Blackout lifted

As much as I would love to someday watch a football game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, you could not get me to sit out there in the cold (minus 17) if you gave me $1000.

I would attribute the empty seats to the cost of attending a game as well the improvements with television.
It's just more convienant to be home and the NFL has given us Red Zone to catch up on all the games.Plus there is no line at the bathroom.

"firedan wrote:

I would attribute the empty seats to the cost of attending a game as well the improvements with television.
It's just more convienant to be home and the NFL has given us Red Zone to catch up on all the games.Plus there is no line at the bathroom.

I fully understand why people prefer to sit at home and watch the game, instead of going to the game. I personally have been attending games since 1966, but I have seen less and less fans in the stadium over the past few years. Some people come on this forum and complain about the stadium or how many empty seats there are in the stadium. Perhaps when they realize that fans of playoff teams can't sell out their stadiums for a playoff game. They will realize it isn't the stadium or the fans who are the problem.

It is merely that the game has gotten too expensive for the average fan to attend and sitting at home and watching the game on TV, in their comfortable chair is what most NFL fans now prefer. The problem with building a new stadium or even renovating the present one is that the cost of this new stadium will be passed on to those who actually purchase the tickets. This means prices will rise even higher and lead to more and more fans opting to stay home and watch the game, instead of paying higher prices to attend the games.

I've made a decision to not attend any Dolphins game home or away until Ireland is no longer the GM.

"Roman529 wrote:

As much as I would love to someday watch a football game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, you could not get me to sit out there in the cold (minus 17) if you gave me $1000.

I attended a game in New England several years ago in December and it was in the teens and the wind was blowing over 20 miles an hour. Being from South Florida, I certainly wasn't used to weather that cold, but I wore plenty of clothes and I really wasn't uncomfortable during the game. In fact I enjoyed the weather but I didn't enjoy the game because the Patriots beat the Dolphins on that day.

I agree -17 is extremely cold, but if the Packers were my team and I lived in the Green Bay area, I would have no problem going to the game. I'm sure I would be glad once the game was over, but that is what cold weather gear is for.

"MonstBlitz wrote:

I've made a decision to not attend any Dolphins game home or away until Ireland is no longer the GM.

That is certainly your right. I was just bringing up the fact that attendance overall has been declining for many teams this season and Ireland isn't the GM of all those teams. Hopefully though, Ireland will soon be gone and you will be ready to start attending games again. We can only hope.

I dont like watching games live i go at least once every 2 years but i never enjoy it. Its harder to follow in person for me i have a easier time on tv. Then lets say we lose like i went to the tampa game this season now i get to drive back home in traffic all pissed off its just bad news all around.

"MonstBlitz wrote:

I've made a decision to not attend any Dolphins game home or away until Ireland is no longer the GM.

For reasons like this, the so called fans are easily a bigger problem for the franchise than the GM is. You'll still be fans, you'll just be miserable and try to drag everyone down with you as you complain and try to cause a ruccus along the way. The fanbase has cancer that keeps coming back.

The cost is an issue. Living here in Boston, I'd love to take my family to a game in Fenway, but I'm not paying $600-$700 to do it for a baseball game.
same with the patsies, last year, my wife bought me two tickets for the dolphins-patriots game - cost $1200. I said thank you, sold the tickets for $1400 and bought a new back door.
when I lived in Cincinnati, I went to Bengals game every winter. easier to sit in the cold when the seats are cheap
same with Atlanta, I could get luxury seats for $40/seat to have AC in the summer.
It gets to a point where it's simply not worth the money.

"Ohio Fanatic wrote:

The cost is an issue. Living here in Boston, I'd love to take my family to a game in Fenway, but I'm not paying $600-$700 to do it for a baseball game.
same with the patsies, last year, my wife bought me two tickets for the dolphins-patriots game - cost $1200. I said thank you, sold the tickets for $1400 and bought a new back door.
when I lived in Cincinnati, I went to Bengals game every winter. easier to sit in the cold when the seats are cheap
same with Atlanta, I could get luxury seats for $40/seat to have AC in the summer.
It gets to a point where it's simply not worth the money.

I fully understand that the cost to attend games is probably the biggest reason attendance has declined over the past decade in the NFL. I have purchased 4 season tickets and parking passes for Dolphin games at Sun Life stadium for all but one year, since 1987. Before Joe Robbie built his stadium, I had season tickets to Dolphin games in the old Orange Bowl.

It used to cost me less than $2000 to purchase the four tickets, parking pass, and for food and drinks in the stadium per season. Now for those same four tickets, the parking pass and food and drinks in the stadium, I spent over $6000 this past season. Fortunately I can afford to pay this amount of money to attend games, but I know that when I was younger and had more bills and a child to support at home. My wife and I would not have been spending that type of money attending games.

The NFL is making it more difficult for the average fan to attend games because going to a game is a an expense that more and more fans find hard to justify. Especially when the game is shown on TV for a small percentage of what a person pays for cable or satellite TV service.

I think as less and less fans attend games in the future because of the cost of going to games. Those who complain about the lack of fans in the stands will just have to realize that this is what the NFL has come to today and will be like, as prices just continue to rise for the fans who do decide to attend games in person.

"MonstBlitz wrote:

I've made a decision to not attend any Dolphins game home or away until Ireland is no longer the GM.

See, I never understood this point of view. I see it a lot with fellow Mets fans too who can't stand the ownership.

While owners and front office personnel are certainly part of the organizations we love, my passion is with the logo, uniforms and the players wearing them. They're the reason I love sports. Not the guy sitting in his office.

I'm just saying dude, you have the freedom to make that call if you wish. But don't forget, it's the players wearing our uniform who bust their ass all year long who need the support at the stadium, not Jeff Ireland. Just think about that if you're ever on the fence about going to a game. Do it for the players. In the end, they're the only ones who really matter.

Nevermind us... the real beauty of these grocery stores buying up the tickets in Cincy and Indy, is they bought them, and then in turn apparently donated them to veterans, and active service military personnel. To me, that's the real story in all of this, and I'm not even an American.

To me, that's pretty awesome on behalf of Kroger, and I believe the other was Meijer. In a world of greedy corporations and businesses, I think its a great thing for them both to do. That's what we should be talking about here IMO.

"Ohio Fanatic wrote:

The cost is an issue. Living here in Boston, I'd love to take my family to a game in Fenway, but I'm not paying $600-$700 to do it for a baseball game.
same with the patsies, last year, my wife bought me two tickets for the dolphins-patriots game - cost $1200. I said thank you, sold the tickets for $1400 and bought a new back door.
when I lived in Cincinnati, I went to Bengals game every winter. easier to sit in the cold when the seats are cheap
same with Atlanta, I could get luxury seats for $40/seat to have AC in the summer.
It gets to a point where it's simply not worth the money.

So does that come from a cadaver er........

Sounds pretty inexpensive BTW. Did you go with a mismatched color to save on price?

"brandon27 wrote:

Nevermind us... the real beauty of these grocery stores buying up the tickets in Cincy and Indy, is they bought them, and then in turn apparently donated them to veterans, and active service military personnel. To me, that's the real story in all of this, and I'm not even an American.

To me, that's pretty awesome on behalf of Kroger, and I believe the other was Meijer. In a world of greedy corporations and businesses, I think its a great thing for them both to do. That's what we should be talking about here IMO.

Kroger's bought tickets before for Bengals, but I don't recall them donating them to veterans before. Good on their part.

At the same time, it's kind of sad. I was at the last Bengals home playoff game in 2009 against the Jets. The weather was just as bad that day as it's supposed to be this Sunday and Paul Brown Stadium was packed that day.

"jw3102 wrote:

Three of the four playoff games were saved from blackouts in Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Green Bay. Local grocery store chains stepped in and purchased the remaining tickets in Cincinnati and Indianapolis, so the games could be broadcast in the home region of both these teams. In Green Bay, the the local Fox network stadium purchased the remaining tickets so the game could be shown locally.

There have been more and more empty seats in NFL stadiums this past season. Are fans finally getting tired of the high prices of the tickets, parking, and food items when they go to games and finally deciding that staying home and watching games is the better and cheaper way to experience NFL football today. I think that is exactly what is taking place throughout much of the NFL.

With ticket prices beyond the reach of many middle class families, going to games is no longer a priority for many NFL fans. Instead sitting at home and watching the game on HI-Def televisions, while keeping track of how the players on their fantasy team are doing , seems to be how the majority of NFL fans want to experience watching games today.

The Dolphins have seen attendance decline in recent years as more and more fans make the decision to stay home and watch the game on TV. This now appears to be happening more often in other cities around the nation. The fact three of the four games this week didn't sell out and are only going to be shown in their home regions because companies stepped in and purchased the remaining tickets is a sign that the NFL fan is losing interest in actually attending games. This is a black eye for the NFL, as far as I am concerned.

Yes it will be cold in Green Bay, but that never prevented the old Green Bay fans from showing up for playoffs games. The Ice Bowl game between the Packers and the Cowboys was played in weather which was colder than what is predicted in Green Bay this week. Yet that game was completey sold out and the local networks didn't have to step in and buy the remaining tickets for that game.

There is a push by the Dolphins to renovate the present stadium. I am more and more convinced that renovating the stadium or building a new stadium will not solve the attendance problem which the Dolphins and other NFL teams are experiencing. Prior to the lifting of the blackout for home games, most NFL stadiums were sold out on a weekly basis. That was because if local fans of the team wanted to see their team play live, they actually had to attend the game. Perhaps the NFL needs to go back to that time period when all games were blacked out in the home teams area, whether it was sold out or not.

Because as long as most fans can sit at home and watch the game in the comfort of their own home on a big screen TV. Why would they have any real interest in attending games at the stadium?
You will always have a certain segment of the fan base which loves to actually attend games, but this segment of the fans seems to be less and less every year. The NFL needs to deal with this issue before it becomes a much larger problem than it already is.

They have hit there ceiling. **** if i wanted to take my two boys to the football game I am going to spend 4-500 dollars. People just don't have that kind of coin right now. Have you seen the economy

"firedan wrote:

I would attribute the empty seats to the cost of attending a game as well the improvements with television.
It's just more convienant to be home and the NFL has given us Red Zone to catch up on all the games.Plus there is no line at the bathroom.

and a beer only cost you a buck

"P h i N s A N i T y wrote:

For reasons like this, the so called fans are easily a bigger problem for the franchise than the GM is. You'll still be fans, you'll just be miserable and try to drag everyone down with you as you complain and try to cause a ruccus along the way. The fanbase has cancer that keeps coming back.

Yeah, that's right. Fans are what's preventing the team from winning. Because we have so much more impact on the outcome of the games than the guy drafting the players. What an idiotic argument.

My comment was kinda off topic to the thread, so I don't want to drag this out to much. I respect those who will still go to games regardless of whether or not Ireland is retained. I just can't keep getting myself so emotionally wrapped up in the outcome of these games when ownership is not doing everything he can to improve things. Investing money and time to go to these games just makes me that much more miserable when they lose. It's a personal decision for my personal sanity. That's all.

It is not my intention to sound rude but this post seems to have been written from atop a rather high horse. What other conclusion can we make when you are suggesting that the NFL should hold local fans hostage by blacking increasing blackouts again instead of improving the product.

The reason why attendance is down is very simple: people don't want the product enough to pay for it anymore. It's too expensive, too inconsistent, and not as enjoyable as it could be. Heck, expense aside, I can't go to a game with my wife and son anymore without one of us being harassed by drunk fans. During the last game I attended against Carolina some drunk clown screamed insults at my son for wanting to escape the rain. I can't even get through the parking lot without dodging beer cans and vomit from wasted tailgaters who are unconscious before the game even starts.

For me, going to a game has become nothing more than trying to make the best out of a chappy experience.

My old man lectured me on this years ago. But, as the years have rolled on, and as the mighty NFL has grown by leaps and bounds, it's become apparent to me just how right he was. Yes, the TV contract is huge (meaning billions of $$$), but if stadiums were empty on game days, you better believe the mighty NFL would crumble upon itself. Ticket prices are just ridiculous. Add to that the seating "right" fees, and they're (the owners) just looking for ways to gouge the average "Joe" who wants to take in (along with his family in many instances) a game on Sunday. Perhaps because of the HUGE players contracts??? Gee...chicken or the egg...hmmm?

"RoninFin4 wrote:

Kroger's bought tickets before for Bengals, but I don't recall them donating them to veterans before. Good on their part.

At the same time, it's kind of sad. I was at the last Bengals home playoff game in 2009 against the Jets. The weather was just as bad that day as it's supposed to be this Sunday and Paul Brown Stadium was packed that day.

I heard on Sirius NFL radio todoay that Kroger and Meijer both donated them to veterans and active service military members. Personally, I think that's fantastic. I'd like to see corporations that buy these tickets, or maybe the franchises that can't sell them also "sell" or donate them to the underprivileged, and the folks that really can't afford to take their families to games because they are so overpriced now. That's a whole other issue though I guess.

"Fame wrote:

It is not my intention to sound rude but this post seems to have been written from atop a rather high horse. What other conclusion can we make when you are suggesting that the NFL should hold local fans hostage by blacking increasing blackouts again instead of improving the product.

The reason why attendance is down is very simple: people don't want the product enough to pay for it anymore. It's too expensive, too inconsistent, and not as enjoyable as it could be. Heck, expense aside, I can't go to a game with my wife and son anymore without one of us being harassed by drunk fans. During the last game I attended against Carolina some drunk clown screamed insults at my son for wanting to escape the rain. I can't even get through the parking lot without dodging beer cans and vomit from wasted tailgaters who are unconscious before the game even starts.

For me, going to a game has become nothing more than trying to make the best out of a chappy experience.

Ya know... I can totally agree with this post. I've also been that drunk fan, but I dont harass others. I just have a good time with myself and my friends Im with and mind my own business.. I go to quite a few Lions games since I live so close to Detroit and my best friend is a Lions season ticket holder. It was enjoyable going to Ford Field when they sucked... I went to the Lions/Bears game early this season, and wow... its amazing how that place could be so empty so few years ago, now so packed with drunk arrogant idiots that are so disrespectful its unbelievable. You'd think they'd won the superbowl every year for the last 5 years.

Everytime the lions scored in that game, one guy across the aisle from us would stand up in his Johnson jersey and scream at this Bears fan sitting just a few seats from me, who was in his 50's, minding his own business in a Bears golf shirt, tucked into a pair of dockers style pants... and this lions fan would scream at him "take that Bear ****er!!" over and over and over... its just distgusting. The guy didnt make it to the middle of the third quarter of course. Im not sure if he was just so drunk, or if he just got thrown out eventually.

It wasnt just this one guy though, its an awful lot of people in that stadium, and I assume many other NFL stadiums every Sunday. The Dallas in Detroit game I heard many other examples from as well. Just crazy what goes on nowadays.

"Fame wrote:

It is not my intention to sound rude but this post seems to have been written from atop a rather high horse. What other conclusion can we make when you are suggesting that the NFL should hold local fans hostage by blacking increasing blackouts again instead of improving the product.

The reason why attendance is down is very simple: people don't want the product enough to pay for it anymore. It's too expensive, too inconsistent, and not as enjoyable as it could be. Heck, expense aside, I can't go to a game with my wife and son anymore without one of us being harassed by drunk fans. During the last game I attended against Carolina some drunk clown screamed insults at my son for wanting to escape the rain. I can't even get through the parking lot without dodging beer cans and vomit from wasted tailgaters who are unconscious before the game even starts.

For me, going to a game has become nothing more than trying to make the best out of a chappy experience.

That's another aspect of this issue for sure. And, it really goes to the morality of society issue. Which may or may not be something that can be discussed on this board. But, and just going back to what my dad told me over the years, they used to go to NFL games dressed to the nines. Suits and ties. Long coats. You know what I mean. It was a big event, so they dressed and acted as such. Now a days it's all about looking and acting like an idiot. That's what is considered "normal". Moreover, maybe it's even a way to stand out? HEY MAN, I WANT MY 15 MINUTES OF FAME! EVEN IF I LOOK LIKE AN IDIOT IN THE PROCESS!!

But yeah, I would NEVER even consider taking my son to an NFL game today because I know the drunken debauchery that takes place. MLB is all together different. Although, certainly not that different in the wallet. :no:

Honestly, maybe it is the rise and fall of the Roman Empire all over again. My kingdom for a horse!

"jw3102 wrote:

Three of the four playoff games were saved from blackouts in Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Green Bay. Local grocery store chains stepped in and purchased the remaining tickets in Cincinnati and Indianapolis, so the games could be broadcast in the home region of both these teams. In Green Bay, the the local Fox network stadium purchased the remaining tickets so the game could be shown locally.

There have been more and more empty seats in NFL stadiums this past season. Are fans finally getting tired of the high prices of the tickets, parking, and food items when they go to games and finally deciding that staying home and watching games is the better and cheaper way to experience NFL football today. I think that is exactly what is taking place throughout much of the NFL.

With ticket prices beyond the reach of many middle class families, going to games is no longer a priority for many NFL fans. Instead sitting at home and watching the game on HI-Def televisions, while keeping track of how the players on their fantasy team are doing , seems to be how the majority of NFL fans want to experience watching games today.

The Dolphins have seen attendance decline in recent years as more and more fans make the decision to stay home and watch the game on TV. This now appears to be happening more often in other cities around the nation. The fact three of the four games this week didn't sell out and are only going to be shown in their home regions because companies stepped in and purchased the remaining tickets is a sign that the NFL fan is losing interest in actually attending games. This is a black eye for the NFL, as far as I am concerned.

Yes it will be cold in Green Bay, but that never prevented the old Green Bay fans from showing up for playoffs games. The Ice Bowl game between the Packers and the Cowboys was played in weather which was colder than what is predicted in Green Bay this week. Yet that game was completey sold out and the local networks didn't have to step in and buy the remaining tickets for that game.

There is a push by the Dolphins to renovate the present stadium. I am more and more convinced that renovating the stadium or building a new stadium will not solve the attendance problem which the Dolphins and other NFL teams are experiencing. Prior to the lifting of the blackout for home games, most NFL stadiums were sold out on a weekly basis. That was because if local fans of the team wanted to see their team play live, they actually had to attend the game. Perhaps the NFL needs to go back to that time period when all games were blacked out in the home teams area, whether it was sold out or not.

Because as long as most fans can sit at home and watch the game in the comfort of their own home on a big screen TV. Why would they have any real interest in attending games at the stadium?
You will always have a certain segment of the fan base which loves to actually attend games, but this segment of the fans seems to be less and less every year. The NFL needs to deal with this issue before it becomes a much larger problem than it already is.

You have it completely backwards..

There is one way to fill a stadium that can sustain it's power all it's own, and that is to build a stadium that is more intimate and built to intimidate..that is what I've been telling you and anyone who would listen, for decades.

It is the ultimate solution to this problem..the fact that you or whoever cannot see it, is fine..you will continue to see the evidence unfold..

In fact I already posted a thread and link that backed my summation up 100 percent..the NFL is now taking notice, ( bout freakin time) you are behind what is being talked about in serious tones.

I repeat, there is only one solution that will overcome all the problems that you talk about...a true designed intent, home field advantage, built into the structure...the energy created, inside a venue, that captures this thru design, then marketed as such, will be the big winner, the dolphins,the canes will continue to suffer a serious home field DISadvantage, until they understand what I'm talking about and do something about it..

"djphinfan wrote:

You have it completely backwards..

There is one way to fill a stadium that can sustain it's power all it's own, and that is to build a stadium that is more intimate and built to intimidate..that is what I've been telling you and anyone who would listen, for decades.

It is the ultimate solution to this problem..the fact that you or whoever cannot see it, is fine..you will continue to see the evidence unfold..

In fact I already posted a thread and link that backed my summation up 100 percent..the NFL is now taking notice, ( bout freakin time) you are behind what is being talked about in serious tones.

I repeat, there is only one solution that will overcome all the problems that you talk about...a true designed intent, home field advantage, built into the structure...the energy created, inside a venue, that captures this thru design, the marketed as such, will be the big winner, the dolphins,the canes will suffer a serious home field DISadvantage, until they understand what I'm talking about and do something about it..

So tell us why the playoff teams had trouble selling instead of going back the the same ol story from you? The COLTS had trouble selling out a playoff game!!!! The team with a roof over their head .....

I'm afraid it is you that have it backwards.

"Ozzy wrote:

So tell us why the playoff teams had trouble selling instead of going back the the same ol story from you? The COLTS had trouble selling out a playoff game!!!! The team with a roof over their head .....

I'm afraid it is you that have it backwards.

The narrative right now, and the NFLs biggest problem on this topic is trying to get fans to go to games instead of fans getting comfy on their coaches with their redzone channel while saving money..we know that this is an ongoing topic for the last couple years..my solution to this problem overcomes that issue directly..owners, executives, etc, have been focusing on the wrong solutions, their trying to make their stadiums more tech advanced, more bells and whistles...wrong...they should be (and finally are) focusing on the connection, the closeness of the watch/action, as the draw.

Playoff teams are winning games..the colts are in a dome with the best young Qb in the game..I thought it was about winning games ? Hmmm.

Our problem is that our stadium is the antithesis of what the NFL wants stadiums to evolve into, they finally have recognized something I have been talking about for years, so your not just disagreeing with me anymore...now if you could only understand how this bad of a disadvantage truly affects a culture and team..

Once again, you obviously have it backwards..the more you argue the more your going to be wrong in the long run..

The 12th man concept in archecture will be the new wave, the lure, fu@& the wifi, screw the handheld devices in your seats to check your fantasy teams, the performance and engagement of the fan to the players in the stadium will be the new competitive edge..To do that effectively, to make it impactful, to make money off it, the structure MUST dictate it to be so..

Save this post..cause one day we will come back to it...and if you keep taking your immature pot shots at me, I will make sure I do.