in 2008, official sellouts to avoid blackouts were lower than the 65,000+ capacity for the first time and in the 64,000+ range, even with a great early record. Empty club seats don’t count toward blackouts. Joe still remembers the empty seats, and seats available via TicketMaster on gameday for Mike Alstott Night with the Bucs at a 5-2 record.
Then last year, sellouts were in the 62s with the Glazers gobbling up tens of thousands of non-premium seats to avoid blackouts.
Jacksonville has the lowest ticket prices (about 30 percent less than the Bucs) but Miami has a much more expensive ticket average than the Bucs. And, of course, Miami has Brandon Marshall.
October 1st, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Joe,
Do you disagree that Bill Cowher and more spending on players would make a big difference?
Your right on the Giants game and also redskin playoff games. I had to sit next to the enemy both those times. Disgusting.
October 1st, 2010 at 3:13 pm
Great Post!! I too noticed the empty seat @ Doak Campbell/Bobby Bowden Field. I will continue to support from the confides of my home, as I continue to pay the mortgage!!
Go Noles!!
Go Bucs!!
Go Rays!!
Go Lightning!!
October 1st, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Joe here,
Eric – Offseason acquisitions of big name players and/or a big name coach always sell significantly more tickets initially. No question. How many tickets in this economy ? No clue.
October 1st, 2010 at 3:30 pm
So the reason for blackouts is Progressives in the Government spending and taxing the country into economy crushing debt? When you’re sitting at home listening to the Bucs on radio or watching play by play on the internet, it’s worth remembering why your not watching the action on Television, or can’t afford to buy tickets to the game. It’s time to throw these lying politicians out. I want my job back, and I want to see my Bucs.
October 1st, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Hey, Joe…
Did you listen to that guest on Duemiggs show yesterday? The guy that studies the effects of new stadiums and superbowls and hte sort on a community? Very interesting stuff.
According to him, those things actually don’t help a community. For example, yes, they make money, but most of that money goes to companies located AWAY from the city or out of state.
I know it doesn’t have much with this topic, but it might be a good article source if there is a podcast on 620wdae.com for ya.
October 1st, 2010 at 4:03 pm
@Eric
[blockquote]Do you disagree that Bill Cowher and more spending on players would make a big difference?[/blockquote]
I don’t know about Joe, but I do not agree at all. Why? Because the lack of ticket sales in Tampa (and elsewhere) is caused by more than just fan sentiment. Tampa has more than an 11% unemployment rate right now.
Ticket prices are so high that many people literally are faced with paying light bills or going to the games. It’s not like with the Rays, whose ticket prices are low.
The proof is in the pudding, so to speak. Of the tickets available for purchase to Bucs games, the cheap seats have consistantly been selling out, while the more pricey tickets are where sales are suffering the most.
Does and inferior product play a role in the issue? Probably to some degree. Certainly, people find it harder to forestall paying bills to see a terrible team vs a contender, but in the end, those bills still have to be paid.
The truth is, the majority of educated Bucs fans are not bothered so much by the lack of spending. We understand there are circumstances contributing to this, such as:
1) Building through the draft
2) the possibility of no football next year
3) the liklihood of a much lower salary cap once the CBA is in place again
4) and probably other reasons I can’t think of after a long day of running around
#2 certainly plays a strong role. Why pay someone for not playing? And the same applies to a change of coaching, if that is what anyone hopes for. Why pay a new coach 5-8 million per year for not doing anything?
#3 is an angle not really covered much in the press, but when a CBA is in place, it will play a huge role in the success of teams. The teams that are careful now, will have the advantage then.
October 1st, 2010 at 4:06 pm
Joe heard that and while it’s accurate, it’s also an absolute crock.
Buy a Ford pickup and that goes to Detroit.
Buy a Budweiser and that goes to St. Louis.
But a bottle of Heinz ketchup and that goes to Pittsburgh.
Shop at Sears and that goes to Chicago.
Shop at Wal-Mart and that goes to Arkansas.
This list is endless.
According to that egghead, the only thing we should spend our money on here is orange juice, strawberries, tomatoes and Cuban sandwiches.
October 1st, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Joe here,
Pete – You wrote: “The proof is in the pudding, so to speak. Of the tickets available for purchase to Bucs games, the cheap seats have consistantly been selling out, while the more pricey tickets are where sales are suffering the most.”
There aren’t many cheap seats. You can go to Buccaneers.com and look at them for a future Bucs game. Don’t think there’s any “pudding” there, since it’s a very limited number of tickets.
October 1st, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Certainly, you are right about that playing a large role. My point was that people are buying until the cheap seats are gone, then sales drop off because they simply can no longer afford the costs for the other seats.
And by cheap seats, I mean any under $60…not just those few $35 ones.
October 1st, 2010 at 4:20 pm
That’s a good point. Say, for example, someone buys a car from Reeves Imports on Florida (?; I think it’s there, been a while). Although the vehicles are mostly imports, it still bolsters Reeves, and they employ a large number of local employees.
Very good point.
October 1st, 2010 at 4:25 pm
@ Pete
the cheap seat sections were not full at the browns game, not by a long shot.
They were more full at Pitt but not completely.
October 1st, 2010 at 4:39 pm
I have been saying it for a year.
IT’S THE ECONOMY!!!!!!!!!!
Many other factors come into play, but no one was talking abut blackouts prior to 3 years ago…….. hmmmmmmm… what has happened? A recession followed by complete and utter incompetance taking over the reigns in the white house.
October 1st, 2010 at 4:47 pm
The unemployment is definitely huge here… and even IF the Bucs lowered ticket prices there’s still parking, concessions, and ticket handling fees. Cowher isn’t going to sell any significant number of seats.. if the money’s not there it ain’t there. Blood from a rock, and all. As for Jax and Miami being in the same state– well, yes- brilliant observation. But the economy is VERY different between Tampa Bay and those markets. Tampa realistically has 3 companies headquartered here: Raymond James, Outback, and Publix. The biggest employer in Tampa is the government and even they laid off tons of workers this past year. Jax has quite a few more HQs, more military, and the ability to draw from south Georgia and parts of the panhandle. Miami is the largest metro in the state. While Jax is technically a smaller market they have higher demographics than Tampa Bay.
I believe Super Bowls definitely bring business– just ask hotels, restaurants, and other tourist destinations.. how many fishing guides worked that week that normally would have been cleaning barnacles off of their outboards?
As for the blackout rule- in all of the discussion about owner greed and networks, nobody ever mentions the REAL reason that rule exists: to guarantee visiting teams their share of the attendance pie. Yes, the TV stations and the sponsors COULD buy the tickets, but they don’t have the money either.
October 1st, 2010 at 4:54 pm
..the only ones that have money now are the lawyers and lawyer referral services.. .all due respect to Joe’s sponsors, they are the reason life sucks for everyone. They become the politicians (both parties included here), they sue anyone who makes money in the name of “fairness”.
October 1st, 2010 at 5:09 pm
ITS OBAMAS FAULT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 1st, 2010 at 7:19 pm
@Rob,” Incompetance taking over in the white house?”
HA! that’s a laugh! Plus the fact you spelled “Incompetence” wrong tells me you come from the “W” tree.
I’m just kidding, I”m sure you are an intelligent guy, but I couldn’t resist.
October 1st, 2010 at 7:24 pm
Joe, it seems to me the chances of all home games being blacked out is a high probability. What do you think?
My wife is from South America & I’m trying to get her to take in a Bucs game. The whole futbol vs football argument (which is “regular football’).
Plus spending that kind of $$ at this time is tough. I’m getting my masters degree plus other things. It’s all about where to put our $$ at this point & time.
October 1st, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Did you land a Colombian bride?
October 1st, 2010 at 8:13 pm
@ Pete- that was Dave who said that. I dislike all politicians equally. 🙂
October 1st, 2010 at 9:18 pm
“For those of us who are about to die, we salute you.”
October 1st, 2010 at 9:19 pm
@ Rob – Sorry about that Rob. LOL, on the disliking politicians, I understand that.
@ Eric – No, she is from Ecuador. I met her here in the States through a mutual friend (co-worker). She asked me why the clock stops in “Americano Football” because it doesn’t stop in “regular” futbol. I told her this IS regular football. I’m trying to get her to give the NFL a chance, but she won’t budge. I’ll be off to a Bucs game with buddies or solo at some point.
She will give hockey a shot though, so there is hope.
October 1st, 2010 at 11:22 pm
Pete422:
Joe would be shocked, barring a strong playoff push, if any Bucs home game is televised locally this season.
October 1st, 2010 at 11:45 pm
how do I respond with quotes on here?
=:o/
October 2nd, 2010 at 12:14 am
Joe, you’re crazy. The economy is fine. It’s the Glazers!
October 2nd, 2010 at 2:07 am
Joe- good article, and absolutely right. As I’ve posted before, I have lots ofvfriends in the the Construction industry. These are guys in supervion and management that are $100,000 a yr plus careers, that have been out of work for anywhere from 8 to 24 months. These are guys that frequently go to Bucs, Rays, and Lightning games, but cannot do so now. Several have lost their homes. I have lived in this area since childhood, and have never seen an economic down turn as bad as this one. The biggest indicator is “business tickets”. Usually I get offered tickets several times a year from businesses trying to attract attention. Ussually numerous bay area businesses are handing out tickets to their customers. By all accounts, local businesses are not doing that at all in any industry!! I personally haven’t spoken to ANYONE who has said they don’t want to attend the games. The people I talk to are as excited about the Team as most of us are. It’s money and unemployment!
October 2nd, 2010 at 9:11 am
Good post Capt. Tim. Now lets just sit back and enjoy the season, I love this time of year.
October 2nd, 2010 at 1:44 pm
Pete 422-Right on!! my time of year , just cracked a cold one and watching FSU play. I love the fall! Football and cooler weather. Gotta love it! Eric, I know you have “kinda sorta” been less critical of the Bucs of late. Buuut I also remember all the rediculous nonsense you were posting all summer long, which has proven to be as flat out wrong as I said it was then. Anyone who has followed your post would realize that , despite your intelligence and how articulate you are, you have absolutely ZERO credibility in your opinions about football- especially the Bucs!! so at this point, if you believe it, I’m real comfortable in the knowledge that it’s wrong! Well written , but entirely incorrect post are your legacy here on JoeBucsFan! But despite the fact that you have destroyed your credibility, and are always wrong, I still think yer a swell guy! And will continue to argue with you. Even though we both know I am ALWAYS gonna be right. Just like now 🙂
October 3rd, 2010 at 9:53 am
@Joe
You may well be right, but if the Bucs start winning…say for example if they are…5-3 by mid season…there is a strong chance that the bandwagoners and fairweather fans will start buying tickets again.
Season tickets are not cheap. And although I’m sure there were a lot of people that struggled in order to buy them (when there was a waiting list), I bet there were a lot of companies and band wagoners that had the money to buy them and still do.
Perhaps they may not wish to buy season tickets, but they might well buy single game tickets.
And don’t discount the throwback game either.