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Attendance
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 12:53 pm
by Bobster
This is going to be an interesting season, attendance wise. Skenes generated a great deal of excitement last year, and fans waited to see how the team would be improved in the off season to take advantage of his pitching talent. Cherington and Shelton talked about this being a season about winning. But they did almost nothing to make improvements over last year's team. Nutting has said he gave the team all the resources it needs to be successful. But the most noteworthy offseason occurrence was the "Sell the Team!" movement. Then we had the Clemente wall PR fiasco. Now they have the bricks PR fiasco. Not to mention opening the season going 2-7 after 9 games with the same hitting, fielding and relief pitching issues that plagued last year's team. Now they're 4-8 after Skenes was hit hard last night.
If nothing else, Skenes should be a significant gate attraction. Of course, weeknight games in the cold air are not conducive to good attendance. Even so, only 41 more tickets were sold for his start (8,291) than for the previous game (8,250). And a good portion of those ticket holders did not show up either night. The season is very young but if fans conclude that it's just not worth the trouble and expense to go to the game even when Skenes pitches, then they aren't likely to be drawn to the ballpark for other games either. And unless the team generates excitement on the field, that's not likely to change.
But Nutting doesn't seem too concerned about attendance. The team changed direction after setting the franchise attendance record with a 98-win season in 2015, and the resulting diminished attendance does not seem to be a concern. Nevertheless, it's a bad look, if not an embarrassment, to have an alienated fan base due to both on and off the field troubles. IMHO, nothing's going to change this without a legitimately competitive team. But Cherington can't build one, Shelton can't manage one and Nutting won't pay for one. The team seems to be on a downward spiral both on the field and in the stands.
Re: Attendance
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 2:10 pm
by Doc
Bobster wrote: ↑Wed Apr 09, 2025 12:53 pm
This is going to be an interesting season, attendance wise. Skenes generated a great deal of excitement last year, and fans waited to see how the team would be improved in the off season to take advantage of his pitching talent. Cherington and Shelton talked about this being a season about winning. But they did almost nothing to make improvements over last year's team. Nutting has said he gave the team all the resources it needs to be successful. But the most noteworthy offseason occurrence was the "Sell the Team!" movement. Then we had the Clemente wall PR fiasco. Now they have the bricks PR fiasco. Not to mention opening the season going 2-7 after 9 games with the same hitting, fielding and relief pitching issues that plagued last year's team. Now they're 4-8 after Skenes was hit hard last night.
If nothing else, Skenes should be a significant gate attraction. Of course, weeknight games in the cold air are not conducive to good attendance. Even so, only 41 more tickets were sold for his start (8,291) than for the previous game (8,250). And a good portion of those ticket holders did not show up either night. The season is very young but if fans conclude that it's just not worth the trouble and expense to go to the game even when Skenes pitches, then they aren't likely to be drawn to the ballpark for other games either. And unless the team generates excitement on the field, that's not likely to change.
But Nutting doesn't seem too concerned about attendance. The team changed direction after setting the franchise attendance record with a 98-win season in 2015, and the resulting diminished attendance does not seem to be a concern. Nevertheless, it's a bad look, if not an embarrassment, to have an alienated fan base due to both on and off the field troubles. IMHO, nothing's going to change this without a legitimately competitive team. But Cherington can't build one, Shelton can't manage one and Nutting won't pay for one. The team seems to be on a downward spiral both on the field and in the stands.
Seems like a perfect recipe for moving the team. It'd be foolish for any of us to not believe it's something Nutting's considered. He's a businessman first, so it's in his best interests to think of various options when revenues aren't what they used to be. Perhaps he feels the Pittsburgh market can't bring him what he needs in revenues and it could pay off to move elsewhere.
The trouble is, there aren't many other places that would make it worthwhile. How many other big metro areas don't have a major league team already? The Canadian cities can be eliminated right away. In the states, there's Charlotte, Indianapolis, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, San Antonio, Portland, Salt Lake. In the long run, moving to any of those places would probably be no better than just staying here. But, if he thinks he can make additional money in the short term by moving, that might be enough for him to pack up and take off, probably in the middle of the night, like the Colts did. Greed is a powerful incentive for greedy people.
Re: Attendance
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 2:24 pm
by 3pirates3
Re: Attendance
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 3:03 pm
by Doc
If I'm a baseball fan living in Sacramento, with a never before opportunity to see major league baseball in my hometown for an entire summer, I think I'd be going to as many games as possible. It's still early but I'm really surprised they've not taken advantage of this so far.
Re: Attendance
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 3:26 pm
by Wildwoodcoach
I think Charlotte would love to have a team. Population is much larger than Pittsburgh
with a much younger age group
Re: Attendance
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 3:53 pm
by Bobster
Doc wrote: ↑Wed Apr 09, 2025 3:03 pm
If I'm a baseball fan living in Sacramento, with a never before opportunity to see major league baseball in my hometown for an entire summer, I think I'd be going to as many games as possible. It's still early but I'm really surprised they've not taken advantage of this so far.
Sutter Health Park has only 10,624 seats. It can accommodate up do about 14,000 due to an area where fans can sit in the grass. In 5 home games so far, they've drawn over 10,000 twice and not less than 9,000. So I guess they've got a better excuse than the Pirates.
Re: Attendance
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 7:13 pm
by bucs607179
Selling the team may mean moving the team and that would be a very bad day.
Re: Attendance
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 9:00 pm
by Doc
Bobster wrote: ↑Wed Apr 09, 2025 3:53 pm
Doc wrote: ↑Wed Apr 09, 2025 3:03 pm
If I'm a baseball fan living in Sacramento, with a never before opportunity to see major league baseball in my hometown for an entire summer, I think I'd be going to as many games as possible. It's still early but I'm really surprised they've not taken advantage of this so far.
Sutter Health Park has only 10,624 seats. It can accommodate up do about 14,000 due to an area where fans can sit in the grass. In 5 home games so far, they've drawn over 10,000 twice and not less than 9,000. So I guess they've got a better excuse than the Pirates.
Which is worse as a fan? Having a team knowing it will be gone to another city in a couple of years, or having a team you wish were gone to another city in a couple of years?
Re: Attendance
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 11:33 pm
by fjk090852-7
You guys start talking about moving the team, and that has been my fear for a couple years. The PNC Park lease is up in 2030, and what happens if the city and the Bucs cannot agree on a new lease. That Carpetbagger Nutting will threaten to move the team, which might be his plan all along. Sorry, but I don't trust the man. I don't think he cares one bit about Pirate History. Look how he handled the brick situation.