End of an Era - MadJack is out.

[MadJack]

Fellow die hard STHs,

Well this is it. End of an era as I've finally decided to not renew my Cardinals season tix after 30 years and 194 banners.

Cardinals emailed me this week to remind me that my deposit is due. Here's my (lengthy) reply:

"Arizona Cardinals,

Hmmm….some good reasons NOT to renew my Cardinals tix - after 30 years!

- successive losing seasons!
- 15 coaches since 1988!
- horrible contract extensions for Kiem, Kingsburg and Kyler!
- eating the contracts and $$$ for fired Kingsbury and Kiem!
- increased ticket prices
- QB is an immature prima Donna that is regressing and not a leader at all!
- Great Lawn has become a commercial enterprise where the fans are pushed out for car dealers, betting, home sellers etc.
- Cardinals tied for last Place in recent players satisfaction survey!
- no bling offered at games any more including even a game program!!
- concession prices are ridiculous!
- MadJack banner (after 27 years) now censored and can no longer express any message except positives. Forget about ‘speaking for the fans!’

Thanks for listening and tell me where I’m wrong.”

So a heartfelt thanks to all of you that supported the banner all these 27 years. It was a helluva run!!

MadJack.

 

[Stout]

This should be a major black eye for the franchise. I'm afraid they won't see it as such. They should reach out for a little much needed fan diplomacy.

 

[Red Bird]

Don’t blame you in the slightest. Growing up, I had always wanted to be a season ticket holder at one point. I’m now in a good place to make it happen, and there’s not a chance I’m signing up for that. My confidence in this franchise is at an all time low. Why spend my hard earned money on a bad product run by incompetent leadership? You long timers deserve a freaking medal or something.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm sorry to hear it, MadJack. You are a Cardinals tradition around here.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Cardinals are destroying the loyal fan base little by little

So sad to see this happening

 

[WiscoBird]

Fellow die hard STHs,

Well this is it. End of an era as I've finally decided to not renew my Cardinals season tix after 30 years and 194 banners.

Cardinals emailed me this week to remind me that my deposit is due. Here's my (lengthy) reply:

"Arizona Cardinals,

Hmmm….some good reasons NOT to renew my Cardinals tix - after 30 years!

- successive losing seasons!
- 15 coaches since 1988!
- horrible contract extensions for Kiem, Kingsburg and Kyler!
- eating the contracts and $$$ for fired Kingsbury and Kiem!
- increased ticket prices
- QB is an immature prima Donna that is regressing and not a leader at all!
- Great Lawn has become a commercial enterprise where the fans are pushed out for car dealers, betting, home sellers etc.
- Cardinals tied for last Place in recent players satisfaction survey!
- no bling offered at games any more including even a game program!!
- concession prices are ridiculous!
- MadJack banner (after 27 years) now censored and can no longer express any message except positives. Forget about ‘speaking for the fans!’

Thanks for listening and tell me where I’m wrong.”

So a heartfelt thanks to all of you that supported the banner all these 27 years. It was a helluva run!!

MadJack.

When I was a kid the banner was the first thing I looked for when I entered Sun Devil Stadium. Stayed with me till I left Arizona 3 years ago. Thanks for the memories.

 

[Solar7]

Man, as a former STH, this is a major bummer. I stopped going because getting to Glendale from Vegas was becoming too much of a pain, but you'll always be warmly remembered. Thanks for all you did, from the SDS days until now!

 

[Arz101]

Cardinals no longer need devoted fans. They got casual fans, corporate sponsors and NFL split of 32 team revenue. Cardinals don't have to cater to diehards or pretend they care.. It is just business to them and they are not wrong.

 

[Cheesebeef]

@Ouchie-Z-Clown and I were just talking on the phone today if this is the lowest fan morale we’d ever seen on the board with so many decades long season ticket holders throwing up their hands and saying No Mas… no pun intended.

Sad state of affairs right now at State Farm.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Sorry to hear this, Madjack, but totally get it.

There was a time years ago when I actually pawned stuff so I could pay for my season tickets. Things got better, but I couldn't justify the expense. Then I had a kid and I was totally out, lol. Now my daughter is older and my family and I are in the best place we've ever been financially. Still, there is no way I would consider getting season tickets again with all the decisions this team has made recently.

Thanks for the memories, Madjack! I'll miss seeing the banner. Hoping you'll still come here to post on occasion. I'm sure there'll be plenty for us to complain about in the next few years.

 

[gimpy]

Maybe you still virtually(?) post banners on here?

 

[MigratingOsprey]

Sucks, but I get it.

As a Seahawks fan, I've always thought the banners were pretty neat and then seeing them in this board I found that to be a pretty cool aspect of community.

Frankly, community is an area where the Cardinals struggle. A lot of there team promoted activity just comes off manufactured and a bit like a knock off.

Things like the banners were unique and something the team should have looked to build upon.

There's potential, but ownership had never been able to get out of it's own way - I've been there with a lot of my teams and it sucks

 

[cardncubfan]

Hopefully the media picks this up & shows management what is happening. When fans like MadJack are leaving something is definitely wrong.

 

[kerouac9]

It would be a real disappointment if you didn’t hear from someone higher up in the organization about this decision.

The banners are a real part of the tradition of the team in AZ. Sad to see it go; would be worse if someone decided to do a bad corporate version.

 

[cardpa]

Only been there 3 times for games however one of the first things I looked for was the banner.

 

[BirdGangThing]

A fan can only take so much, especially when you gave so much. I'd honestly be surprised if they don't give you a year on the house, everything comped because you're on a different level when it comes to fandom. I totally understand the decision and the Arizona Cardinals were lucky to have you

 

[AZCB34]

@Ouchie-Z-Clown and I were just talking on the phone today if this is the lowest fan morale we’d ever seen on the board with so many decades long season ticket holders throwing up their hands and saying No Mas… no pun intended.

Sad state of affairs right now at State Farm.

The answer is yes, overall fan morale is at the lowest I can ever recall

 

[slanidrac16]

Stay in touch here. Maybe we can post a virtual sign to share here on the site!

 

[NMCard]

MB doesn’t deserve to have you.

 

[kerouac9]

Stay in touch here. Maybe we can post a virtual sign to share here on the site!

I love this idea. Dunno how big a technical lift it is to change the banner at the top of the forum, but that would be ill.

 

[redheat]

What did the first and last one say?

 

[daves]

Fellow die hard STHs,

Well this is it. End of an era as I've finally decided to not renew my Cardinals season tix after 30 years and 194 banners.

Sorry to hear, @MadJack! But just for the record....

- successive losing seasons!

Actually just one... and that was the first losing season in three years.

- 15 coaches since 1988!

Actually 12 (Stallings, Kuhlmann, Bugel, Ryan, Tobin, McGinnis, Green, Whisenhunt, Arians, Wilks, Kingsbury, Gannon)

- horrible contract extensions for Kiem, Kingsburg and Kyler!
- eating the contracts and $$$ for fired Kingsbury and Kiem!

Sure... but dunno why Bidwill having to spend a bunch of his money to fix his mistake would bother anyone but the Bidwill family?

- increased ticket prices
- QB is an immature prima Donna that is regressing and not a leader at all!
- Great Lawn has become a commercial enterprise where the fans are pushed out for car dealers, betting, home sellers etc.
- Cardinals tied for last Place in recent players satisfaction survey!
- no bling offered at games any more including even a game program!!
- concession prices are ridiculous!
- MadJack banner (after 27 years) now censored and can no longer express any message except positives. Forget about ‘speaking for the fans!’

Thanks for listening and tell me where I’m wrong.”

All fair enough!

Hope the team manages to win you back some day!

 

[Cheesebeef]

The answer is yes, overall fan morale is at the lowest I can ever recall

I think that Kyler ACL tear was just like a death knell for a while for this team. He was already on the rocks, we were probably looking at one more season before being able to make a decision to crap or get off the pot, but now I don’t think we’ll really be able to make that decision with any kind of certainty until 2024 and by then, his contract is going to be massive. And if we DO decide to change at that point, we’re STILL probably looking at another two years before we can contend again and now we’re looking at 2026. Combo that with seeing not just one of our best young defenders leave, but both do so and that report that just took a flamethrower to the FO and it’s just dark days.

New coach coming across as Pee-Wee Herman ain’t helping either.

 

[Dr. Jones]

@Ouchie-Z-Clown and I were just talking on the phone today if this is the lowest fan morale we’d ever seen on the board with so many decades long season ticket holders throwing up their hands and saying No Mas… no pun intended.

Sad state of affairs right now at State Farm.

This is bad as I have ever seen it.

It would be a real disappointment if you didn’t hear from someone higher up in the organization about this decision.

The banners are a real part of the tradition of the team in AZ. Sad to see it go; would be worse if someone decided to do a bad corporate version.

Agreed. But I’m guessing that it will be radio silence from the front office.

The answer is yes, overall fan morale is at the lowest I can ever recall

Agreed. By far my lowest point ever.

MB doesn’t deserve to have you.

100% this. We should never care more than the owner. And we all have for a long time now. It’s ********.

 

[Dr. Jones]

@MadJack

You are a fan level legend. You stuck it out for decades and watched some seriously crappy football. Good on you for drawing the line.

I wish the Cards realized what they have done to the hard core fan base. I wish they cared. That they would be willing to work to change our impressions of this god awful franchise.

You deserved better. Happy trails.