The QB Blast: Blackout Problem Won’t Go Away
January 2nd, 2011
Former Bucs QB Jeff Carlson
By JEFF CARLSON
JoeBucsFan.com analyst
Former Bucs quarterback Jeff Carlson (1990 & 1991) writes The QB Blast column here at JoeBucsFan.com. Joe is ecstatic to have him firing away. Carlson is often seen as a color analyst on Bright House Sports Network, and he trains quarterbacks of all ages locally via his company, America’s Best Quarterback.
In the week following the Bucs’ devastating home loss to the Detroit Lions and leading up to their explosive win last Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, stories in the Tribune and Times (including the front page) surrounding the Buccaneers were more about the lack of attendance at Raymond James Stadium and a season-long blackout on local television than the team’s playoff scenarios.
Blaming the economy is the most popular answer to the problem, but I believe it is more complex than that and includes marketing, public relations, perceived value and a changing marketplace. It is the same problem that most businesses have to deal with to sell their products over time.
I grew up in Los Angeles with the Rams and later the Raiders as well. The nation’s No. 2 television market has been without a pro football franchise since the early 1990s.
Fans showed up late and left early and didn’t show up at all if the teams weren’t really, really good. The NFL has wanted to reclaim that massive market for years. (I really thought the Glazers were going to take the Buccaneers to L.A. before the stadium here in Tampa was agreed on.) And there are a few businessmen that have been trying to build a new stadium and bring football back to L.A. for many years, but there just isn’t a clamoring by fans to make it happen.
In Los Angeles there are plenty of other entertainment distractions and fans found they could live without pro football and, as it turns out, there is plenty of NFL football on regular television, as we have been forced to discover here as well. And if your football appetite isn’t quenched with that, you can buy the “NFL Ticket” if you really want more.
We in blacked-out markets can buy NFL rewind and watch the games in their entirety only a few hours after the real deal. So in a multi-entertainment spot like the Tampa Bay area, there is a limit to what the market will bear, especially with great options like USF football, the Rays and the Lightning vying for the same family entertainment dollar, not to mention Disney and Busch Gardens.
The Lakers win championships as often as any pro team, and fans still won’t fill their arena if they aren’t vying for the top spot each year. The “bandwagon” fan isn’t unique to Tampa, Florida. Every city is basically the same in that regard — everybody loves a winner –although some smaller towns with limited entertainment options (Green Bay comes to mind) may still sell out their stadium regardless of how the team is doing on the field.
NFL Might Have To Enhance Fan Experience
Why haven’t the Bucs filled up the stadium once all year while enjoying a winning season from the start? The economy is important, but the “Redbox effect” is redefining the market (Redbox is the little DVD vending machine sitting at your local Walmart or 7-Eleven). Blockbuster already was struggling to fight off competition from mail-away movie companies like Netflix when Redbox started renting movies for a buck! A buck?
The perceived value had been defined by Blockbuster for a long time at nearly $5 for a multiday rental and they had driven almost every “mom and pop” rental store out of the market. Who would ever spend $5 for a movie rental ever again? Not many,as Blockbuster quickly found out.
The home video market had been redefined and Blockbuster has now followed the Redbox business model. With the growth of the Internet and cable/satellite TV, the NFL has been morphing its market over time, just as “Hollywood” did when VHS home videos came out and as the music industry has with iTunes.
Going to the “Drive-In movies” was a way of life for me and millions of other Americans in the 1970s but has almost disappeared as part of Americana. As VHS movies started coming out in the late 1970’s, “Hollywood” started worrying that the end of the walk-in movie was close at hand as well. Why would people pay the big bucks for tickets, popcorn and cokes that go along with the movie theatre experience, when they could buy or rent the movie and enjoy themselves at home?
The movie industry has had to reinvent itself over the last 30 years (remember double features?) as technology of television and surround sound has made the “home theater” experience better than going out. Movie makers have relied on star power to open movies and salaries for top stars skyrocketed up to $25 million per movie for some, much like the salaries for top performing professional athletes (Michael Jordan $30+ Million).
People will always want somewhere to go to get out of the house, go on dates, etc., but they can’t or won’t pay the steep ticket price to go for average movies. You can trust Redbox with a $1 for average movies. To get me to the theater, the lure must be pretty good. The current trend is 3-D. You can watch it in 2-D for one price and 3-D for a few bucks more.
The Buccaneers and other mid-market teams are at a similar crossroads now and I believe the NFL as a whole will deal with this moving forward. The Cowboys, Giants and Jets probably won’t feel it as much, but even Jerry Jones will have to come up with interesting ways to fill all those seats and luxury boxes in his sparkly new house if his team continues to disappoint.
Discouraging Families, Corporations
There will always be fans for football and the biggest markets and top performing teams will continue to sell tickets, but with better and better televisions the live product is going to have to be bigger and better than it has been in the past to get me and others off the couch (perfect weather, nobody standing up in front) and pony up $500+ for a three-hour entertainment experience for the family.
I have been to plenty of football games in my life and don’t care that much about being there in person anymore. My motivation for going out in the elements is simple and singular, to make my kids happy.
My kids asked me if we could go to the Falcons game a couple weeks back, so I called for tickets. When I was told that the cheapest ticket started at $75 for the upper level and $105 for the lower, unfortunately I had to tell my boys that we wouldn’t be going to see the Bucs. I don’t know how many of those $25 kid’s tickets ($35 adults) that have been promoted all year are available or where they are in the stadium, but it makes me think of the airlines that advertise $49 plane tickets.
I know some people and/or companies spend $300 for a single “Club” ticket and God bless them. But like many in Tampa Bay, I have to make choices about my family’s entertainment expenses. For me, a $500 investment for tickets in the corner of the stadium isn’t going to happen. With my playing history and broadcasting responsibilities, I have gotten into games for free for a long time, so I may not be a typical customer, but at that price, the game itself isn’t going to get my family to the stadium. I simply need more value for my money and it seems many others do as well.
The Tampa Bay Storm bring their players back on the field after the games to sign autographs. The Rays and Lightning have made post-game concerts a value-added program to increase attendance. USF has lower ticket prices and a good atmosphere for “JoeFootballFan” to get his “live” football fix. I don’t know if a Rick Springfield or REO Speedwagon concert will get me there either, but it might (actually neither of those artists would do it, but adding more value outside of the game is the concept).
Over 50,000 people decided to take the financial plunge for the divisional match-up of potential playoff teams, but only about 40,000 were interested enough in each of the final two home games. The local economy isn’t going to change dramatically soon, so there probably isn’t going to be a great clamoring in 2011 for new season ticket holders or luxury box owners even with the surprisingly good season the team has put together.
Tampa is like the little town that could. We are not a big market, but we try to play with the big boys, and even though we have endured much ridicule over the years with all of our sports teams at different times, we have faired pretty well.
Baseball is a different animal without a salary cap. The Rays are outspent 3-to-1 every year (at least) by the Yankees and Red Sox and need ticket revenue to survive. Every team in the NFL shares in their television revenue, guaranteeing each club a certain amount. In 2010 the NFL didn’t have a salary cap or basement, meaning teams could spend as much or as little as they wanted. The Cowboys spent more than anyone and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers spent less.
According to a Sporting News article from November 22, the Bucs spent $30 million less than what the salary cap minimum would have been. Meaning they would have been forced to spend about $110 million if there was a cap. I’m sure they have plenty of answers to explain why they are spending so little in comparison to other teams, but news earlier this year that the Bucs invested the least amount of money in their team (in the entire NFL) over the last five years doesn’t make individual fans or corporations get too excited to invest either.
The blackouts are also a problem for the Bucs because guys like Jon Kitna, David Garrard, Chad Henne, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Mark Sanchez have spent as much or more time on our TV screen this season than the Bucs’ budding superstar QB Josh Freeman, and that doesn’t help sell more merchandise and other things that increase the overall perceived value of the franchise when those rankings come out each year.
With time off from work and school, my family was looking for something to do and my kids like hockey too. We watch portions of almost every Rays game and Lightning game throughout their respective seasons because they are on TV and their players become household names. I know the Lightning have 41 games to sell and the Rays have 81, but as I said, it is just a three-hour entertainment expense for me, so there is a small difference between a pro hockey game or pro football game — my family is getting the same value.
The difference is my wallet is much heavier when I go home from a hockey game.
So, this New Year’s Day, my family watched the Gators play at Raymond James Stadium all afternoon, and for $120 my family of four will be enjoying the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers all night. And for that $120 we also got the added value of four hot dogs, four beers (sodas) and four hockey pucks to take home. My family will be happy, I have $380 left in my back pocket and I’m home in plenty of time to catch the Bucs and Saints in Hi-Def.
January 2nd, 2011 at 4:36 am
Alrighty then. I’m smoking meat all night and drinking Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA… and I spent every last dime.
C’mon 13:00, Lets’ do this, Go Bucs!!!
January 2nd, 2011 at 6:43 am
Who’s this has been. Another exposure with a bag full of air for lack of a better word
January 2nd, 2011 at 6:43 am
very boring read
January 2nd, 2011 at 7:41 am
Jeff you hit it square on the head. Great read. Anyone who is spending dollars for family entertainment will appreciate this article.
I have to make tough choices on how we spend our families ‘fun’ money today. Even with a winning team on the field football is just too expensive in a uncertain economy.
Thanks for a level headed look at what family’s are facing today.
We’ll be grillin and chillin with the kin folk in the cabin 🙂
January 2nd, 2011 at 7:54 am
It may have been boring. But it was the truth. And Jeff could have said much more about the tightwad Glazers, but didn’t. But the bottom line is that if the Glazers do not get us a Professional HC in here and give the fans a little more for their money when they do go to a game, then next season will be blacked out too.
January 2nd, 2011 at 8:18 am
Exactly Jeff! The community doesnt buy into this team and what the org is doing. Yes, they have earned 9 wins, with some unbelievable luck. Like last week when Hasselback leads them right down the field for a TD then goes out and in comes another hack.
Zero wins against teams with a winning record. third place in the division. no playoffs again. this doesnt inspire.
if exciting changes arent made, ho-hum, blackouts, empty stadium, home-field disadvantage will continue.
Invest in a head coach and a few marquee free agents – on the defensive side of course.
January 2nd, 2011 at 8:54 am
this team is on the rise you last couple of posting fools…and replacing the head coach at this point ir ridiculous….you last couple of posters are complete morons.
January 2nd, 2011 at 9:02 am
It has nothing to do with the HC..and Jeff is exactly right. It’s all about value. I’ve said it before, with every purchase of a season ticket, give that person a “concession card” valued at X dollars to use to purchase concessions. Additionally, season ticket holders have the ability to add on to that card at a discounted rate, say spend $5 for $10 worth added to the card.
The bottom line as Jeff said, it needs to be about value for the money, what do I get more than just a seat?
January 2nd, 2011 at 9:04 am
Jeff is absolutely correct. The Glazers and to a larger extent the NFL has to change. I love watching football but I don’t love it enough to spend $300+ a weekend for my family. Some so called die-hard fans will take out a second mortgage for Bucs tickets. Well, I guess I’m not a die-hard. Think the Glazers care either way? Nope. Some of you guys will criticize those that stay at home or watch the games on the internet instead of going live. Well, like Blockbuster they sat back and criticized people who would use mail-order services for DVD’s but what they didn’t realize is the market changed. The market is changing for the NFL whether they (or you) like it or not.
January 2nd, 2011 at 10:18 am
The Glazers priced the Bucs right out of the market. This is nothing but capitalism pure and simple. The only problem I see is that the NFL has the right to black out games so the fans that pay for the stadium are forced to pay whatever the owners want or they don’t get to see the home games. Not to mention when the owners have the ability to lift blackouts when the fans are close.. Steelers and Falcons this season… they made the choice to keep the blackout. This really burned me.
Being said, I take my family to one game a season, and yes it costs close to 5 bills for the event when all said and done and my kids still can’t lay a finger on the pirate ship, that my tax money help build.
When looking at that versus throwing the kids in the car and spending an entire weekend at the beach, it doesn’t seem like a sound decision. What I did notice, (I went to the Carolina Game, one of the most poorly attended games of the year) was that the upper corner endzone seats were almost to capacity and the remainder of the stadium was empty.
This last fact tells me that there are many interested fans but the fans are savy enough to realize you have a situation in which the owners have held the fans over the barrel for years with seat licenses, inflated waiting lists and jacked up prices. When they had the opportunity, about 5 years ago, they started taking the money out of the payroll, stadium (anyone see the sod for the falcons game or notice the pink seats with cracked vinyl) coaching staff etc. This rebuilding through the draft thing worked out amazingly and they have been given something special in the last two drafts but the plan was to take money out.
I may not be the target fan. I would never buy season tickets for the Bucs. The money outlay for NFL is just too much but I will cherry pick. When my son gets a little older and can understand the gamble of the secondary ticket market and it means sometime you get a ticket and sometimes you go home I will take him to do that but I remember doing that when I was a kid and not getting tickets (this wasn’t for the Bucs) at least you could go home and watch the game on the tube. Now you get to go home and watch the Jaguars.
January 2nd, 2011 at 11:14 am
Boring read? Boring read?
I’ll bet those ‘posters’ have a high school (or GED) education or less.
Jeff’s piece was well thought out, factual and personal. I don’t consider a former NFL player an ‘average fan’ but I can tell that Jeff has a keen insight to the problem(s) that the NFL faces.
There are two (2) distinct issues when discussing the Bucs and I guess some readers consider this ‘boring’ because Jeff takes the time to dissect the more problematic of the two – perceived value; the other being qulity of product.
The Blockbuster/Red Box analogy was great and I would hope that Jeff’s article finds its way to the NFL owners meeting because it couldn’t be closer to the truth.
Sure there are probably 30,000 ‘hard core’ season ticket holders in the Tampa area but that number isn’t going to increase any time soon. If the Bucs bounce back into playoff contenders then it may incease 10-20% but that isn’t enough to stop blackouts.
Simply put for $500 for a Sunday afternoon I can get Florida Resident Season Passes to Disney or a full year Bush Gardens Pass – guess which one gives me more ‘value’ for my money?
As for ‘missing’ the game? I get to see 8 away games on TV for free. I watch the preseason games for free as well and that gives me an idea of how the team is likely to trend for the year. When I decide to go to a home game there are lots of methods to purchase tickets but the TV coverage is much better than what I see at the stadium. Sorry but RayJay doesn’t sell Blue Moon draft and I’m not paying $7 for Bud.
As for ‘quality’ of product I LOVE going to the Storm games and Jeff is right about meeting the players on the field. I can’t explain it but once you’ve identified with a player it makes rooting for them all that much more enjoyable. Maybe that’s why fantasy football has taken off.
Remember with Blockbuster vs. Red Box they are both selling the same identical product but it’s packaged totally different; more convient, less expensive and no restrictions. I think that the NFL needs to take that into account and begin to have individual home game feels for sale (mini pay per view) and lower the stadium ticket prices.
Unless better marketing is done I forsee RayJay half-empty in the upcoming future, especially now that I’ve got a nice 60″ HDTV and plenty of Blue Moon in the fridge.
Nice article Jeff
January 2nd, 2011 at 11:16 am
Jeff is right, but it has nothing to do with the coach. In fact most people seem to like the direction the org has taken, and are now excited about the team. It seems Tampa 2 and Thomas 2.1 are the only ones still souting off about the coach.
January 2nd, 2011 at 11:17 am
I too grew up in Los Angeles watching the Rams. As a paper boy, one new customer, we were taken to the Rams game and sat near the top of the stadium. Was a life long fan until they moved. But the ticket prices kept going up, the parking was dear, and the location, dangerous to park, plus the time was losing and ownership when to Georgia Fronterrie (sp). She move the team to Anaheim. The Radiers came during this time and played in the same stadium on off weeks for the Rams. Mr Davis, for a game for a playoff spot, would not left the blackout with about 3000 blocked vision seats left. There were 93,000 tickets sold but not all the seats were. He wanted the local businesses to buy them. I never went to another Radier game or spent a dime on any to due with the Radiers after this. I am old now and can’t get to the games for the money but I love to watch the Bucs. On every blacked out game, I watch it on my computer. The Bucs get nothing for it, if they let the TV broadcast happen, they would get something or even if they charged 10 bucks on pay per view they would get something, no where in the busines world is nothing better than something. My thoughts
January 2nd, 2011 at 11:27 am
Joe here,
Have to say there’s still nothing better than going to a good game with an electric crowd. Anyone sitting at the Bucs-Atlanta game knows it wasn’t more fun at home. …The money issue is real, but it still doesn’t explain away cheap tickets available on StubHub and at Ticketmaster for recent games up until kickoff. Or no shows in the 10 percent to 15 percent range for most games. People can’t give the seats away.
Joe’s been perplexed by the Glazers not doing more to market their stars this season.
Blount is the most electrifying player to come around in a long time. And basically a whole lot of nothing has been done to get the community fired up about the guy. Joe could rattle off 10 ways, mostly no cost or low cost that could have been done.
Joe’s a believer in looking within when things aren’t going well. And it’s impossible to conclude that marketing/sales management at One Buc isn’t failing the team.
January 2nd, 2011 at 11:46 am
Good points joe. I went to the Panther’s game. I have low vision, so have to listen to the game on a radio, but I love the feel of the game. I also think this is true for many people over the age of 30, but the younger audience may need to be markewted to differently. Technology has changed many things.
January 2nd, 2011 at 11:46 am
Joe, that is the main reason I keep calling for Grella’s head. He has done nothing NEW of any consequence to market this team. He sits on his Throne in the Palace and doesn’t get out and make things happen. I believe he has helped Raheem with his public speaking, but that’s it. He sits in the Press conferences, which I don’t understand why, and cuts them short, every time. The football side of the team is working great, but the business side is not producing all that it can. It is the Business Owner’s responsibility to maintain the Health of his business. When managers don’t produce results, they need to be replaced. Anyone can produce excuses.
January 2nd, 2011 at 11:53 am
Still a boring read, throw whatever insult you want. Right or not Jeff is still BORING lolz. You think I care what level of education you assume that I have? Wrong, I’ll take my double major and my LPC and be completely content. I don’t know why I’m justifying anything so I wont waste anymore energy pressing these keys on this.
January 2nd, 2011 at 11:54 am
tnew said something interesting. His kids can go to a game and “can’t lay a finger on the pirate ship.” That can be changed.
The game needs to be an experience. Players coming out before the game and signing autographs before the game will increase fan experience and get people in their seats by kickoff. Increase the experience for the $$ being spent.
January 2nd, 2011 at 11:56 am
BUT I will say that if come the start of next season we still have blackouts we should seriously stop and take a look at ourselves because our because mighty start assuming that it’s a reflection of a poor fanbase. Hell, they might be right too
January 2nd, 2011 at 11:57 am
BUT I will say that if come the start of next season we still have blackouts we should seriously stop and take a look at ourselves because our because mighty start assuming that it’s a reflection of a poor fanbase. Heck, they might be right too
January 2nd, 2011 at 11:57 am
Whoops I apologize for the duplicate.
January 2nd, 2011 at 11:59 am
Wow, I meant to type because our “Bucs might start assuming”
January 2nd, 2011 at 12:02 pm
Rican, I agree with you twive. I hope this does not continue next year.
January 2nd, 2011 at 12:15 pm
BigMacAttack:
Jonathan Grella is not the Bucs marketing director. He is the Bucs vice president of communications. Two totally different positions and responsibilities.
January 2nd, 2011 at 12:19 pm
It may be boring to some, but having a family with kids myself I appreciate the story. This was my first year since 1986 that I did not purchase season tickets. I’m still going through withdrawls because there really is nothing like going to a live game. The fact is the entire NFL will face these same issues. Tampa is like the perfect storm for home town fans. You have a huge population of fans from other cities who refuse to cheer for anything but their origional teams. You have a terrible economy who counts on tourism for most of their revenue; and in case no one has mentioned this fact: Tampa is very low on the per capita income compared to cities like NY, Chicago, Boston, Philly etc…. All these things combined have made it tough on all the teams here in the Bay area. Maybe Joe could post the TV ratings today for the Saints game to show if the Bucs have real fans or not…… I spent almost 25 years going to the stadium and I really take offense to people saying that I’m part of a poor fan base.
January 2nd, 2011 at 12:20 pm
Rican – You are a moron. “lolz” Really?
Jeff – AMAZING article, thanks to Joe for ‘printing’ it.
I mentioned the Stubhub/NFL Ticket Exchange to Joe too – That’s the only angle I think you may have missed,
You are correct – it comes down to dollars vs entertainment value, and I can find MANY other activities in this paradise we live in to spend $500.00 on.
That, and the proliferation of large HDTV’s, various Internet streaming sites – don’t bode well for the NFL.
January 2nd, 2011 at 12:53 pm
I do not think I have ever seen this many posts to Jeff’s articles before. I miss havint White’s right up, but I just get it from hi site. It was nice having it hear though. I go to a bunch of Bucs blog and news sites, but this one is home base for me. The two Joes and all of you posters make it a great site.
January 2nd, 2011 at 1:31 pm
Joe, don’t Communications and Marketing go hand in hand? The key to good marketing is getting your message across. Is that not communications? Some operations are to important to delegate. It is Grella who was the one communicating that ALL games would be blacked out. We all know the Pittsburgh Game was a sell out, regardless of what skewed incompetent message came from Grella. ATL was close enough to buy a view tickets by the Bucs. If this is the message that the Glazers want to pass on to their fan base, they have a serious communications breakdown. What has Grella done that is any different than before? Still your point is well taken.
January 2nd, 2011 at 1:40 pm
Well, you are referring to two different departments with the Bucs.
onathan Grella only deals with media, both electronic and print. He does not devise marketing strategies for the Bucs. Grella does not deal with advertising agencies, et al.
Two totally different positions.
Yes, Grella explained how all the games would be blacked out. How was he wrong? He was giving an honest answer based on ticket sales, specifically season ticket sales.
The Glazers said long before Grella was hired that they would not pick up the tab for unsold seats in order to avoid a blackout.
January 2nd, 2011 at 1:46 pm
[blockquote]That, and the proliferation of large HDTV’s, various Internet streaming sites – don’t bode well for the NFL.[/blockquote]
Which is why the NFL needs to change their approach to how they get their games to their fans and how they market their product. The market is changing and the technology is changing. The whole point of a blackout is to get fans to go to the game and spend the money. The NFL blackout policy doesn’t work. It’s an outdated policy. Blackouts don’t matter to me. I can watch the games on the internet or listen on the radio. If I wasn’t tied down with family responsibilities I’d be on the Blackout Tour every Bucs home game. It sounds like a lot of fun.
January 2nd, 2011 at 1:53 pm
D-Rome:
While your arguments make sense, not sure there are enough blackouts for the NFL to come to the conclusion that their blackout policy is outdated. Now if there were, say, 30 percent of the games blacked out…
Jerry Jones has stated several times one reason he built such a palace was to get people to get off the couch and come to games. He understands in many cases, it’s better for NFL fans to stay home to watch.
Costs to go to Cowboys games are outrageous.
January 2nd, 2011 at 1:54 pm
I didn’t even read this. The purpose of this guys posts is supposed to be analyzing the QB play and offense in general with the (alleged) expert knowledge of a former player. I barely care what he thinks about the QB. Now I have to scroll past a 5 million word post with his opinion on blackouts? This guy sucks.
January 2nd, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Joe you know darn well that Jerry Jones didn’t build that palace JUST for football games – they had the NBA All-Star game, tons of concerts, everything there as well.
Jones made a sound business decision based on LONG TERM expectations. From what I see of the Glazers they seem to want to milk th Bucs for all its worth before selling for a sizable profit.
January 2nd, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Also, I want to be clear I’m not suggesting alternative ways to view the Bucs games are better than going to Raymond James. It’s not. With the variety of ways to see the NFL that’s out there people are willing to settle for an inferior experience for the same reasons why most buy 87 grade gasoline instead of 93. OK, maybe that’s a poor example but you know what I mean.
January 2nd, 2011 at 3:41 pm
curious to me that in today’s broadcast two NFL.com commercials targeted the “NFL Playoffs”…thing was both commercials featured fans at home celebrating the excitement of the game…..not the game day stadium experience…
fans watching at home with their HD rigs or at Sports Bars…or watching with Joe and his Bandwagon Tour in Ft.Meyers are not in short supply
January 2nd, 2011 at 3:43 pm
Joe here,
@Mr. Lucky – There’s nothing anywhere that indicates the Glazers want to sell the Bucs. Why would they? There’s no let up in sight to the value of the NFL franchises and every team makes gobs of cash. After 15 years, it’s obvious the Glazers are here for the long haul. …And if they really wanted to milk more cash out of the Tampa Bay area, they would have brought in Manchester United for preseason games (team came to US this past summer before sellout crowds) and they would have made concessions on the RJS lease to get more events in here and to have kept the Tampa Bay Mutiny in town about nine years ago. THe Glazers are hardly milking everything they can from the investment here.
January 2nd, 2011 at 3:44 pm
Joe here,
@RastaMon – Great point on those commercials. Was thinking the same thing. It used to be about crowds and cheerleaders and beer and seeing your breath. Now it’s about hugging another dude on a leather couch?
January 2nd, 2011 at 3:49 pm
Joe here,
Just to clarify on Grella. He’s not a VP and not a marketing guy, just a first-year media guy new to the NFL and the market.
As referenced earlier, the Bucs have departments devoted to selling tickets and marketing the club outside the media. Doesn’t mean marketing and PR shouldn’t work hand in hand in a successful enterprise, but gorilla marketing tactics, advertising and working with team partners like Publix and others are not his domain.
January 2nd, 2011 at 6:42 pm
Joe, I thought that Grella was this new super star that was going to turn things around for the Glazers and the Team. I guess I was wrong, but remember Low Expectations net Low Results. Sounds to me like he wasn’t expected to do very much. But the Team is great, Dominick is a Rock Star all the way. If I was in his position, I’d be doing a helluva lot more to get national attention and everybody I could muster behind this Team. I understand now as communications director that he controls media access which translates to Joe.