RESPONSE TO PLUSH’S LETTER
About a week ago, Jeff Plush, managing director of the Rapids, wrote a letter to the fans on the Colorado Rapids official blog LINK. The letter was basically and apology for the failure to make the playoffs and expressed a feeling of disappointment by the club. The fans response to the letter was . . . let’s just say they weren’t happy. I’ve taken a little while to chime in on this subject because, honestly, I didn’t really care. The Front Office is always going to tell you what they think you want to hear and the fans are always going to be overly emotional and overly confident in their ability to spot the real issues.
Instead of giving a direct response to Plush’s letter I’m going to to recount a conversation I had today.
I had the opportunity to speak with an acquaintance of mine that works for Kroenke and is one of Jeff Plush’s peers. Let’s call her Sara. The conversation was brief but revealing.
Sara’s first contention about Plush is that he isn’t an idiot but a few people at Kroenke don’t exactly agree with the direction he is taking the club. Blaming Plush is a start but everyone involved with the management of the club should be held accountable.
First off, most people believe that the quality of play is really going to make the difference. But the reality is that the Rapids will have poor attendance regardless of the quality of play. The whole “attractive soccer and stadium attendance argument” really doesn’t hold much water. In her experience it just isn’t the case, at least in this market. Anything short of a crazy 30 game winning streak probably won’t attract too many more fans to the stadiums. Quality of play will keep the existing fans and only slightly increase attendance.
So what will bring fans?
In Sara’s opinion, marketing is key. The Rapids need to create a soccer culture in Denver and the club isn’t putting forward the funds to accomplish that. For example, the Rapids cut their marketing budget in half this year. Another poor decision, and, in her opinion the biggest mistake the club ever made, was offloading Beckerman for Ballouchy. Not only is Beckerman a national team caliber player but he is very marketable.
In her opinion the club needs a Cuauhtemoc Blanco. In the sense that he is a guy that will draw fans (most important) and make a difference on the field. But guys like him are hard to come by. Unless the club is willing to unload millions for a guy like Beckham (European superstar), which they aren’t, they need to look to a more reasonable alternative, which is Mexico. Unfortunately, there is no one in Mexico that really fits the bill right now.
She conceded that there is no guarantee in that plan, but that isn’t the point. The fact is that the people they pay money to think up ideas and do research on what needs to be done to move the club forward are wasting their time. When they presented the idea of bringing in a big Mexican player, Plush agreed and then went on to bring in Daniel Osorno, an ageing and forgotten player. They can’t win. There is no commitment to the future of the club.
That seems to be the trend with Kroenke. When I asked her what she thinks about Kroenke buying more stock in Arsenal. She replied “good for him” but right now I have no 401K, no bonus, no staff, no budget, no raise, etc. But she conceded that she is one of the lucky ones at Kroenke. Kroenke had to lay off a lot of people to raise enough cash to get a controlling stake at Arsenal.
The stadium, in her opinion, up to now is a bust. The goal of Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, aside from complying with the soccer specific stadium requirement, was to promote development. The plan was to build the stadium and start developing the land around the stadium. Residential homes and a booming commercial district around the park is what creates a solid fan base.
With the down turn in the economy nothing has been developed. While Kroenke is a patient investor other investors in the area are going under because of the lack of development in the area. Northfield Shopping Center, off 70 and Quebec, is about to shut down completely.
Well that is the gist of our short conversation. Her comments are really just food for thought. The anger and disappointment of the fans expressed in Plush’s blog post are fair. There is a feeling that the club is letting the fans down but it is important to remember that the Rapids are a business first.
So what does this all mean? Maybe nothing, but I think it does give us a bigger picture of the problem that plagues our beloved Rapids. It seems to be a lot bigger than not having a healthy winger.
Share your thoughts on the letter or in general about the Rapids.
November 11th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Marketing is definatly missing. There is a problem when your special fan section is empty half the time. There wasn’t an atmosphere better than the game against Club America, and that was because the CA fans there. That’s who they should be trying to get to their games, not the soccer moms. Once you get the steady devout fans, others will follow.
November 18th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
I have to say that I disagree with you and Sara’s contention that attractive soccer will not be enough to bring in fans. Myself and many, many others have stopped being season ticket holders precisely because of the style of play the Rapids employ. Sure, marketing is a big thing and so is getting a quality player. But the inference in your post is that getting a marketable, big name player will draw the fans. That is not true.
The Rapids don’t just have to get a big name player that is marketable, they have to get a big name player that can help on the field as well as the marketing. If Daniel Osorno had helped on the field, the Rapids would have been able to market him just as much as the Fire market Blanco. In fact, Blanco is 6 years older than Osorno so your statement that he was ‘aging’ is incorrect. Many MLS followers and Fire fans were cautiously optimistic about Blanco because of his reputation as lazy and arrogant. He’s turned out to be a quality player but he just as easily could have turned into a bust.
I don’t want to complain to much about the information from ‘Sara’ but she seems to have the same blinders on that others in KSE and the Rapids have. To them it’s all about ‘marketing’ and less about good soccer. That’s just flat out wrong. If the Rapids build a quality team, fans will show up. Period. Everyone at KSE seems to have the same problem: they think that because the Rapids are a business that conventional business ideas will solve the problems or conventional US sports business ideas will help. Soccer is not basketball or hockey or football. It’s a world game and thus has different ideas and tactics that appeal across the social and economic spectrum that makes it popular and successful. Throwing marketing dollars at the problems with the Rapids will not make fans like me, or others I know who are not going to games, come back. If KSE shows that they care, puts money into the team and not just marketing and starts treating fans better, then they will be successful. Anything less will just perpetuate the downward spiral of the team and organization.
November 18th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
@JoeyClams:
I, for one, would love to see a winner and a quality side, don’t get me wrong, but maybe “her” point is that Columbus only draws 14K currently, having won the Supporter’s Shield 2 years in a row and an MLS Cup last year.
Maybe her viewpoint is from the Avs’ situation this season, an incredible turnaround by a youthful, invigorated team, and still 11K one weeknight.
I think the rest of your response is right on.
November 18th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Joey Clams:
Great response.
First, me and sara agree on somethings and not others. I tried to give a paraphrased version of her point of view. She definitely has a more business side opinion and that is what i hoped came through.
Second, she conceded that there was no guarantee that bringing in a big name Mexican player would draw more fans. The point was there was no support for that idea. Good or bad, they didn’t get the support necessary to give that idea a shot. I think that is a serious problem. Even a good idea won’t work without the proper financial support and commitment.
Third, i’ve always been weary about the idea that good soccer will bring more fans, so i’m with her on this point. It might “retain” true soccer fans like yourself but probably not bring more in. The casual fan doesn’t know what good or attractive soccer is. That is where good marketing and development (as they had envisioned) comes into play.
November 19th, 2009 at 9:01 am
What I find the most telling is her apparent anger at Kroenke for his insane drive to own Arsenal… “I have no 401K, no bonus, no staff, no budget, no raise, etc. But she conceded that she is one of the lucky ones at Kroenke. Kroenke had to lay off a lot of people to raise enough cash to get a controlling stake at Arsenal.” You can bet others share these feelings in the organization. Gut an organization to raise cash to get another… SICK!
So, what happens once (if) he gains control??
Great article as always!
Mike
November 19th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Very interesting.
I figure quality and success do matter. I don’t know if those items are enough to fill the stadium, which might be the ultimate goal.
The average attendance tells us very little. The outlying games skew the figures in a positive way. It’s the size of the deviation that should be a concern. Columbus’ success may have only garnered them an average attendance of 14,000, but if it’s an average with a deviation of 800 it’s a much better situation than an average of 14,000 with a deviation of 5,000.
I reckon getting quality on the field would help shrink the deviations. Once that’s achieved growing the average from (12,770) would be the next goal. That’s where the marketing and the marketable players would have a more positive effect.
November 19th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
I honestly wonder whether the Rapids can make it work in this market. I am confident that a professional soccer franchise can work in Denver, I’m just not sure if the Rapids can turn it around and make their franchise work. THis town loves a winner and loves it sports, so bringing home a couple of championships might do the trick, but I’m not sure if there is the enthusiam or groundswell of support to make the franchise thrive.
Take this and add in Don Garber’s recent comments referring to Seattle’s success this season,
“People cared about it, from the governor to the mayor to the man on the street to those people who love the game. That’s what we need: We need more relevance for our teams, and we now have a great case study. … That was an important lesson to our clubs, particularly some of the clubs that have been around for a while and are struggling in their markets.”
I couldn’t help but feel that last comment was directed at franchises like the Rapids. What if the league stopped with 20 teams and then just to facilitate relocation for the non-achieving franchises. With all of this in light, it really makes you wonder what might happen to the franchise in the next 5-10 years, if the franchise or support doesn’t improve.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Quality, Quality. As a somewhat new resident to Denver and still a Dynamo season ticket holder, the style and quality of play of the Rapids is horrible. I attended about 4 games this year, they were mostly dreadful. Since this is my new home, I am trying to become a fan and supporter, they make awfully difficult with the lack of creativity, possession and build up especially when compared to the Dynamo. Thats my comparison coming from those games to these. A great facility but not necessarily a great organization. Little ever reported in the local media, where IS the marketing, besides them calling and hounding me to purchase season tickets, I do not see it. Lets be honest, the coach was right, there is not enough quality on the Rapids, PERIOD! As for the fans, soccer moms and their families will never carry any cities team, there has to be interest from a larger base of fans.
November 19th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
A few things on my mind:
Quality play = fans. Same thing happens to the Rockies. Make a contender out of them and people will have more of a tendency to show up. A big name may help, but they can’t be a donkey and fizzle out in 2 years. With the WC 2010 around the corner, it would be nice to see some of the faces that have a chance to make the squad. Casey and Mastroeni cannot be your top players…bottom line.
Also, we have a great stadium to see a game, but the location KILLS ticket sales. The majority of soccer played in Denver is in the south suburbs. You will find yourself having a hard time getting a family out to a game with a 20-30 minute drive. It’s a sad, but honest fact, but its absolutely true. I see about 400+ soccer kids a week and deal with these parents daily and it is a fact that they will not drive to north denver even for their own childrens’ games.
Sign me, I’ll sit the bench but I guarantee I have at least 25 fans minimum for every game.
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:12 pm
As Jeff Crow says in his great post, the casual fan will not carry a franchise financially. So who’s it left up to? The die hard fan and the soccer knowledgeable fan who are staying away because the quality is unacceptable. That’s the heart of the matter. KSE can advertise 4 packs and whatever to get the casual fan but the committed fans don’t care about that stuff. They care about good soccer.
But for me, the bigger issue is what Sara alluded to in her interview with the author of the post: KSE just doesn’t give a damn about the Rapids. They don’t give the time, money or thought to the franchise succeeding so it’s not surprising that they pass on the opportunity to hire Sigi Schmid as the coach instead of a cheap Gary Smith. This is not meant as a slap to Coach Smith who I think did a good job with what he had to work with. But the hire of Schmid, even the attempt to hire Schmid, would have shown Rapid fans that KSE cared and was trying to make the team better. Same goes for using its designated player slot. By doing neither and then slashing the marketing budget, all KSE has shown fans is that it’s a business and an extremely frugal one at that. Stan Kronke is a billionaire yet he can’t spend a few million to acquire a designated player and pay his salary for a few years? That tells me everything I need to know about the commitment of KSE and it’s owner.