683E283C332939323F281A3D373B333674395A0 wrote: I find the whole DH thing puzzling. The players association is said to favor it because it creates one more job, but I'm not seeing that. Unless they increase the roster size (and I've seen nothing about that), they are still at 26. All they are doing is switching hitter for a pitcher. What teams will then do is make pitching (aside from the main guys) a part-time job - shuffling players from AAA when they need some innings, then back again while another guy comes up. There's already enough of that going on for me.
Good point. The players want the DH because some of the teams, the wealthy ones, will add an accomplished hitter, which will increase payments to players at least for those teams. They’re not concerned with better competition on the field. Their intent is to drive up salaries.
Just another example of the union and large market teams increasing their chances to win while small market teams become less competitive. [highlight]Why will the small market teams like the Pirates not stand their ground.[/highlight] Soooooo frustrating.
Because the small market teams have little to no power. And they're quite satisfied with their situation.
yep, [highlight]the Pirates and other smaller market owners don't care, they think things are fine. As far as they are concerned, there is nothing to fight the big market teams over.[/highlight]
With 32 teams they can even take the position that if every thing is equal my team will win every 32 years. Since they aren't equal it might take 40, and if we are incompetent (like the Pirates have been ) it might take 60.
Especially an owner like Nutting, who knows nothing about baseball and only views the Pirates as a business, where profit is the priority. Imagine having a job in a huge corporation where you're in charge of one of 30 major departments, and even though that department fails continuously, you'll never be fired and you'll continue to share in the wealth of the company. Bob Nutting actually has a job just like that.
Yeah, but why would the other owners care? It's actually great for them! The Pirates are profitable, and other other teams get a few gimmies a year. So, in their eyes, Bob's department is actually thriving.
DH To National League
Moderators: SammyKhalifa, Doc, Bobster
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2drfischer@gmail.c
DH To National League
121A192E381D3A355B0 wrote: I find the whole DH thing puzzling. The players association is said to favor it because it creates one more job, but I'm not seeing that. Unless they increase the roster size (and I've seen nothing about that), they are still at 26. All they are doing is switching hitter for a pitcher. What teams will then do is make pitching (aside from the main guys) a part-time job - shuffling players from AAA when they need some innings, then back again while another guy comes up. There's already enough of that going on for me.
Good point. The players want the DH because some of the teams, the wealthy ones, will add an accomplished hitter, which will increase payments to players at least for those teams. They’re not concerned with better competition on the field. Their intent is to drive up salaries.
Just another example of the union and large market teams increasing their chances to win while small market teams become less competitive. [highlight]Why will the small market teams like the Pirates not stand their ground.[/highlight] Soooooo frustrating.
Because the small market teams have little to no power. And they're quite satisfied with their situation.
yep, [highlight]the Pirates and other smaller market owners don't care, they think things are fine. As far as they are concerned, there is nothing to fight the big market teams over.[/highlight]
With 32 teams they can even take the position that if every thing is equal my team will win every 32 years. Since they aren't equal it might take 40, and if we are incompetent (like the Pirates have been ) it might take 60.
Especially an owner like Nutting, who knows nothing about baseball and only views the Pirates as a business, where profit is the priority. Imagine having a job in a huge corporation where you're in charge of one of 30 major departments, and even though that department fails continuously, you'll never be fired and you'll continue to share in the wealth of the company. Bob Nutting actually has a job just like that.
Yeah, but why would the other owners care? It's actually great for them! The Pirates are profitable, and other other teams get a few gimmies a year. So, in their eyes, Bob's department is actually thriving.
I agree, I don't think the other owners care at all about the way Nutting runs the Pirates. First, he offers no competition with regard to winning the World Series. And second, it really doesn't matter that they share money with him. They have to share money with whomever owns the franchise anyway. Why not give it to a guy who doesn't make waves and doesn't try to win? He's their perfect stooge.
Good point. The players want the DH because some of the teams, the wealthy ones, will add an accomplished hitter, which will increase payments to players at least for those teams. They’re not concerned with better competition on the field. Their intent is to drive up salaries.
Just another example of the union and large market teams increasing their chances to win while small market teams become less competitive. [highlight]Why will the small market teams like the Pirates not stand their ground.[/highlight] Soooooo frustrating.
Because the small market teams have little to no power. And they're quite satisfied with their situation.
yep, [highlight]the Pirates and other smaller market owners don't care, they think things are fine. As far as they are concerned, there is nothing to fight the big market teams over.[/highlight]
With 32 teams they can even take the position that if every thing is equal my team will win every 32 years. Since they aren't equal it might take 40, and if we are incompetent (like the Pirates have been ) it might take 60.
Especially an owner like Nutting, who knows nothing about baseball and only views the Pirates as a business, where profit is the priority. Imagine having a job in a huge corporation where you're in charge of one of 30 major departments, and even though that department fails continuously, you'll never be fired and you'll continue to share in the wealth of the company. Bob Nutting actually has a job just like that.
Yeah, but why would the other owners care? It's actually great for them! The Pirates are profitable, and other other teams get a few gimmies a year. So, in their eyes, Bob's department is actually thriving.
I agree, I don't think the other owners care at all about the way Nutting runs the Pirates. First, he offers no competition with regard to winning the World Series. And second, it really doesn't matter that they share money with him. They have to share money with whomever owns the franchise anyway. Why not give it to a guy who doesn't make waves and doesn't try to win? He's their perfect stooge.
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skinnyhorse
- Posts: 926
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2016 1:19 am
DH To National League
6B3D2B3F302A3A313C2B193E34383035773A590 wrote: I find the whole DH thing puzzling. The players association is said to favor it because it creates one more job, but I'm not seeing that. Unless they increase the roster size (and I've seen nothing about that), they are still at 26. All they are doing is switching hitter for a pitcher. What teams will then do is make pitching (aside from the main guys) a part-time job - shuffling players from AAA when they need some innings, then back again while another guy comes up. There's already enough of that going on for me.
Good point. The players want the DH because some of the teams, the wealthy ones, will add an accomplished hitter, which will increase payments to players at least for those teams. They’re not concerned with better competition on the field. Their intent is to drive up salaries.
Just another example of the union and large market teams increasing their chances to win while small market teams become less competitive. [highlight]Why will the small market teams like the Pirates not stand their ground.[/highlight] Soooooo frustrating.
Because the small market teams have little to no power. And they're quite satisfied with their situation.
Unfortunately for us you are right. This is where the communities should put pressure on old Bob and the other small market teams. Someone must get him out of his comfort zone.
Good point. The players want the DH because some of the teams, the wealthy ones, will add an accomplished hitter, which will increase payments to players at least for those teams. They’re not concerned with better competition on the field. Their intent is to drive up salaries.
Just another example of the union and large market teams increasing their chances to win while small market teams become less competitive. [highlight]Why will the small market teams like the Pirates not stand their ground.[/highlight] Soooooo frustrating.
Because the small market teams have little to no power. And they're quite satisfied with their situation.
Unfortunately for us you are right. This is where the communities should put pressure on old Bob and the other small market teams. Someone must get him out of his comfort zone.
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2drfischer@gmail.c
DH To National League
594143444453424558594F2A0 wrote: I find the whole DH thing puzzling. The players association is said to favor it because it creates one more job, but I'm not seeing that. Unless they increase the roster size (and I've seen nothing about that), they are still at 26. All they are doing is switching hitter for a pitcher. What teams will then do is make pitching (aside from the main guys) a part-time job - shuffling players from AAA when they need some innings, then back again while another guy comes up. There's already enough of that going on for me.
Good point. The players want the DH because some of the teams, the wealthy ones, will add an accomplished hitter, which will increase payments to players at least for those teams. They’re not concerned with better competition on the field. Their intent is to drive up salaries.
Just another example of the union and large market teams increasing their chances to win while small market teams become less competitive. [highlight]Why will the small market teams like the Pirates not stand their ground.[/highlight] Soooooo frustrating.
Because the small market teams have little to no power. And they're quite satisfied with their situation.
Unfortunately for us you are right. This is where the communities should put pressure on old Bob and the other small market teams. Someone must get him out of his comfort zone.
I would love if the state and local governments, and the powerful firms within the business community, pressured Nutting to improve the Pirates or, better yet, sell. After all, he has a publicly financed ballpark in which to operate.
Corporations have purchased expensive suites in which to influence their clients. It’s not much of a favorable environment most nights in that park for those corporations. And then PNC has its name associated with the team, which must cause them some degree of embarrassment.
I’d love to see the community turn on him but it would take an incredibly organized effort. I wouldn’t count on it. The pressure would have to come from the powerful, not the common fans.
Good point. The players want the DH because some of the teams, the wealthy ones, will add an accomplished hitter, which will increase payments to players at least for those teams. They’re not concerned with better competition on the field. Their intent is to drive up salaries.
Just another example of the union and large market teams increasing their chances to win while small market teams become less competitive. [highlight]Why will the small market teams like the Pirates not stand their ground.[/highlight] Soooooo frustrating.
Because the small market teams have little to no power. And they're quite satisfied with their situation.
Unfortunately for us you are right. This is where the communities should put pressure on old Bob and the other small market teams. Someone must get him out of his comfort zone.
I would love if the state and local governments, and the powerful firms within the business community, pressured Nutting to improve the Pirates or, better yet, sell. After all, he has a publicly financed ballpark in which to operate.
Corporations have purchased expensive suites in which to influence their clients. It’s not much of a favorable environment most nights in that park for those corporations. And then PNC has its name associated with the team, which must cause them some degree of embarrassment.
I’d love to see the community turn on him but it would take an incredibly organized effort. I wouldn’t count on it. The pressure would have to come from the powerful, not the common fans.
DH To National League
2D7B6D79766C7C777A6D5F78727E7673317C1F0 wrote:
I would love if the state and local governments, and the powerful firms within the business community, pressured Nutting to improve the Pirates or, better yet, sell. After all, he has a publicly financed ballpark in which to operate.
Corporations have purchased expensive suites in which to influence their clients. It’s not much of a favorable environment most nights in that park for those corporations. And then PNC has its name associated with the team, which must cause them some degree of embarrassment.
I’d love to see the community turn on him but it would take an incredibly organized effort. I wouldn’t count on it. The pressure would have to come from the powerful, not the common fans.
Have already seen some of that at PNC Park. Most notably, the seats behind home plate didn't have a sponsor last season. They were simply called, "Home Plate Club". They were formerly Lexus then Hyundai Club.
A number of years ago Pepsi quit being a major sponsor, and they took the spinning lights off the stands in right field.
The Skull Bar was formerly the Bow Tie bar, sponsored by Budweiser. It's no wonder they went back to sprucing up the perks for STH, which they had whittled away to nothing more than the price of the seats were cheaper. They're running out of business that start with the letter "K" to sponsor the strike out board.
The deck seating used to be the Addeco Deck.
Infrequent patrons to PNC probably would not notice much of this. Gives the club kind of a low rent look. I'm sure Travis Williams will build that back up, a lot of this was the result of the team president side of the Dumbnamic Duo. Remember his attempt to have fans pay to supposedly have some sort of input to run the team?
They're very lucky to have two of the big players in Pittsburgh still on board as major sponsors with AHN and PNC.
I would love if the state and local governments, and the powerful firms within the business community, pressured Nutting to improve the Pirates or, better yet, sell. After all, he has a publicly financed ballpark in which to operate.
Corporations have purchased expensive suites in which to influence their clients. It’s not much of a favorable environment most nights in that park for those corporations. And then PNC has its name associated with the team, which must cause them some degree of embarrassment.
I’d love to see the community turn on him but it would take an incredibly organized effort. I wouldn’t count on it. The pressure would have to come from the powerful, not the common fans.
Have already seen some of that at PNC Park. Most notably, the seats behind home plate didn't have a sponsor last season. They were simply called, "Home Plate Club". They were formerly Lexus then Hyundai Club.
A number of years ago Pepsi quit being a major sponsor, and they took the spinning lights off the stands in right field.
The Skull Bar was formerly the Bow Tie bar, sponsored by Budweiser. It's no wonder they went back to sprucing up the perks for STH, which they had whittled away to nothing more than the price of the seats were cheaper. They're running out of business that start with the letter "K" to sponsor the strike out board.
The deck seating used to be the Addeco Deck.
Infrequent patrons to PNC probably would not notice much of this. Gives the club kind of a low rent look. I'm sure Travis Williams will build that back up, a lot of this was the result of the team president side of the Dumbnamic Duo. Remember his attempt to have fans pay to supposedly have some sort of input to run the team?
They're very lucky to have two of the big players in Pittsburgh still on board as major sponsors with AHN and PNC.
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GreenWeenie
- Posts: 4012
- Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 3:47 pm
DH To National League
What happened when some fans tried to organize a "Walk Out"?
BOB wasn't booed. The people who walked out were.
So, in some respects, I think we get what we get.
For every complaint about a lackluster roster, I hear or read three people say that they'd rather see "kids" play.
So, I don't know what to think about the sad state of affairs anymore.
BOB wasn't booed. The people who walked out were.
So, in some respects, I think we get what we get.
For every complaint about a lackluster roster, I hear or read three people say that they'd rather see "kids" play.
So, I don't know what to think about the sad state of affairs anymore.
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skinnyhorse
- Posts: 926
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2016 1:19 am
DH To National League
792F392D223828232E390B2C262A222765284B0 wrote: I find the whole DH thing puzzling. The players association is said to favor it because it creates one more job, but I'm not seeing that. Unless they increase the roster size (and I've seen nothing about that), they are still at 26. All they are doing is switching hitter for a pitcher. What teams will then do is make pitching (aside from the main guys) a part-time job - shuffling players from AAA when they need some innings, then back again while another guy comes up. There's already enough of that going on for me.
Good point. The players want the DH because some of the teams, the wealthy ones, will add an accomplished hitter, which will increase payments to players at least for those teams. They’re not concerned with better competition on the field. Their intent is to drive up salaries.
Just another example of the union and large market teams increasing their chances to win while small market teams become less competitive. [highlight]Why will the small market teams like the Pirates not stand their ground.[/highlight] Soooooo frustrating.
Because the small market teams have little to no power. And they're quite satisfied with their situation.
Unfortunately for us you are right. This is where the communities should put pressure on old Bob and the other small market teams. Someone must get him out of his comfort zone.
I would love if the state and local governments, and the powerful firms within the business community, pressured Nutting to improve the Pirates or, better yet, sell. After all, he has a publicly financed ballpark in which to operate.
Corporations have purchased expensive suites in which to influence their clients. It’s not much of a favorable environment most nights in that park for those corporations. And then PNC has its name associated with the team, which must cause them some degree of embarrassment.
I’d love to see the community turn on him but it would take an incredibly organized effort. I wouldn’t count on it. The pressure would have to come from the powerful, not the common fans.
Yep, but they need to understand they're losing lots of revenue, vendors, restaurants , hotels, etc.
Good point. The players want the DH because some of the teams, the wealthy ones, will add an accomplished hitter, which will increase payments to players at least for those teams. They’re not concerned with better competition on the field. Their intent is to drive up salaries.
Just another example of the union and large market teams increasing their chances to win while small market teams become less competitive. [highlight]Why will the small market teams like the Pirates not stand their ground.[/highlight] Soooooo frustrating.
Because the small market teams have little to no power. And they're quite satisfied with their situation.
Unfortunately for us you are right. This is where the communities should put pressure on old Bob and the other small market teams. Someone must get him out of his comfort zone.
I would love if the state and local governments, and the powerful firms within the business community, pressured Nutting to improve the Pirates or, better yet, sell. After all, he has a publicly financed ballpark in which to operate.
Corporations have purchased expensive suites in which to influence their clients. It’s not much of a favorable environment most nights in that park for those corporations. And then PNC has its name associated with the team, which must cause them some degree of embarrassment.
I’d love to see the community turn on him but it would take an incredibly organized effort. I wouldn’t count on it. The pressure would have to come from the powerful, not the common fans.
Yep, but they need to understand they're losing lots of revenue, vendors, restaurants , hotels, etc.
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2drfischer@gmail.c
DH To National League
6D4B4C59505C4B5D553E0 wrote:
I would love if the state and local governments, and the powerful firms within the business community, pressured Nutting to improve the Pirates or, better yet, sell. After all, he has a publicly financed ballpark in which to operate.
Corporations have purchased expensive suites in which to influence their clients. It’s not much of a favorable environment most nights in that park for those corporations. And then PNC has its name associated with the team, which must cause them some degree of embarrassment.
I’d love to see the community turn on him but it would take an incredibly organized effort. I wouldn’t count on it. The pressure would have to come from the powerful, not the common fans.
Have already seen some of that at PNC Park. Most notably, the seats behind home plate didn't have a sponsor last season. They were simply called, "Home Plate Club". They were formerly Lexus then Hyundai Club.
A number of years ago Pepsi quit being a major sponsor, and they took the spinning lights off the stands in right field.
The Skull Bar was formerly the Bow Tie bar, sponsored by Budweiser. It's no wonder they went back to sprucing up the perks for STH, which they had whittled away to nothing more than the price of the seats were cheaper. They're running out of business that start with the letter "K" to sponsor the strike out board.
The deck seating used to be the Addeco Deck.
Infrequent patrons to PNC probably would not notice much of this. Gives the club kind of a low rent look. I'm sure Travis Williams will build that back up, a lot of this was the result of the team president side of the Dumbnamic Duo. Remember his attempt to have fans pay to supposedly have some sort of input to run the team?
They're very lucky to have two of the big players in Pittsburgh still on board as major sponsors with AHN and PNC.
I’d consider myself an “infrequent” patron and I didn’t notice the changes you described, except for the removal of the Pepsi signs. Hard to blame those firms for not wanting to be associated with the Pirates.
I would love if the state and local governments, and the powerful firms within the business community, pressured Nutting to improve the Pirates or, better yet, sell. After all, he has a publicly financed ballpark in which to operate.
Corporations have purchased expensive suites in which to influence their clients. It’s not much of a favorable environment most nights in that park for those corporations. And then PNC has its name associated with the team, which must cause them some degree of embarrassment.
I’d love to see the community turn on him but it would take an incredibly organized effort. I wouldn’t count on it. The pressure would have to come from the powerful, not the common fans.
Have already seen some of that at PNC Park. Most notably, the seats behind home plate didn't have a sponsor last season. They were simply called, "Home Plate Club". They were formerly Lexus then Hyundai Club.
A number of years ago Pepsi quit being a major sponsor, and they took the spinning lights off the stands in right field.
The Skull Bar was formerly the Bow Tie bar, sponsored by Budweiser. It's no wonder they went back to sprucing up the perks for STH, which they had whittled away to nothing more than the price of the seats were cheaper. They're running out of business that start with the letter "K" to sponsor the strike out board.
The deck seating used to be the Addeco Deck.
Infrequent patrons to PNC probably would not notice much of this. Gives the club kind of a low rent look. I'm sure Travis Williams will build that back up, a lot of this was the result of the team president side of the Dumbnamic Duo. Remember his attempt to have fans pay to supposedly have some sort of input to run the team?
They're very lucky to have two of the big players in Pittsburgh still on board as major sponsors with AHN and PNC.
I’d consider myself an “infrequent” patron and I didn’t notice the changes you described, except for the removal of the Pepsi signs. Hard to blame those firms for not wanting to be associated with the Pirates.
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2drfischer@gmail.c
DH To National League
736B696E6E79686F727365000 wrote: I find the whole DH thing puzzling. The players association is said to favor it because it creates one more job, but I'm not seeing that. Unless they increase the roster size (and I've seen nothing about that), they are still at 26. All they are doing is switching hitter for a pitcher. What teams will then do is make pitching (aside from the main guys) a part-time job - shuffling players from AAA when they need some innings, then back again while another guy comes up. There's already enough of that going on for me.
Good point. The players want the DH because some of the teams, the wealthy ones, will add an accomplished hitter, which will increase payments to players at least for those teams. They’re not concerned with better competition on the field. Their intent is to drive up salaries.
Just another example of the union and large market teams increasing their chances to win while small market teams become less competitive. [highlight]Why will the small market teams like the Pirates not stand their ground.[/highlight] Soooooo frustrating.
Because the small market teams have little to no power. And they're quite satisfied with their situation.
Unfortunately for us you are right. This is where the communities should put pressure on old Bob and the other small market teams. Someone must get him out of his comfort zone.
I would love if the state and local governments, and the powerful firms within the business community, pressured Nutting to improve the Pirates or, better yet, sell. After all, he has a publicly financed ballpark in which to operate.
Corporations have purchased expensive suites in which to influence their clients. It’s not much of a favorable environment most nights in that park for those corporations. And then PNC has its name associated with the team, which must cause them some degree of embarrassment.
I’d love to see the community turn on him but it would take an incredibly organized effort. I wouldn’t count on it. The pressure would have to come from the powerful, not the common fans.
Yep, but they need to understand they're losing lots of revenue, vendors, restaurants , hotels, etc.
The trouble is that if Nutting loses revenues in one place, he cuts costs in another. He refuses to lose anywhere but on the field.
Good point. The players want the DH because some of the teams, the wealthy ones, will add an accomplished hitter, which will increase payments to players at least for those teams. They’re not concerned with better competition on the field. Their intent is to drive up salaries.
Just another example of the union and large market teams increasing their chances to win while small market teams become less competitive. [highlight]Why will the small market teams like the Pirates not stand their ground.[/highlight] Soooooo frustrating.
Because the small market teams have little to no power. And they're quite satisfied with their situation.
Unfortunately for us you are right. This is where the communities should put pressure on old Bob and the other small market teams. Someone must get him out of his comfort zone.
I would love if the state and local governments, and the powerful firms within the business community, pressured Nutting to improve the Pirates or, better yet, sell. After all, he has a publicly financed ballpark in which to operate.
Corporations have purchased expensive suites in which to influence their clients. It’s not much of a favorable environment most nights in that park for those corporations. And then PNC has its name associated with the team, which must cause them some degree of embarrassment.
I’d love to see the community turn on him but it would take an incredibly organized effort. I wouldn’t count on it. The pressure would have to come from the powerful, not the common fans.
Yep, but they need to understand they're losing lots of revenue, vendors, restaurants , hotels, etc.
The trouble is that if Nutting loses revenues in one place, he cuts costs in another. He refuses to lose anywhere but on the field.
DH To National League
6A5F4848437A48484344482D0 wrote: What happened when some fans tried to organize a "Walk Out"?
BOB wasn't booed. The people who walked out were.
So, in some respects, I think we get what we get.
For every complaint about a lackluster roster, I hear or read three people say that they'd rather see "kids" play.
So, I don't know what to think about the sad state of affairs anymore.
I remember when this happened. When people are more worried about being entertained than winning, this is sort of the result.
Whether it's "Buccaroos ask the Bucs," the Pierogi race, Cervelli's love advice, "What's in the Treasure Chest," or whatever other gimmick they have going on that day...whether it's fireworks, free shirt Fridays, or bobbleheads, whatever it is...people seem to be more interested in these things than the actual product on the field.
This is one reason why I loathe the NL DH. It just seems to me to cater to that mentality...people are only here to be entertained. Yes, but for me, baseball is much more than that. If it were just about entertainment, we'd just play home run derby every night.
For me, winning is fun. I was an MLB.tv subscriber, and I looked forward to watching the Pirates each night after work in 2013-2015. That was enjoyable. I haven't renewed the last two years. I have far better things to do with my time and money than watch the Bucs get their @$$e$ handed to them every night.
Yes, I'm excited about the future of the team. But I fear this new CBA won't do anything to help. We'll likely get faster free agency, "no service time manipulation" which in Pirate-land means guys will be traded in year four rather than year 5. We won't see a salary cap, anything having to do with equitable revenue sharing, or ending of the blackouts (not sure if that's even covered under the CBA or not). In short, the fans will be screwed, particularly fans in Milwaukee, Tampa, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh.
Remind me again why I should care about this team or league? I really can't think of a compelling reason right now.
BOB wasn't booed. The people who walked out were.
So, in some respects, I think we get what we get.
For every complaint about a lackluster roster, I hear or read three people say that they'd rather see "kids" play.
So, I don't know what to think about the sad state of affairs anymore.
I remember when this happened. When people are more worried about being entertained than winning, this is sort of the result.
Whether it's "Buccaroos ask the Bucs," the Pierogi race, Cervelli's love advice, "What's in the Treasure Chest," or whatever other gimmick they have going on that day...whether it's fireworks, free shirt Fridays, or bobbleheads, whatever it is...people seem to be more interested in these things than the actual product on the field.
This is one reason why I loathe the NL DH. It just seems to me to cater to that mentality...people are only here to be entertained. Yes, but for me, baseball is much more than that. If it were just about entertainment, we'd just play home run derby every night.
For me, winning is fun. I was an MLB.tv subscriber, and I looked forward to watching the Pirates each night after work in 2013-2015. That was enjoyable. I haven't renewed the last two years. I have far better things to do with my time and money than watch the Bucs get their @$$e$ handed to them every night.
Yes, I'm excited about the future of the team. But I fear this new CBA won't do anything to help. We'll likely get faster free agency, "no service time manipulation" which in Pirate-land means guys will be traded in year four rather than year 5. We won't see a salary cap, anything having to do with equitable revenue sharing, or ending of the blackouts (not sure if that's even covered under the CBA or not). In short, the fans will be screwed, particularly fans in Milwaukee, Tampa, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh.
Remind me again why I should care about this team or league? I really can't think of a compelling reason right now.