Where are the fans? Braves an indicator of baseball's declining attendance

The Miami Herald ^ | Monday, April 28, 2003 | PAUL NEWBERRY - Associated Press

[whadizit]

Ever since Teddy sold to AOL, enthusiasm has waned for this team. The ticket prices are not the problem here. NOBODY even talks about the Braves anymore except in disgust! The General Manager referred to the fans that were complaining after being swept by Cardinals a couple of yrs ago in playoffs as "Jerry Springer"-type people! He talks down to people and gets his dander up whenever anyone questions his moves. THE LAST STRAW WAS THE MILLWOOD GIFT TO PHILADELPHIA! As long as AOL owns this team, most of my friends will not support it anymore!

[evad]

I still enjoy watching my Yanks....just not into going anymore........

absolutely understandable..
..somewhere along the trail, ALL organized sports transmogrified into something else. A few managed to do it without totally pissing off their fans. Baseball went the other route and lost their fan base with their total disregard for the "power of the fan".

The owners and players are just as clueless as the Dixie Chix. They do things that their loyal fans find objectionable and then can't understand where the fans have gone.

It's a shame but that's the way it is. Maybe someday it will return to being a sport worth going to see.

[MikeD]

Have you noticed that the Braves have a bad habit of sending good players to Philadelphia and getting nothing in return? Kevin Millwood throws a no-hitter after his trade and Steve Bedrosian won a Cy Young after his. Heck, they even traded Dale "I'm the only reason anyone watched the Braves for ten years" Murphy to the Phillies.

Who did the Braves get in return for any of these trades? Ozzie Virgil?

I won't mention the whole Len Barker debacle.

Come to think of it, when was the last time Atlanta made a smart trade? Doyle Alexander for John Smoltz?

MD

PS -- Dale Murphy belongs in the Hall of Fame for the same reasons that Pete Rose doesn't.

[CaptainTrips]

The City of Atlanta gets a share of the parking rvenue at Fulton-COunty Stadium, now Turner Field. That's the real reason MARTA doesn't stop there.

[Dick Vomer]

Baseball is Boring... 'nuff said.

The prices are what is usually associated with a Golf tournament...and come to think of it... takes about as long. I never liked the episodic nature of the game and having to sit and spend 5-6 hours from leaving the house to getting back home and spending 40-50$ add the 4 kids..... never gonna happen. I'd rather spend the money on airfare and hit the beaches in Florida, South Carolina or Cali...... come to think of it the game takes as long as the flight....and arrival to destinations.

[KevinB]

I wouldn't go to an O's game if they paid me.

I'm with you. I loved the O's growing up - Brooks, Frank, Boog, Paul Blair, Jim Palmer, Dave McNally et al. But I couldn't care less now. I haven't watched or listened to an inning in two years, mostly because of the outrageous cost and my utter contempt for Peter Angelos.

The Bowie Baysox and Frederick Keys are the way to go. The baseball is just as entertaining and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

NASCAR has it figured out. Fans can bring their own beer and food and the kids get in for almost free. They're creating a whole new generation of fans because parents can afford to take the kids. Most of the kids these days play soccer and lacrosse and the parents can't afford to take them to baseball games, so the kids never form a bond with baseball. This is just the beginning of a huge slide for baseball.