Arizona Rattlers

[Dogknot3]

I was watching an Arena Football game last night and the Arizona Rattlers have guaranteed their fans they will make the playoffs.  If they don't make the playoffs, season ticket holders get their money back.  The Rattlers could lose about $2.2 million if they do not make the playoffs.

Can anyone see one of the major sport teams doing this in the future?

[5-ish Finkle]

Not a chance in hell.  Far too much money for a "big" team to even think about it.

The guy who owns the Rattlers, Brett Bouchy, up until this season was the owner of the Orlando Predators.  They've made the AFL playoffs something like 13-15 years straight.  The Preds have been consistently the biggest draw in town here over the "major league" Magic, the old Solar Bears(who were actually very popular if you can believe it), the soccer team, etc etc under Bouchy's watch. The guy is a marketing genius, so the Preds were extremely profitable on top of being winners.  A Preds game is like a giant party. 

When he moved west and took over the Rattlers they expected him to bring the same brand of winning/fun immediately.  In order to stimulate lagging season ticket sales he made that guarantee.  Based on what I know of him, I'd bet your next paycheck that the $2 million+ is already covered if they don't make the playoffs.  He'll do all kinds of wild crap at each and every halftime/pre-game/post-game of their home games and sell sponsorship for them. (Guys in bear suits jumping 6 Hummers on a scooter, monster trucks, that kind of stuff.)  He's in a no lose situation really. They either get to the playoffs and he looks like a genius or they don't, he refunds the money and is looked at as this uber-stand up guy. 

Quite simply, it was a fantastic idea.  But he can get away with it because of the relatively "small" cost it will be compared to a major leauge sports franchise(in any of the big 4) to eat those tickets.

[7bucs]

I was watching an Arena Football game last night and the Arizona Rattlers have guaranteed their fans they will make the playoffs.  If they don't make the playoffs, season ticket holders get their money back.  The Rattlers could lose about $2.2 million if they do not make the playoffs.

Can anyone see one of the major sport teams doing this in the future?

How do the current standings look?

[Dogknot3]

I doubt this will ever happen too, but I wonder if there are teams who struggle with season tickets that this might be a fun gamble and worth it.

The season is early, only two games in.  The Rattlers had to put in Jeff Smoker as their starting QB got hurt.  I think it is fun to see some great high school players who never really made it in college play.  Smoker was a big signing at one point, but got in trouble with alcohol if I recall.

[7bucs]

I doubt this will ever happen too, but I wonder if there are teams who struggle with season tickets that this might be a fun gamble and worth it.

The season is early, only two games in.  The Rattlers had to put in Jeff Smoker as their starting QB got hurt.  I think it is fun to see some great high school players who never really made it in college play.  Smoker was a big signing at one point, but got in trouble with alcohol if I recall.

The only problem with that is the fans would probably cheer the opposing teams in the hopes they get their money back and a free season of 'arena football'.   

I was expecting there to be 2 or 3 games left in the season, and them having a 2 game lead.

[Animal]

Jeff Smoker...

They can advertise for the local drug dealer...

Hey, maybe the Bucs can have Ryan Doumit do some Iron City commercials!

[Dogknot3]

Are you sure Ryan Doumit is the only candidate for a beer commercial?

[magnumo]

Shouldn't this thread be moved to a different board?

[Dogknot3]

No one reads the other boards.