Losses Will Force Glazers’ Hands
December 13th, 2009
"Mike Shanahan just sent me a box of cigars. And his card said he'd keep Raheem as defensive coordinator."
Anyone who has worked for a professional sports team knows that every season management needs a hook — some sizzle, if you will — to sell the season ticket holders to get them to renew.
A franchise also needs something for all potential ticket buyers to buy into.
So as losses pile up for the 1-12 Bucs, the Glazers are being backed into a serious corner. At 1-15, they would have little to sell the fans for the 2010 season and would be staring down the barrel of major revenue loss that would hurt the franchise for years to come.
This year the sell was relatively easy: change (fire Chucky), youth (Raheem The Dream and the veterans purge) and hope (Josh Freeman).
But after a 1-15 season, this year’s talking points will carry no weight with fans, other than the jury still being out on young Freeman.
Ndamukong Suh would be glorious, but not enough to sell tickets.
And that’s where the Glazers are primed to get squeezed. At 1-15 they’ll know the only way to add sizzle is to become a player in free agency, and that’s precisely what they don’t want to do. And some speculate they don’t even have the loose cash to get it done.
That’s where it ultimately may become cheaper and a safer bet to fire Raheem The Dream and hire a big-name coach, which would guarantee at least a season of strong ticket sales and go a long way with fans.
While the Glazers are surely Bucs fans and would likely love to see the Bucs win the final three games so they can save money on a first-round pick and sell year 2 of the current rebuilding plan to fans, Joe is sure they will make decisions for 2010 with a business-first mindset.
And, if the Bucs fall to 1-15, Joe isn’t so sure the Glazers would see the value in selling another season of the current regime.
December 13th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
ticket sales are determined by wins and losses, period. i dont care what our record is this year, or who our coach is next year, if we came out looking like a playoff team, tickets will be purchased.
the question is, can raheem make this a winning team next year? that is the question the glazers need to find a solution to before the year ends. no more waiting crap like last year.
December 13th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Well heres the hook i want. Fire morris then hire cowher or shanahan. Beg Derrick Brooks to be our defensive coordinator. Draft Suh with our first pick, and if St Louis drafts him then get eric berry and draft Brian Price out of UCLA with our next pick. Try to sign Brandon Marshall in the off-season, a friend of mine was frat bros with Marshall and told me that Marshall was saying how he would love to play in Tampa to be close to his family.
December 13th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Joe is a wise man. Nice site.
December 13th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
No need to worry about St. Louis picking Suh. They’ll almost certainly be looking for a QB. I think if the Bucs finish 1-15 or probably even 2-14, Suh will be in pewter next year.
Having said that, I’ve been giving Raheem the benefit of the doubt all season…until today. I was at the game — well, I’ve been at ALL of them — and the play-calling and game management were horrific. So many of the mistakes we’re seeing are coaching-related…what we need is a head coach (and, for that matter, an offensive coordinator) who has a proven track record at successfully developing young QBs. Until then, my decision to renew my season tickets for a 13th consecutive season is up in the air.
December 13th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
bummedout:
Thanks for the compliments. Very much appreciated.
December 13th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
To fix this problem is going to take more than a good draft. It will take getting top end free agents at key positions. So the Bucs haven’t spent on top end free agents for how many years? The Glazers need to open the checkbook. Case in point, is it me or does the team have an unusually high number of undrafted free agents, players from other team’s practice squad, and other guys who were flat out cut on the 53 man roster. Does this seem like owners who want to spend money?
December 13th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Something has to change. Owl loves going to the games but this is getting embarassing. It doesn’t feel like our home feild anymore. Owl knows we get transplants down here but today was aweful. Owl sits 5 rows up from the feild on the 35 yd line and Owl was surrounded by J-E-T-S. There was a guy at the crosswalk selling club level for $30 to $40 a seat and he had a handful. Father Dungy wanted to fill the corners when he got here. Hell you could remove the corners now and still not sell out.
December 14th, 2009 at 1:06 am
Well, well, well.
Mr. Lucky sees that Joe finally has seen the “light”; this is all about the green stuff. It IS a business after all. If the Glazers could make as much money losing they really wouldn’t care
BUT
It’s all about putting butts in those seats for 2010. Can you spell BLACKOUTS?
People say if they win fans will come back – to this I say look at Jacksonville. They are still in the wildcard race and they have LESS fans than the Bucs.
With regard to next years draft picks and head coaches (HC).
The way things are going in the draft it will be less expensive to fire Raheem and hire a coach who wants TOTAL control and will draw fans into the stadium than it will be to keep Radio Morris.
Let’s face it Morris inspires NO ONE! Even the players have given up on this season and it looks like it on the field. I don’t care WHAT Faine says no one respects Morris and the Bucs have packed it in.
The question is this: What coaches are out there that:
1. Would WANT to come to Tampa
2. Would be enough of a “splash” to turn the season tickets around?
I can tell you this – Shanahan isn’t “splashy” and it wouldn’t do anything for sales. Holmgren is going to return to Seattle. Cowher? Maybe with his TV presence but will he want to come into this house of horrors?
Wade Phillips will be available – once Dallas misses the playoffs; but I honestly don’t want Wade.
And Joe I’ll answer your question now – The Glazers won’t hire Rachael Watson as the new offensive coordinator 😉
December 14th, 2009 at 3:47 am
Raheem’s comments this week convinced me that he has to go. He seemed more enthused about being DC then being head coach. The Bucs made a major mistake giving him the keys to the kingdom. Should have left him at DC and hired someone else.
Not sure how Shanahan could be not considered “splashy”. The guy won 2 Super Bowls. He only had 2 losing seasons in Denver. But he also only had 1 playoff win without Elway. I would love it if Cowher came down here. He still is relatively young. He might want a challenge. And we have the nice weather and we are not too far from his home. Carolina might go after him though. And plenty of people will be vying for Shanny (Wash, Dall and Buff who he turned down). Holmgren is through with coaching I believe. He wants to go the Parcells route. I don’t see anyone else with a lot of juice to spur the fans.
This is a huge offseason for the Bucs. This might have a major impact on the next 5-10 years. Make the wrong moves and you set the franchise back several years. They first need to get Suh on D. I don’t see the Rams picking a QB first overall. Do they think that Locker, Clausen or Bradford is worth that selection? Those are the only 3 QBs who might get consideration. I would be majorly worried about Bradford’s health, Locker’s inexperience or Clausen’s lack of ability to win. I would be quite relieved if the Rams would win 1 more. I would also try to get Boldin or Marshall down here. We need a top flight receiver to take some of the pressure off Winslow. You have to decide what to do with Bryant and Clayton. Get rid of Trueblood. He really isn’t worth all the crap that he brings. Pray that Aaron Sears will be ready to go next season. Draft a RB in the 2nd or 3rd round. A lot of best backs in the league have come from those rounds. Cadillac and Ward are getting up there in age. Not sure if either of them are every down backs.
December 14th, 2009 at 3:59 am
love the caption under the picture if only it were true life would be worth living again
December 14th, 2009 at 8:01 am
Sell the team to an owner who will spend. That will generate sales