Bidwill's risk losing the fan base

[az jam]

As we all know the new Cardinal stadium is sold out this year. What really is at risk for the Bidwill's is losing the fan base and eventually corporate sponsors and corporate boxes. I'm not saying the Denny must be fired in mid-season but a house cleaning must take place at the end of the season. The fan base must have a reason to renew their season tickets. Getting a new coach, gm, signing free agents and a top draft are needed. They have star names to build on especially Leinart. What happens in the next several months will have a financial impact on the organization. We can all be upset if Denny is not fired this week but IMO the bottom line is what happens in early January (note the last game is Dec 31).

 

[az jam]

One more thought. There must be a reason for Card fans to renew their season tickets when the notices are sent out most likely in the January - February timeframe. The same with corporate boxes.

 

[CardLogic]

So are you saying that is a reason for keeping Green until the end of the season; to get the uptick then, rather than now???

 

[Goldfield]

Thats it! They are keeping Green to ensure we get the first pick in the draft and they can promote that as the turning point going forward...?

 

[Ryanwb]

The Phoenix fair weather fans are easy to win back.... just put together some wins and they'll be here. The ones they have to worry about losing are the core fans like most of the people on the board. They buy the merchandise, show up to the games during the crap years and stand by the team like a battered wife going back to her husband

 

[MadCardDisease]

They ... stand by the team like a battered wife going back to her husband

You don't understand, they are the best 1-7 team out there!

 

[long_season]

Don't have to worry about next year ticket sales

2008 Superbowl - it will be sold out agian on the chance of superbowl tix

 

[ajcardfan]

Season tickets will still sell out for next season. Now, some Cards fans will be replaced by scalpers, this is true. But, look at the schedule next year:

HOME: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Atlanta, Carolina and NFC NORTH (probably the Lions AGAIN!)

AWAY: Baltimore, Cincinatti, Tampa, New Orleans and NFC EAST (Washington as of now)

Pittsburgh and Cleveland are strong draws and Atlanta and Carolina are likely to be good. Plus, whoever has tickets next year will have a shot at Super Bowl tickets. There's no way you'll lose money on those tickets if you don't want to go to the games yourself. And, there is a chance to make a killing.

Me, I'll buy the tickets and go to the games.


I thought that maybe 2008 would be where we'd see a drop in ticket sales if we still stink. But, look at the home schedule for that season:

HOME: Dallas, NY Giants, Buffalo, Miami, NFC NORTH

That will probably sell out too.

 

[ajcardfan]

2008 Superbowl - it will be sold out agian on the chance of superbowl tix

Yeah, I don't think people are appreciating how the stadium truly changed the equation for the Bidwills. One year ago, and even as late as March, the common wisdom was that the stadium would be little more than half full. That was way wrong. I didn't think they would sell out this season, I predicted 4, maybe 5, sellouts.

 

[RedViper]

Season tickets will still sell out for next season. Now, some Cards fans will be replaced by scalpers, this is true. But, look at the schedule next year:

HOME: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Atlanta, Carolina and NFC NORTH (probably the Lions AGAIN!)

AWAY: Baltimore, Cincinatti, Tampa, New Orleans and NFC EAST (Washington as of now)

Pittsburgh and Cleveland are strong draws and Atlanta and Carolina are likely to be good. .

Depending on how much your tickets cost, you could almost conceivably make all your money back on the Pittsburgh game. The only thing that could change the equation would be a hike in ticket prices. If not, I've got to think the stadium remains sold out.

 

[Cheesebeef]

2008 Superbowl - it will be sold out agian on the chance of superbowl tix

why do people keep saying this? Ther last time the Cards played host to the Super Bowl came on the heels of our best record ever in Phoenix (8-8 - 1994) and season ticket sales WENT DOWN following that year, even though it was our best year ever and we had the Super Bowl coming to town.

Now, we're going to be coming off the worst season in franchise history, but somehow, they're gonna sell-ou season tickets again? I think you guys are dreaming.

 

[ajcardfan]

why do people keep saying this? Ther last time the Cards played host to the Super Bowl came on the heels of our best record ever in Phoenix (8-8 - 1994) and season ticket sales WENT DOWN following that year, even though it was our best year ever and we had the Super Bowl coming to town.

Now, we're going to be coming off the worst season in franchise history, but somehow, they're gonna sell-ou season tickets again? I think you guys are dreaming.

The Super Bowl preceded the 8-8 season. It followed Bugel's last year.

 

[ajcardfan]

why do people keep saying this? Ther last time the Cards played host to the Super Bowl came on the heels of our best record ever in Phoenix (8-8 - 1994) and season ticket sales WENT DOWN following that year, even though it was our best year ever and we had the Super Bowl coming to town.

Now, we're going to be coming off the worst season in franchise history, but somehow, they're gonna sell-ou season tickets again? I think you guys are dreaming.

Did you think they had any chance of selling out this season coming off of last year's sucky performance?

 

[Cheesebeef]

The Super Bowl preceded the 8-8 season. It followed Bugel's last year.

wrong - it came after Buddy's second year. The Cowboys won the MNF game and then vowed to be back to ewin the Super Bowl there and they did.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Did you think they had any chance of selling out this season coming off of last year's sucky performance?

with the novelty effect of new stadium, I thought they'd sell out around half of their games and with the Edge signing and Matt draft, yeah, it was the greatest off-season of all time. It truly felt like a new era and almost EVERYONE bought into it. Now, that the Cards have just made everyone feel like fools, the only thing that's going to brinpeople to the team is winning - period.

 

[ajcardfan]

wrong - it came after Buddy's second year. The Cowboys won the MNF game and then vowed to be back to ewin the Super Bowl there and they did.

Yeah, you are correct. I thought it was in 1994, not 96.

 

[jefftheshark]

why do people keep saying this? Ther last time the Cards played host to the Super Bowl came on the heels of our best record ever in Phoenix (8-8 - 1994) and season ticket sales WENT DOWN following that year, even though it was our best year ever and we had the Super Bowl coming to town.

Now, we're going to be coming off the worst season in franchise history, but somehow, they're gonna sell-ou season tickets again? I think you guys are dreaming.

Never underestimate the power of kool-aid!

With a change at HC & OC, plus the addition of the #1 or 2 pick in the draft, and a complete overhaul of the o-line, the optimism will be running high again next year.

Of course we will probably still suck, but as a team, we are generally the kings of the off-season.

FWIW, I know that I will be renewing and I am as jaded as they come.

The Shark

 

[SECTION 11]

We are so completely screwed. No coach in his right mind is going to come here. Our GM is horrible. If it weren't for Steve Keim, who really doesn't do anything much more impressive than the ASFN concensus, we'd be just... well, worse than we already are. Weeeeee!

 

[az jam]

Never underestimate the power of kool-aid!

With a change at HC & OC, plus the addition of the #1 or 2 pick in the draft, and a complete overhaul of the o-line, the optimism will be running high again next year.

Of course we will probably still suck, but as a team, we are generally the kings of the off-season.

FWIW, I know that I will be renewing and I am as jaded as they come.

The Shark

This is precisely my point. The power of kool-aid is critical. It is a big sales pitch and a needed one. That is why Denny will be gone the first week of January (if not sooner) and a so called "name" coach will be announced. They have the money to do it and will do it for sure. You may not like the Bidwills but they now have a cash cow in Glendale and are not going to lose it. They know that the fad of a new stadium will not last forever and must be a good product on the field.

 

[az jam]

We are so completely screwed. No coach in his right mind is going to come here. Our GM is horrible. If it weren't for Steve Keim, who really doesn't do anything much more impressive than the ASFN concensus, we'd be just... well, worse than we already are. Weeeeee!

Sorry but I disagree, We have the money to bring in a coach. We have a new stadium and Phoenix has the climate and location making it attractive.

 

[SECTION 11]

Sorry but I disagree, We have the money to bring in a coach. We have a new stadium and Phoenix has the climate and location making it attractive.

I think a nice sun tan is hardly worth ruining your coaching career.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

We are so completely screwed. No coach in his right mind is going to come here. Our GM is horrible. If it weren't for Steve Keim, who really doesn't do anything much more impressive than the ASFN concensus, we'd be just... well, worse than we already are. Weeeeee!

Which is why we need to hire a GM and give him the full control and budget to hire and fire coaches, personnel guys, and players as he sees fit. Sorry, but many good coaches would be willing to work under a respected GM if they knew he had autonomy while still working for the Bidwills.

 

[Sandan]

Yep and the first time we spent buncho cash on a HC we misfired.

I hope we do better next time

 

[SECTION 11]

Which is why we need to hire a GM and give him the full control and budget to hire and fire coaches, personnel guys, and players as he sees fit. Sorry, but many good coaches would be willing to work under a respected GM if they knew he had autonomy while still working for the Bidwills.

Maybe I should have phrased it as such; "No quality coach or GM is going to touch us with a ten foot pole."

 

[football karma]

I think the pitch is as follows (delivered by Michael Bidwill):

1. We have a great young core of players, including a QB
2. We have a top 5 draft choice
3. We have $40 mm in cap room
4. We have a new stadium to produce revenues
5. I am in charge and desperately want to win

I think that its an attractive package, and as they say, there are only 32 of those jobs out there.

Clearly, numbers 1-4 are facts while the first half of number 5 is fact and the rest is my opinion. Anyone who has talked to Michael about the team comes away beleiving that he wants to win badly -- its just a question of how quickly he gets his dad to move.