Add new comment

1

Not sure I agree with you on ticket impacts.
My take on "significant" ticket selling ... it is based "primarily" on *PERCEPTION* of what is coming tomorrow rather than what happened last month.
You argue that Pineda "kept the hope alive".  Except that the club ATT/G is only 19,697 at the moment, (it was 25,749 during the 61 win 2010 season).
In 2006, the club adds 9 wins (78), compared to 2005, but lost 3000 fans a night.
In 2007, the club won 88 and averaged 32,990, (adding another 10 wins), and gained back 2,500 per night.
In 2008, they tanked.  Attendance did drop, but season ticket sales were based off the previous two seasons of gains.  So, even a May collapse left them averaging 28,762 while winning only 61 games.
In 2009, they won 85, surprising everyone during the Griffey victory tour.  Attendance DROPPED 1,600 a game.  Why?  Because after winning 61, nobody believed 2009 would be good.
In 2010, again down to 61 wins (25,749 per game).  Worst Safeco attendance ever.  But, coming off the 85 win season, season tickets kept up interest.  This time the May collapse hurt more.
But, in 2011, "expectation" was the club would finish last.  And the club has average 19,697.  That's a drop of 5,000 per night.  Are you arguing that would've been 6,000 a night if Pineda hadn't arrived?  Because I don't believe it. 
Remember, the highest attendance was NOT during the 116 win season -- it was during the following year. 
My take on ticket sales is this.  Regardless of when you bring up Ackley, the "primary" impact on ticket sales will be realized in 2012 ... not 2011.  MOST fans gave up Seattle before the 2011 season began.  The winning streak was nice.  But, what was the ACTUAL attendance after the 5 game winning streak - and after taking 2 of 3 in Boston?
At home, vs. division rival Texas on May 3rd (with a 13-16 record entering the day), 12,759
May 4th: 13,896 -- a Pineda Wednesday night start
May 5th: 14,205.
Felix gets a bump in attendance every time.  But Pineda isn't going to lure Soccer Mom out to the park on Bridge night. 
The best thing for 2012 ticket sales will be a strong showing from guys like Ackley and Smoak and Carp in September.  Selling tickets for 2011 was largely done by April 1st.  Selling tickets for 2012 will largely be done based on performance during September and what (if any) lineup changes there are to go along with the youth movement during the off-season.
You get an .800 OPS out of Ackley in August and September ... and get 30 HRs from Smoak this year ... and maybe get Carp to come in and smack a dozen dingers by year end ... THEN, the club might be in a position to think about bringing in a big bat from FA at a position of need (VMart?) and get a ticket bounce. 

Filtered HTML

  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <blockquote> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd><p><br>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.

shout_filter

  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <blockquote> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.