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Could Batavia lose the Muckdogs?
Submitted by Howard Owens on August 18, 2009 - 8:19am
The Democrat and Chronicle engages in some idle speculation, raising the possibility that this could be the last year of baseball in Batavia.
The article leaves the impression that the writer has spoken with officials of the Red Wings and that the operator of the Muckdogs is undecided about the Muckdogs' future.
The average attendance this year has been 988. The article says that's down from 1,199 last year, but doesn't note that the Red Wings have instituted something new in counting attendance at NY-Penn League stadiums: Telling the truth. There's no inflation in the count this year.
The Red Wings would get only 10 percent of the sale price if the team were sold prior to next season.
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August 18, 2009 - 12:36pm
#2
Sad. If I lived in the area, I would buy season tickets. If they stay another year I may do so anyway and give them to my relatives.
August 18, 2009 - 5:55pm
#3
I hope the article in the D&C is just there to stir up a little controversy on a slow news day. We do need to send a message to Rochester that we want to keep this team here. The message is simple....ATTENDANCE!! We have ten games left at Dwyer this season. We need to fill the stands. With the team still here the city and local businesses will continue to profit and fans and families will continue to have a nice place to go for great affordable summer fun! Without the team here, we will have an empty stadium that the tax payers continue to pay for and it will only be welcome to vandalism and all around problems. Let's keep the team right here where it belongs!!!!
August 18, 2009 - 9:04pm
#4
I've always shared this story with everybody. I became a season ticket holder because of the Muckdog family deal. I heard that you could go to a game for $20. You would get 4 tickets, 4 hotdogs, 4 sodas and a program, yes, for $20. I never saw an advertisement about this deal but, I found out it did exist. We went to a couple of games the first year and a few more the next and so on... Eventually we just started buying season tickets. I still can't recall seeing this deal advertised. I'm told it is still available, but it's now $30. This is just my opinion and nothing more, but I feel that is too much and here's why. Generally when a family goes out they know ahead of time how much they're going to spend. If I see I can take out my family for $20 I already know that I might spend a total of $40. But if it costs $30 just to start with it only leaves me $10 extra. I'm going to look at that like it's too much. If I get in for $20, I still may spend another $20 there but you at least got me in the door. All I know is an empty seat is a guaranteed $0 income. A cheap seat gives a potential of selling more then just a seat. I'll take a possible income over a guaranteed $0 any day! A little of something is ALWAYS better than all of nothing.
I've also always wondered about the whole not advertising the deal. I see the ads in the paper and 3/4 of it is about who they're playing. I think the deal is more important then the opponent. I consider myself a pretty average guy and the deal is what got me there. I'm more a fan of the experience than the actual game. My family and I are big fans of just being at the stadium. Sorry to you huge baseball fans, but the game is secondary to being with family and friends at a live event. As Russ said, we're going to be paying for that stadium whether a team is there or not. I say bring back the cheap family deal and make it the focus of the ad. Who we're playing isn't the draw, filling the seats with families should be the focus. Just my opinion.
August 18, 2009 - 11:23pm
#5
I do agree with you Tim! Just like any place that sells tickets for admission. You make your money off the concessions and merchandise once the fan is inside the stadium. I have suggested a "$2.00 Tuesday's" and other such discounts after seeing them at other minor league parks. I'm sure they can't change during the season, but I hope they look at it for next year if we have our team. I have posted on the calendar here on theBatavian.com every game, event and deal for that game, including the 4pack on Wednesday's. I think the team needs to focus and work on season ticket sales and advertising at the stadium on the wall's and programs for more revenue. I really believe that many more season tickets could be sold and that would help with concessions, merchandise sales and advertising at the stadium. Doors need to be knocked on to get this done. The games are very entertaining, the food is great and the atmosphere of a night out with your "baseball friends" is the best! I hope to see you and the rest of city council out this Saturday night at the game....where TheBatavian.com is a proud sponsor!!!!
