Blame The Rich
June 23rd, 2011
For Bucs fans outside the Tampa Bay area who were pained watching Bucs home games last year — it has to be those outside the Tampa Bay area since all of last season’s Bucs games were blacked out in the Tampa Bay and Orlando TV markets — many began pointing fingers at the proletariat in the region for not coughing up cash to go to games, irresponsibly dismissing how the area is hurting so terribly financially.
But cool cat Bob Papa has a different take: the rich are too soft.
This morning with his co-host Ross Tucker on “The Opening Drive,” heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, the subject of Bucs home games on TV came up.
Tucker was waxing poetic about how its a jewel watching NFL games on HD at home except the Bucs, which he claimed had the feel of high school football from The CITS.
“It’s great to watch NFL games on the couch, relax, fire up the HD, and then you turn on a Bucs game with all the empty seats, it’s like you are watching a Class C state championship.”
Papa had an interesting take: The empty seats in the background are, in part, people with money are too soft.
“Stadiums are so nice that you get a hint of bad weather [Papa whistles], people are gone,’ Papa said. “Why are you going to the seats? The stadiums are so nice, people are staying in the club section [lounge] where they have microbrews and the air conditioning and the instant replays.”
Joe thinks Papa hit an absolute nail on the head. When watching football games on TV from The CITS, the background is rarely if ever the upper deck, it’s the club seats, the most expensive seats. If it’s hot outside, soft money people are more inclined to retreat to the air conditioned club lounge where they sip cocktails and talk about stock dividends and the flowers the servants planted in the backyard while watching the game on HD screens the size of a Sam’s Club.
Shoot, two years ago Joe and one of Joe’s best friends had club seats for the Outback Bowl when Auburn and Northwestern played a classic, offensive shootout that went into overtime. It was horrible weather. Cold, rainy. Joe would much rather roast in the sun in the 90s than be cold much less cold and wet. So as great of a game that Outback Bowl was, Joe and his friend retreated to the club lounge and watched the game on TV.
So when Bucs fans (outside the area) gripe about the sterile viewing atmosphere a Bucs game may have on TV if a game is not sold out, don’t mock the blue collar Bucs fan. Mock the rich!
June 23rd, 2011 at 12:19 pm
Wait… is Joe saying Joe is soft and rich?
lol
June 23rd, 2011 at 12:25 pm
Not A Rocket Surgeon:
That would be a negative. Joe got lucky with the (one game only) Outback Bowl. Joe cannot afford club season tickets for Bucs games.
June 23rd, 2011 at 12:35 pm
So…just soft?
June 23rd, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Jocko:
If you call Joe soft for hating to be cold and wet, yup.
June 23rd, 2011 at 12:38 pm
been that way at Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Dolphin/LandShark/SunLife stadium for years.
June 23rd, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Public transit would help too. It’s tough to enjoy those microbrews if you have to make the long trek back to Clearwater or St. Pete afterwards. Not that people only go to football games to drink, but a lot do.
June 23rd, 2011 at 12:58 pm
This article is so spot on I’m surprised no one else has hit on the topic. The NFL was never meant to be a white collar sport. College you have your allumni that feel resposible for supporting their team both financially and through attending the games. The NFL; (when it was still blue collar and middle class) was about tailgating, spending time with family & friends, and cheering for your favorite teams. Since the NFL has priced themselves out of the blue collar market; why are they so surprised when the white collar fan thinks it’s too hot or too cold or it look’s like it might rain today. Any excuse in the world why not to go to the game. Most of your hard working individuals would love the chance to go to a Bucs game and would appreciate the entire experience. Unfortunately; most people with money are used to the finer things in life and they don’t include: Cooking outdoors, drinking beer, cheering in the hot sun, standing in line for the bathroom, climbing stadium stairs, having to go get their own drinks, or having to sit next to someone they really don’t care for. This is a problem the entire NFL will face one of these days. Atlanta & San Diego are already just one big white collar social event! It won’t be long before other cities (LA) follow right behind.
June 23rd, 2011 at 1:36 pm
BucNJim NAILED it. They are pricing us out. SuperBowls are already whitecollar affairs. I look to the day that a stadium will created that will be ONLY luxury boxes. Dallas Stadium 2075. HAHAHA Jerry Jones III will open it.
June 23rd, 2011 at 1:41 pm
If the NFL’s plans for the new CBA include doubling their revenues in 5 years, a lot of games in a lot of stadiums will be played for the tarps…
June 23rd, 2011 at 2:21 pm
When they start serving mint julips to men in Italian suits & women in $5,000 dresses; I’m outta there.
June 23rd, 2011 at 2:25 pm
$50/ticket is max I’ll spend.
June 23rd, 2011 at 3:14 pm
I agree, Tampa Stadium has a corny, high school football game atmosphere, with a stupid sounding and looking “Tampa Bay” wave.
June 23rd, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Apple Roof:
You are an idiot. First of all, it is Raymond James Stadium. Second, you must not be a Bucs fan, so why are you posting on this site? Third, you are [come on Adam, that’s a bit overboard. — Joe]. Go back to the hole you crawled out of.
I love RJ Stadium. I am happy about the much needed improvements being made to the video and sound systems. And I am very excited about our young, up and coming team!
Go Bucs!
Adam
June 23rd, 2011 at 4:43 pm
@ Apple
As I recall, that place was demolished in 1999. Raymond James Stadium is the great nice stadium we have to be thankful for today!
June 23rd, 2011 at 7:03 pm
How about this blatantly obvious yet completely missed fact:
The TV cameras face the sunny side, where half of the stadium has to roast!!! When they say it’s 90-something degrees outside, that is IN THE SHADE. I sit on the sunny side below the club seats and can tell that more people are at least out on the shady side in the club area than they are behind me, where I’m 110% sure the heat index exceeds 100 for every mid-afternoon game with sun.
We absolutely roast. To me it’s worth it, I get a tan and my buzz gets going faster ;). But I and other people on the East side I know, have had friends turn down great seats on the East to sit in much worse seats on the West, (shady) side.
It’s a completely underrated facet as far as appearances of a full stadium on TV. I’m not saying its the total reason by any stretch, but its food for thought.
June 23rd, 2011 at 8:33 pm
I will try to be polite.
I go to the games because I love watching live Football first, I always have and probably always will. Being “RICH” is more about being happy and content with your life, job, family and very importantly the place where you live. I love this place. I love the water. I love the beach. I love scantily cladded babes in bikinis. Tell me you’re going to see that on a daily basis in Minnesota or Wisconsin. Eff that man! Those places are cold and miserable, corrupted with Union BS and there are a lot of miserable people there. If you’re going to be homeless, this is the place. It’s warm, shelters will feed you, and after work we even give bums an occasional beer on the side of the road, but not money. Being Rich is being happy. The Bucs make me happy. Being at their games makes me happier. I scrimp and save, do side jobs, whatever, so that I can go see my team. I sit in the rain. Lightning doesn’t scare me because God has my Back. Working hard in the Sun makes me happy too, and all these things together make me Rich.
So Mr Papa, as nicely as I can say to you, sit your fat @$$ in your recliner and Suck It, I’m that lone wolf you see in that seat, when everyone runs for cover. It is my Salvation.
Bitch.
June 23rd, 2011 at 10:27 pm
I was at that Outback Bowl. My 2nd cousin is president of Northwestern. If only they’d won.