Inspired by jeffro's idea for getting a bunch of AN'ers together to watch the A's open the season against the Red Sox in Japan, I thought that we should "invite" Billy Beane to have a few loyal friends over—to the Coliseum to watch the games on the StomperTron. Obviously, sure, there'd be a multitude of logistical questions on the A's end—mostly to do with staffing and setup, which is really beyond my purview or concern. And given the early-morning start time for the games, BART wouldn't really be an option for getting to the game (though I have a potential solution for that, which I'll outline below). Most importantly, we know that the A's, as is only right, don't really have any interest in making a massive giveaway of goods and services. So the question is: How many of us would be willing to pay to do this, in order to make it cost-effective for the A's to do it? Billy, consider this an open-source marketing survey more than a request, per se. AN'ers, please read the poll answers carefully before you respond. And chime in with comments about how this could (or couldn't) be made to work to the A's (financial and fan-base) advantage. Personally, I think that with the combination of the uniqueness of the event and the usual capacity crowd associated with a Red Sox visit to the Coliseum (i.e., transplanted Bostonians with cash to burn), the A's could probably pull in a sizable crowd for such an event. They could even work around the problem of BART's last train for the previous evening arriving at 1:00 a.m., by scheduling some sort of promotional or charity on-field event (perhaps as simple as fireworks?) prior to game time.
0recs |
35
comments
Comments
More than just jumbotron
I think in order to make it worth paying, there would have to be more than just watching on the jumbotron. I don't mean like tons of free giveaway stuff, but I'd like concessions open, and maybe some sort of "run around the bases" or something. Paying money to sit out in the cold and watch the game on the jumbotron is not quite enough to pay.
Absolutely, I would think that having at least some of the concession stands open would have to be part of the deal—not only for fan attractiveness, but also for the A's to make more money off the event.
parking lot, and it would be indoors. Would the A's have to rent out Oracle Arena. The Warriors won't be playing that early, and as cold as it can be at 3 am in Oakland, the indoor Warrior Jumbotron would work better.
No idea how the franchise would deal with "rent" on the Arena, though. The advantage of the Coliseum is that the team already has the lease on it (though doubtless there'd have to be some sort of agreement put into place for the additional 1-2 days of unanticipated use).
if I weren't going to be on Hawai'i. I'll get to see it starting at midnight, if I did the math right.
But by the way, is anyone else rankled by these both being designated as A's Home games? That is utter bullshit. I see this as a potentially significant disadvantage to the A's, as far as them competing for a division title or wild card berth. The only fair way to handle this would be for the teams to split the Home games. It seems to me this is an admission by MLB that making ever larger piles of money is more important than leveling the playing field.
The difference between 2 home games and 1 home/1 away is a difference of one-tenth of a game in the standings. It's roughly the equivalent of starting the first game of the season down 1-0.
Pardon the sarcasm, but I don't see that as exactly crippling the team's pennant hopes. Particularly given their borderline nonexistent status anyway.
Also, part of that 5% (not sure exactly how much) is due to batting last, which is an advantage the team will still have.
The extra revenue gained from the A's getting the larger part of the gate receipts will be far more of an advantage competitively than "losing" two home games is a disadvantage.
Mostly I don't see much of a Boston fan turnout...the "sit in the dark and watch a big TV" thing seems more a hardcore home fan experience, not a frontrunning loudmouth assholish visiting fan experience. That and the pre-dawn workweek timing drop the potential crowd drastically, and thus there's no money in concessions, staffing, etc etc. So it's hard to see it being even break-even unless the price is high, and it's hard to see people turning out at all unless the price is low. And call me a cynic, but I'm having trouble seeing Lew opening the gates in a gesture of profitless goodwill to a few thousand hardcore Oakland fans.
However, if it's free I'd go, and if the staffing level at the search tables is light (ahem) I wouldn't sweat the lack of concessions either. I'd also be up for a hell of a pre-game tailgate in the BART lot starting at 1:00 AM, if we had a critical mass, or if alox and some of his "legally armed as a consequence of employment" buddies were there.
depending on your motives for the "light" search table! However, if your motives are pure (at least 80 proof), we might have a deal! Fair warning, we will need a lot of 80 proof. A whole lot. And women.
I'll be at the Tokyo Dome. And, despite the high likelihood that I'll be outnumbered by Massholes, I'll do my best to make our boys feel like it's a home game.
I have some advice for Lew. Quit screwing with the Oakland fanbase and do right by us and build a stadium in Oakland. There's land available on the old army base. It'll be cheap right now. Either that or put some money into refurbishing the coliseum. Or if not just leave well enough alone and let the A's play in the coliseum.
Maybe it's because I'm essentially a nocturnal being already (save for this past week...damn the flu that's currently sweeping through the office), but I think this is a great idea. It'd definitely build some cool fan momentum for the season and lend the Japan games a nice shot of energy. If it's between this and huddling by my radio so as not to wake my roommate, I'd definitely take this.
I'd go, if I didn't have school early in the morning and also my bro and sister's birthdays are the 25th and 27th so I couldn't do it. I will be awake and listening to the radio from start to finish, however.
The problem is I doubt that the staff would be willing to work at 3AM. They'd have to hire one day staff becuase most regulars would prefer not to work at that hour. Most Boston fans wouldn't want to go that early to see their favorite player, the great and powerful, Manny Ortiz!
against it merely because I think it'd be a logistical nightmare. If i wasn't at 3 a.m., then yeah, I'd love the idea. But how much overtime do the concessions folks earn for working in the middle of the night? How about extra police for the folks who stay at bars for closing time and decide to head to the Coliseum?
I don't know, I just think there's too much involved to get it to happen.
pop the bubble. I voted for spending 10 bucks to go but your post is a splash of reality. I would probably be too frightened to drive to the Coli at that time of the night.
That's why I phrased the poll questions the way I did, and appended "marketing survey" to the title -- to give them a quick and clear reckoning of what proportion of self-selected diehard fans would be willing to pony up. I think the threshold would be pretty darn high before they'd even think about it.
and I hadn't managed to get tickets to one of the games (for once, I'm on the right side of the Pacific when it comes to A's games). Logistically it does seem rather daunting but it could be a lot of fun.
If it's a smallish crowd the WSC would be perfect. Light food and non-alc beverages. Indoors, Minimal staff needed, actaully in the stadium, plenty of TVs. It would be a great place to gather. Not to mention that I think the neighbors would have a problem with the noise if we were to try an run Diamond Vision in the middle of the night. I know Raiders Boosters meet there. Why not open it up for the game?
As I recall it can even be accessed via a small entrance near Guest Services (in the plaza between the Arena and the Coliseum), which would make it easy to do with small staffing.
More than just jumbotron
I think in order to make it worth paying, there would have to be more than just watching on the jumbotron. I don't mean like tons of free giveaway stuff, but I'd like concessions open, and maybe some sort of "run around the bases" or something. Paying money to sit out in the cold and watch the game on the jumbotron is not quite enough to pay.
el generico - February 15, 2008
I should have clarified
Absolutely, I would think that having at least some of the concession stands open would have to be part of the deal—not only for fan attractiveness, but also for the A's to make more money off the event.
monkeyball - February 15, 2008
Problem on concessions would be
no beer sales between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. There goes one of the most profitable concession items.
Soaker - February 15, 2008
They can open beer sales ...
after the 7th inning.
devo - February 15, 2008
Interesting Idea
While I personally can't make it, I would if I were in the area.
They could try to have similar events as they did for fan fest....
Logistically it just seems too complicated to have it happen.
MoneyManWilliam - February 15, 2008
Even better, since they are in the same
parking lot, and it would be indoors. Would the A's have to rent out Oracle Arena. The Warriors won't be playing that early, and as cold as it can be at 3 am in Oakland, the indoor Warrior Jumbotron would work better.
theblackpearl - February 15, 2008
that's a great suggestion
No idea how the franchise would deal with "rent" on the Arena, though. The advantage of the Coliseum is that the team already has the lease on it (though doubtless there'd have to be some sort of agreement put into place for the additional 1-2 days of unanticipated use).
monkeyball - February 15, 2008
I would totally go
if I weren't going to be on Hawai'i. I'll get to see it starting at midnight, if I did the math right.
But by the way, is anyone else rankled by these both being designated as A's Home games? That is utter bullshit. I see this as a potentially significant disadvantage to the A's, as far as them competing for a division title or wild card berth. The only fair way to handle this would be for the teams to split the Home games. It seems to me this is an admission by MLB that making ever larger piles of money is more important than leveling the playing field.
Brian in 317 - February 15, 2008
Home teams win 55% of games.
The difference between 2 home games and 1 home/1 away is a difference of one-tenth of a game in the standings. It's roughly the equivalent of starting the first game of the season down 1-0.
Pardon the sarcasm, but I don't see that as exactly crippling the team's pennant hopes. Particularly given their borderline nonexistent status anyway.
Also, part of that 5% (not sure exactly how much) is due to batting last, which is an advantage the team will still have.
The extra revenue gained from the A's getting the larger part of the gate receipts will be far more of an advantage competitively than "losing" two home games is a disadvantage.
PaulThomas - February 15, 2008
I really don't get your math
It just ain't that tidy.
Brian in 317 - February 15, 2008
Color me skeptical
Mostly I don't see much of a Boston fan turnout...the "sit in the dark and watch a big TV" thing seems more a hardcore home fan experience, not a
frontrunning loudmouth assholishvisiting fan experience. That and the pre-dawn workweek timing drop the potential crowd drastically, and thus there's no money in concessions, staffing, etc etc. So it's hard to see it being even break-even unless the price is high, and it's hard to see people turning out at all unless the price is low. And call me a cynic, but I'm having trouble seeing Lew opening the gates in a gesture of profitless goodwill to a few thousand hardcore Oakland fans.However, if it's free I'd go, and if the staffing level at the search tables is light (ahem) I wouldn't sweat the lack of concessions either. I'd also be up for a hell of a pre-game tailgate in the BART lot starting at 1:00 AM, if we had a critical mass, or if alox and some of his "legally armed as a consequence of employment" buddies were there.
FreeSeatUpgrade - February 15, 2008
That might be problematic,
depending on your motives for the "light" search table! However, if your motives are pure (at least 80 proof), we might have a deal! Fair warning, we will need a lot of 80 proof. A whole lot. And women.
alox - February 15, 2008
I'd be fully down, but.......
I'll be at the Tokyo Dome. And, despite the high likelihood that I'll be outnumbered by Massholes, I'll do my best to make our boys feel like it's a home game.
jesseholm - February 15, 2008
You can't let the red sox in there!
I mean they'll see everything! They'll see the big board!
Buck Turgidson - February 15, 2008
great handle
great quote, great movie.
rebus - February 16, 2008
In all seriousness
I have some advice for Lew. Quit screwing with the Oakland fanbase and do right by us and build a stadium in Oakland. There's land available on the old army base. It'll be cheap right now. Either that or put some money into refurbishing the coliseum. Or if not just leave well enough alone and let the A's play in the coliseum.
Buck Turgidson - February 15, 2008
Such a great idea
Maybe it's because I'm essentially a nocturnal being already (save for this past week...damn the flu that's currently sweeping through the office), but I think this is a great idea. It'd definitely build some cool fan momentum for the season and lend the Japan games a nice shot of energy. If it's between this and huddling by my radio so as not to wake my roommate, I'd definitely take this.
Wes7 - February 15, 2008
I would vote
but then you could all click on my user name and check how I voted. And, well.
I don't see this happening at 3am during the week, but I love the idea of it.
Dayumm, though, it will be *cold*.
lurkerD - February 15, 2008
Holy Big Brother Batman
I hadn't noticed that you could see how someone responds to a poll on their profile. Shouldn't poll responses be anonymous?
Brian in 317 - February 16, 2008
wait until AN 4.0 ...
... when, in addition to the AN membership fee, we institute an "invisible" poll tax, and charge you $0.99 each time you vote!
monkeyball - February 16, 2008
Vote early and vote often!
pam5981 - February 16, 2008
I'd be more interested
if I didn't have school that same morning.
Kimberly - February 15, 2008
The problem for me
I'd go, if I didn't have school early in the morning and also my bro and sister's birthdays are the 25th and 27th so I couldn't do it. I will be awake and listening to the radio from start to finish, however.
The problem is I doubt that the staff would be willing to work at 3AM. They'd have to hire one day staff becuase most regulars would prefer not to work at that hour. Most Boston fans wouldn't want to go that early to see their favorite player, the great and powerful, Manny Ortiz!
VivaOakland - February 15, 2008
I voted
against it merely because I think it'd be a logistical nightmare. If i wasn't at 3 a.m., then yeah, I'd love the idea. But how much overtime do the concessions folks earn for working in the middle of the night? How about extra police for the folks who stay at bars for closing time and decide to head to the Coliseum?
I don't know, I just think there's too much involved to get it to happen.
Tyler Bleszinski - February 15, 2008
Well, Beane's a soccer fan
or so that's what everyone says.
What monkeyball is suggesting is pretty prevalent in soccer all over the world.
rfloh - February 16, 2008
Well Blez ...go on and...
pop the bubble. I voted for spending 10 bucks to go but your post is a splash of reality. I would probably be too frightened to drive to the Coli at that time of the night.
IM4Oakgal - February 16, 2008
In real terms, I think you're probably right
That's why I phrased the poll questions the way I did, and appended "marketing survey" to the title -- to give them a quick and clear reckoning of what proportion of self-selected diehard fans would be willing to pony up. I think the threshold would be pretty darn high before they'd even think about it.
monkeyball - February 16, 2008
I'd go if I weren't living in Tokyo
and I hadn't managed to get tickets to one of the games (for once, I'm on the right side of the Pacific when it comes to A's games). Logistically it does seem rather daunting but it could be a lot of fun.
Mark A - February 16, 2008
I'm in -- but wouldn't the arena be a better venue?
Semi-warm, smaller seating area and bigger, closer jumbotron possible?
Or were we planing a softball game against The Massholes concurrent with the opener?
If all else fails, is there a sports bar we can convince to stay open for us?
The Dogfather - February 16, 2008
At least open the Westside Club
If it's a smallish crowd the WSC would be perfect. Light food and non-alc beverages. Indoors, Minimal staff needed, actaully in the stadium, plenty of TVs. It would be a great place to gather. Not to mention that I think the neighbors would have a problem with the noise if we were to try an run Diamond Vision in the middle of the night. I know Raiders Boosters meet there. Why not open it up for the game?
westsideclubbin - February 18, 2008
That's a fantastic idea
As I recall it can even be accessed via a small entrance near Guest Services (in the plaza between the Arena and the Coliseum), which would make it easy to do with small staffing.
FreeSeatUpgrade - February 18, 2008
I like the idea
I still don't think I would come but for those that would I bet it would be so much fun! It sounds like a great solution.
IM4Oakgal - February 18, 2008
I posted without reading.
I agree, see below, WEST SIIIIIIIDE
jeffro - February 19, 2008
rockin' idea!
monkeyball - February 19, 2008
What about
the westside club? That would be a cool place to have such an event.
jeffro - February 19, 2008
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Athletics Nation to post a comment.