theexorcist
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 3,506 
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Post by theexorcist on Nov 13, 2008 16:04:20 GMT -5
sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/081113"Q: I was in the Verizon Center in D.C. the other night when I looked up to the rafters to see banners claiming the Washington Mystics led the WNBA in attendance, not once, not twice, but THREE times (1998, 1999 and 2002). Has it really been that long for a championship in the D.C. area that they are clinging to WNBA attendance titles? Shouldn't there be a rule stating a city must be in a championship drought for a set number of years before hanging up meaningless banners? We need your expertise on this one. -- Steve, Needham Heights, Mass. SG: I don't consider those three WNBA attendance titles valid because half of those crowds were made up of Pittsburgh Steelers fans. But I mentioned your e-mail to my buddy House (a D.C. fan and resident) and he shamefully passed this tidbit along: Apparently last month during a Capitals game, the Caps raised a banner to commemorate their 2007-08 Southeast Division title. If you came up with some sort of formula to determine the worst four-sport city in America that included things like "sweeping lack of success," "general apathy," "ability of opposing fans to overwhelm your home crowd," "lack of tradition," "most transplants living in the city and rooting for other teams" and everything else, wouldn't Washington and Atlanta end up battling it out for the title like Sebastian Coe and Steve Scott in the '80s, like, they'd be so far ahead of the pack that it would be foolish to even mention the other contenders?" Sigh. You may hate him, but he's right.
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Jack
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 3,411
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Post by Jack on Nov 13, 2008 16:35:34 GMT -5
I would have said the Burgundy and Gold are the exception, but after seeing all those terrible towels at the MNF game, I don't even know if that is true.
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hifigator
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 6,387
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Post by hifigator on Nov 13, 2008 16:38:49 GMT -5
I don't know about Washington in particular, but I remember reading an article several years ago -- right about the same time they changed the NBA-Jerry West logo to be a-sexual -- and there were literally more people being paid to be in attendance than those that paid to be there. They added all the employees and corporate seats, media etc... and it exceeded the actual ticket sales to the public. I don't remember if this was for one team or league wide on a specific night. In any case, it was shocking. I also remember reading that if you want to advertise on ABC for the Sunday afternoon basketball package, you are required to advertise on WNBA as well. And on that other thread someone talked about jai-alai being subsidized....
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ichirohoya
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
Posts: 535
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Post by ichirohoya on Nov 13, 2008 16:43:42 GMT -5
I think calling DC a 4-Sport City at this point is a little pre-mature. The Nationals have been in town for several years now, but, 30 years of being neutral baseball territory/part of the Baltimore market have made DC a haven for transplant fans. 30 years worth of people moving to DC had no reason to abandon their old teams when coming to the area. We really ought not be surprised that Mets, Cubs, Phillies, and all other fans are so well represented at Nats Park.
As for the other 3 sports, especially after the MNF debacle, I'd have to agree that Simmons is spot on.
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kghoya
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 5,049
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Post by kghoya on Nov 13, 2008 17:56:55 GMT -5
those attendance banners are old news
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theexorcist
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 3,506
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Post by theexorcist on Nov 14, 2008 9:21:04 GMT -5
sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/081113"Q: I was in the Verizon Center in D.C. the other night when I looked up to the rafters to see banners claiming the Washington Mystics led the WNBA in attendance, not once, not twice, but THREE times (1998, 1999 and 2002). Has it really been that long for a championship in the D.C. area that they are clinging to WNBA attendance titles? Shouldn't there be a rule stating a city must be in a championship drought for a set number of years before hanging up meaningless banners? We need your expertise on this one. -- Steve, Needham Heights, Mass. SG: I don't consider those three WNBA attendance titles valid because half of those crowds were made up of Pittsburgh Steelers fans. But I mentioned your e-mail to my buddy House (a D.C. fan and resident) and he shamefully passed this tidbit along: Apparently last month during a Capitals game, the Caps raised a banner to commemorate their 2007-08 Southeast Division title. If you came up with some sort of formula to determine the worst four-sport city in America that included things like "sweeping lack of success," "general apathy," "ability of opposing fans to overwhelm your home crowd," "lack of tradition," "most transplants living in the city and rooting for other teams" and everything else, wouldn't Washington and Atlanta end up battling it out for the title like Sebastian Coe and Steve Scott in the '80s, like, they'd be so far ahead of the pack that it would be foolish to even mention the other contenders?" Sigh. You may hate him, but he's right. Add Miami to the list. The Dolphins don't even sell-out playoff games, Marlins fans are a joke no matter how good the team is, Heat fans are about as fair-weather as they come and show up at halftime like Laker fans, and most Floridians don't even know the Panthers exist... or play outside Fort Lauderdale because they couldn't draw in Miami when they first started out. Just so I can quote Dave Barry: "I've been a raving, rabid, die-hard, lifelong Marlins fan since I attended Game 5 of the Atlanta series," quipped The Miami Herald's Dave Barry last week." |
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hifigator
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 6,387
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Post by hifigator on Nov 14, 2008 12:56:44 GMT -5
sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/081113"Q: I was in the Verizon Center in D.C. the other night when I looked up to the rafters to see banners claiming the Washington Mystics led the WNBA in attendance, not once, not twice, but THREE times (1998, 1999 and 2002). Has it really been that long for a championship in the D.C. area that they are clinging to WNBA attendance titles? Shouldn't there be a rule stating a city must be in a championship drought for a set number of years before hanging up meaningless banners? We need your expertise on this one. -- Steve, Needham Heights, Mass. SG: I don't consider those three WNBA attendance titles valid because half of those crowds were made up of Pittsburgh Steelers fans. But I mentioned your e-mail to my buddy House (a D.C. fan and resident) and he shamefully passed this tidbit along: Apparently last month during a Capitals game, the Caps raised a banner to commemorate their 2007-08 Southeast Division title. If you came up with some sort of formula to determine the worst four-sport city in America that included things like "sweeping lack of success," "general apathy," "ability of opposing fans to overwhelm your home crowd," "lack of tradition," "most transplants living in the city and rooting for other teams" and everything else, wouldn't Washington and Atlanta end up battling it out for the title like Sebastian Coe and Steve Scott in the '80s, like, they'd be so far ahead of the pack that it would be foolish to even mention the other contenders?" Sigh. You may hate him, but he's right. Add Miami to the list. The Dolphins don't even sell-out playoff games, Marlins fans are a joke no matter how good the team is, Heat fans are about as fair-weather as they come and show up at halftime like Laker fans, and most Floridians don't even know the Panthers exist... or play outside Fort Lauderdale because they couldn't draw in Miami when they first started out. Buff speaks the truth -- for ONCE. And it's even worse than that. They are almost proud of their lack of allegiance. If their team starts to stink, they just put that jersey back in the closet and pick another one. Within the past couple of years, I saw where Tom Brady jerseys were second in sales in Miami behind only D. Wade. |
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mchoya
Bulldog (over 250 posts)
Posts: 377
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Post by mchoya on Nov 14, 2008 18:42:30 GMT -5
Add Miami to the list. The Dolphins don't even sell-out playoff games, Marlins fans are a joke no matter how good the team is, Heat fans are about as fair-weather as they come and show up at halftime like Laker fans, and most Floridians don't even know the Panthers exist... or play outside Fort Lauderdale because they couldn't draw in Miami when they first started out. First, two hockey teams in Florida is a colossally boneheaded move. Gary Bettman ruined the NHL with overexpansion into markets that cannot support hockey. But that's a diatribe for another day. The reason why Miami isn't a successful sports city is this: it's Miami. The Marlins get no attendance because during the summer, would you rather see the very boring and terrible Marlins or be on the very not boring and terrible South Beach? |
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JimmyHoya
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Hoya fan, est. 1986
Posts: 1,867
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Post by JimmyHoya on Nov 16, 2008 9:56:51 GMT -5
How do you hold transplants against a city?  The rest I begrudgingly agree with. |
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