That is what it really boils down to, timing. Instead of building the Club, they should have enhanced the fan experience first, on and off the ice. Off the ice, the jumbotron is the obvious issue. No replays and tons of commercials take the fun and interest out of the game. On the ice, a better surface would not only make the game better for the players, but for the fans viewing as well. I believe they recently upgraded the ice management system, but the ice still seems to be quite sloppy.
The issue I have with the Club is that Yormark thought that they could build off of momentum sustained after ONE year in the playoffs. When you factor the one playoff appearance in over 10 years, against the circus that was the Florida Panthers prior to last season, the timing to build the Club was way off. If the Panthers went out and say signed a Sidney Crosby and a Alex Ovechkin, then you go and build the Club, because you know ticket requests would increase 100x, ala the Miami Heat. That is the type of affect you need to have in order to build the Club. This team should have made the playoffs a couple of more seasons, generated more excitement in the community, built the fan experience, THEN go and build the Club.
Apples and oranges. You are comparing our minor league organization to one of the best run franchises in all of sports. For a good majority of the Heats history, they have been a successful franchise; playoffs, multiple division titles, three finals appearances, and two titles in the last six years. Their representatives treat the season ticket holders better than any team in South Florida, have one of the best owners in sports, have had stability from management down since the 90s, and overall, scream first class. I have been to season ticket holder events for the Heat, and the accessibility was unlike anything I ever really had in the 10 years I was a season ticket holder with the Panthers. Nothing I have said could be said about the Panthers, except maybe Tallon, but he still remains to be seen. Not to mention, the Heat have the best player on the planet, and two of the top 15-20 players as well, so they can pretty much do what they want at this point.
Agree with everything you said. Comparing us to the heat is laughable.
How did yormark get a loan from the county to pay for this? I cannot imagine the political mess that will come out once they finally determine that this ridiculous idea cannot sustain itself.
Very good post, Slick Cat. Well done. On this point, it wasn't hard to request another loan considering the members of the Commission and their ties to the Arena and the franchise. LaMarca, Ritter, Rodstrom, being the main trio with Jacobs the fourth. The only two commissioners who voted against it were Wexler and Gunzberger. Ritter abstained, given her husbands ties to the organization. Holness brought some measured wishes regarding perfomances, etc. Lieberman, Sharief, and Henry had "unique" opinions regarding the loan.
How does tampa get a top notch scoreboard for ALL of their fans to enjoy, without getting a loan from the city -- while our team gets a loan to pay for a failed money maker, alienating the most loyal fans? and they have a Stanley cup and a much more successful product on the ice on top of it.
Well... that could be 2 reasons. One, with Vinik being the sole owner there's no complexity in having to perform a cash call for capital expenditures. Vinik saw the need and executed. Going as far as to cut the Hillsborough County Commission a break. Yet, it's a little more than just a "deep pocket" owner. Although it was a necessity, it was also a pay-it-forward/good faith gesture as there's several benefits to Vinik's advantage when dealing with the City, County, and the Tampa Sports Authority, let alone the immediate impact of fan experiences (think revenue). We'll see later on down the road what benefits greasing the wheel will have.
Quote:
Originally Posted by adam graves
Any reason they didnt borrow at the same time $$ for a jumbotron to serve the season ticket holder?
AG, wasn't that the original plan, or original notion of the 2nd loan request? Or at the very least the expectations we all had? Now that the Club Red loan has the Capital Improvements clause added into the measure, $500K a year held in escrow IIRC, perhaps that will be the genesis of replacing the Scoreboard at some point soon
Quote:
Originally Posted by Madhatter73
They had enough success to get the loan approved...
The loan and the request for that loan came before last season's successful run.
Panthers are having a fan forum with to tool tonight before the game, so whoever is going, PLEASE let our voices be heard!
Oh, and BTW, here is Club Dead from the Pink concert last night:
Im curious, what does a performer feel when they step on the stage and see that? We know what type of negative publicity this is receiving so far, but has anyone actually thought about what type of negative effect this will have on booking future performers?
Panthers are having a fan forum with to tool tonight before the game, so whoever is going, PLEASE let our voices be heard!
Oh, and BTW, here is Club Dead from the Pink concert last night:
Im curious, what does a performer feel when they step on the stage and see that? We know what type of negative publicity this is receiving so far, but has anyone actually thought about what type of negative effect this will have on booking future performers?
Dear God, that's terrible - living in a city in the UK with a big arena, I cannot imagine them EVER letting it get to this stage. Even the Royal Albert Hall in London asks season ticket holders to give their seats back for one-off concerts (including youth concerts and so on, where there might not be a big audience to begin with). All those people who probably really wanted to attend, as well...grim.
Panthers are having a fan forum with to tool tonight before the game, so whoever is going, PLEASE let our voices be heard!
Oh, and BTW, here is Club Dead from the Pink concert last night:
Im curious, what does a performer feel when they step on the stage and see that? We know what type of negative publicity this is receiving so far, but has anyone actually thought about what type of negative effect this will have on booking future performers?
Man what happened Yormark must have bought up all the Club Red seats for his friends. Seriously though what a disgrace.
Hey guys, got a quick question about attendance. every Home game i watch it seems like behind the benches the seats are always empty. can anyone elloborate? are these corporate seats like Toronto.Last year the home games on tv seemed to be always a packed house.
Yeah, Club Red. They're corporate/premium seats. Supposedly 70% have been sold.
And the seats cost 10's of thousands of dollars, thus they will never sell out. And most of the people who do have them stay at the top portion where the food and drinks are. And that, my friend, is why it always looks empty.
Biggest bonehead move by Yorkman ever!!! Should've bought a new scoreboard.
Biggest bonehead move by Yorkman ever!!! Should've bought a new scoreboard.
Watching the replays are pointless on our scoreboard. It has to be one of the worst! I really hope we get a new one soon.
The most people I have seen actually in their seats at club read was the penguin game I was at. I was wondering if you can't make a game and your a club red member are you able to sell your seat for that night?
I wonder if this Club Red will be around next year?
Of course, too late to turn back now. Even if it eventually sells out, which I think it will, there's always going to be empty seats because if it was me I would hang out in the lounge and eat spectacular food all night as well. We'll just have to live with it.
Of course, too late to turn back now. Even if it eventually sells out, which I think it will, there's always going to be empty seats because if it was me I would hang out in the lounge and eat spectacular food all night as well. We'll just have to live with it.
Do we really? It looks terrible on TV and it doesn't seem well thought out. That can't last long.
Put a great team on the ice and make the fans happy. It's a pretty simple idea.
Yorkman has failed in everything he has done that is hockey related so far. Thank god we have Tallon , he is the only reason this team is moving forward and the only reason I still care at this point.
Do we really? It looks terrible on TV and it doesn't seem well thought out. That can't last long.
Put a great team on the ice and make the fans happy. It's a pretty simple idea.
Yorkman has failed in everything he has done that is hockey related so far. Thank god we have Tallon , he is the only reason this team is moving forward and the only reason I still care at this point.
If they ditch Club Red now, the team will lose a ton of money. So yes, there's no choice but to keep it going. It was a few years premature, but there's nothing that can be done about it now. It looks terrible on TV, but we'll survive. What looks good or bad on TV doesn't affect the bottom line. They are going to make a ton of money off of Club Red. When we ice a consistent winner in a few years, people with money are going to flock to it. I'm not defending Yormark, I'm stating the financial realities of the team.
Panthers are having a fan forum with to tool tonight before the game, so whoever is going, PLEASE let our voices be heard!
Oh, and BTW, here is Club Dead from the Pink concert last night:
Im curious, what does a performer feel when they step on the stage and see that? We know what type of negative publicity this is receiving so far, but has anyone actually thought about what type of negative effect this will have on booking future performers?
L O ****ing L. How did he ever talk the city into giving him money for this garbage?
God, how many of these threads are we going to see!?!?!?
Apparently one for each empty seat in Club Red. Seriously, it's no shame to try and mazximize one's income (legally), but this doesn't seem to be the most well thought out plan in sports history.
Watching the replays are pointless on our scoreboard. It has to be one of the worst! I really hope we get a new one soon.
The most people I have seen actually in their seats at club read was the penguin game I was at. I was wondering if you can't make a game and your a club red member are you able to sell your seat for that night?
Hahaha.. Replays, what are those.
They should just sell club red bar and lounge tickets.. Then just make the seats back to normal. Why do they need the seats if they're not gonna sit there. Seems like the most logical solution.
They should just sell club red bar and lounge tickets.. Then just make the seats back to normal. Why do they need the seats if they're not gonna sit there. Seems like the most logical solution.
If you're paying 10k for your seat, you better have the option to go sit there if you want.
If you're paying 10k for your seat, you better have the option to go sit there if you want.
I'm just saying.. Make it cheaper, and let people just stay in the bar/club red area.. Add on seats to those that want them. Sell the other seats individually..
I'm just saying.. Make it cheaper, and let people just stay in the bar/club red area.. Add on seats to those that want them. Sell the other seats individually..
This is what I would do.
Let the Club Red STH's decide where they want to experience the game - in the bar, or in their seat. They can decide from season to season, with a deadline being some time in July. Then, from July on out, offer the remaining seats at a slightly higher STH rate (higher than what us working stiffs pay currently), with the understanding that the bar/concert package does not apply to them. They HAVE to watch from the concession area or in their seats.
For concerts, I would also have the Club Red STHs choose the concerts they will be attending, then sell off the rest of the seats as individual tickets.
The organization could make an even higher profit on those seats, and we don't look like idiots on tv. They would basically be selling the same seat twice.
I'm just saying.. Make it cheaper, and let people just stay in the bar/club red area.. Add on seats to those that want them. Sell the other seats individually..
The whole point is to make it exclusive. You'll water down the exclusivity if you do that.
Seriously, it's no shame to try and mazximize one's income (legally), but this doesn't seem to be the most well thought out plan in sports history.
