General Music Chat

If you're like me, you don't sleep at night, worrying about not being able to watch your favorite team next season. Earlier today, Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals tweeted a way to get involved:

http://nfllockout.com/

It's a petition asking the NFL to insure there will be football next season. It requires as much personal information as you're willing to give, and only takes a moment.

To be honest I couldn't care less if the NFL and all o their super over paid players never hit the field again. It's gotten to where an "average" family can't afford to go to any sport's games anymore, yet cities tax the fuk out of "everybody" to build stadiums and keep teams in their city.

The fact is sports teams (according to several studies) are absolutely no benefit to a city's economy what soever.

So no, I really don't care if the yuppies can go see a game or not.

I might get interested if they find a way to keep the bimbo common-taters out of the players' locker rooms &, well, off my damned TV set!

I love Joni too, but I'm still pissed about those gay guys putting up that parking lot... there was a perfectly fine strip club there.

If you want to watch a Yankees home game right behind the catcher it's $2500 PER SEAT PER GAME. A family of four will cost you $10,000 + parking + food + whatever. I used to live in Boston in the late 60's. We hopped on a train for 10 cents, go to Fenway Park, pay 25 cents to sit in general admission in the right field stands, pay another 10 cents to take the train back home, if we didn't buy anything else a family of four could see a game for $1.80. And get this, a friend of mine went with me who knew one of the ushers. He told him that Walter of Lynn sent us (probably some mafia figure) and he let us in for FREE. We saw a few games for 20 cents each! What the hell happened to this country? Where are our values? When the New Jersey Devils first moved from Colorado to New Jersey (they were called the Rockies in Colorado) I bought season tickets that first year. It was a ten game package and seats cost $8 each. I shudder to think what an NHL game cost today. This was in the early 80's. If the NFL players go on strike it'll be a disaster for that league. We're in the middle of the recession (despite reports to the contrary) and people will boycott the NFL if and when it returns. Fans are at the tipping point. The sh*t has to stop. I'm not doing any fan survey of support. This country's values have to change. Some of the bums who sit on the bench all season are making MILLIONS of dollars. As much as I like sports it's about all I can take any more...

I will only watch lingerie football. The other kind is gay.

I think it may be time to start up alternate major sports leagues literally run by the FANS. Maybe call them Fans' Baseball League, Fans' Football League, etc. Fans who buy season tickets also get stock in the teams. They also vote on players' salaries at the end of the season with the maximum set at $1 million. There are NO UNIONS allowed, players are signed independently. There would be NO ATTEMPT at competing with the current major sports leagues. Length of seasons will be strictly determined by the operating costs of the teams. A section of each stadium will be set aside for handicapped people who are allowed FREE attendance. ALL profit after operating costs (if any) are met will be redistributed back to the fans as a stock bonus at the end of each year. During the off-season players will be REQUIRED to do some work in the community. Salaries will be paid weekly. NONE of the teams will be affiliated with any major sports team, they will be part of an independent league. Just a thought. There have been a fair number of leagues that have come and gone (World Hockey Association, American Basketball Association, United States Football League,etc.) and most have failed because they set up as competition to the older established leagues. I would love to see a league where a family can attend a game and still have money left to pay their mortgage...

I think it may be time to start up alternate major sports leagues literally run by the FANS. Maybe call them Fans' Baseball League, Fans' Football League, etc. Fans who buy season tickets also get stock in the teams. They also vote on players' salaries at the end of the season with the maximum set at $1 million. There are NO UNIONS allowed, players are signed independently. There would be NO ATTEMPT at competing with the current major sports leagues. Length of seasons will be strictly determined by the operating costs of the teams. A section of each stadium will be set aside for handicapped people who are allowed FREE attendance. ALL profit after operating costs (if any) are met will be redistributed back to the fans as a stock bonus at the end of each year. During the off-season players will be REQUIRED to do some work in the community. Salaries will be paid weekly. NONE of the teams will be affiliated with any major sports team, they will be part of an independent league. Just a thought. There have been a fair number of leagues that have come and gone (World Hockey Association, American Basketball Association, United States Football League,etc.) and most have failed because they set up as competition to the older established leagues. I would love to see a league where a family can attend a game and still have money left to pay their mortgage...

The closest we have to that is the green bay packers. Their business model is fascinating. As far as the handicapped section free, That would be abused as hell, if the games are worth watching. Which they won't be. Why would players go to a league where they are paid maximum 1 mill when they can make much more in the bigger leagues? This league would suffer, and eventually fold, just like every other upstart because of a lack of talent.

To hell with football !

Go Roller Derby !!!

To hell with football !

Go Roller Derby !!!

Neither football or roller derby are as good as they used to be.

I think it may be time to start up alternate major sports leagues literally run by the FANS. Maybe call them Fans' Baseball League, Fans' Football League, etc. Fans who buy season tickets also get stock in the teams. They also vote on players' salaries at the end of the season with the maximum set at $1 million. There are NO UNIONS allowed, players are signed independently. There would be NO ATTEMPT at competing with the current major sports leagues. Length of seasons will be strictly determined by the operating costs of the teams. A section of each stadium will be set aside for handicapped people who are allowed FREE attendance. ALL profit after operating costs (if any) are met will be redistributed back to the fans as a stock bonus at the end of each year. During the off-season players will be REQUIRED to do some work in the community. Salaries will be paid weekly. NONE of the teams will be affiliated with any major sports team, they will be part of an independent league. Just a thought. There have been a fair number of leagues that have come and gone (World Hockey Association, American Basketball Association, United States Football League,etc.) and most have failed because they set up as competition to the older established leagues. I would love to see a league where a family can attend a game and still have money left to pay their mortgage...

The closest we have to that is the green bay packers. Their business model is fascinating. As far as the handicapped section free, That would be abused as hell, if the games are worth watching. Which they won't be. Why would players go to a league where they are paid maximum 1 mill when they can make much more in the bigger leagues? This league would suffer, and eventually fold, just like every other upstart because of a lack of talent.

We have a minor league baseball team in Kansas City, Kansas called the T-Bones. It is an independent league, no major league affiliation that I am aware of. The stadium is smaller than Royals stadium but is absolutely beautiful, free parking, you can go watch a game starting at $6. They are doing VERY WELL. Many of the players are former Major Leaguers, they are making way less than $1 million and loving every minute of it. My Fans leagues would NOT COMPETE with the major leagues. I wouldn't expect the talent level to be the same. What I would expect is a family entertainment value where the average folk can go see a game and have money left over for groceries. It's already happening. We also have a brand new hockey team that is in an independent league I believe. They had a very successful inaugural season last year, way better attendance than anticipated. When Kansas City opened the Sprint Center it was anticipated that either an NBA or NHL team would move there. It hasn't happened yet and the SPrint Center is one of the busiest venues for concerts in the U.S.A. I say the hell with a major sports team, I really enjoyed going to see the T-Bones play and will go and see the hockey team this year as well. The players are making a decent salary, making a living doing what they enjoy, the fans enjoy the games. I think you're wrong about a Fans league failing IF it doesn't compete with the Major leagues.

I think it may be time to start up alternate major sports leagues literally run by the FANS. Maybe call them Fans' Baseball League, Fans' Football League, etc. Fans who buy season tickets also get stock in the teams. They also vote on players' salaries at the end of the season with the maximum set at $1 million. There are NO UNIONS allowed, players are signed independently. There would be NO ATTEMPT at competing with the current major sports leagues. Length of seasons will be strictly determined by the operating costs of the teams. A section of each stadium will be set aside for handicapped people who are allowed FREE attendance. ALL profit after operating costs (if any) are met will be redistributed back to the fans as a stock bonus at the end of each year. During the off-season players will be REQUIRED to do some work in the community. Salaries will be paid weekly. NONE of the teams will be affiliated with any major sports team, they will be part of an independent league. Just a thought. There have been a fair number of leagues that have come and gone (World Hockey Association, American Basketball Association, United States Football League,etc.) and most have failed because they set up as competition to the older established leagues. I would love to see a league where a family can attend a game and still have money left to pay their mortgage...

The closest we have to that is the green bay packers. Their business model is fascinating. As far as the handicapped section free, That would be abused as hell, if the games are worth watching. Which they won't be. Why would players go to a league where they are paid maximum 1 mill when they can make much more in the bigger leagues? This league would suffer, and eventually fold, just like every other upstart because of a lack of talent.

We have a minor league baseball team in Kansas City, Kansas called the T-Bones. It is an independent league, no major league affiliation that I am aware of. The stadium is smaller than Royals stadium but is absolutely beautiful, free parking, you can go watch a game starting at $6. They are doing VERY WELL. Many of the players are former Major Leaguers, they are making way less than $1 million and loving every minute of it. My Fans leagues would NOT COMPETE with the major leagues. I wouldn't expect the talent level to be the same. What I would expect is a family entertainment value where the average folk can go see a game and have money left over for groceries. It's already happening. We also have a brand new hockey team that is in an independent league I believe. They had a very successful inaugural season last year, way better attendance than anticipated. When Kansas City opened the Sprint Center it was anticipated that either an NBA or NHL team would move there. It hasn't happened yet and the SPrint Center is one of the busiest venues for concerts in the U.S.A. I say the hell with a major sports team, I really enjoyed going to see the T-Bones play and will go and see the hockey team this year as well. The players are making a decent salary, making a living doing what they enjoy, the fans enjoy the games. I think you're wrong about a Fans league failing IF it doesn't compete with the Major leagues.

That's a pretty nice scenario.

Personally, In cleveland, I've watched dozens of minor-league teams come and go. Off the top of my head, Three soccer teams, two hockey teams, a softball team, and now a baseball team that was wildly popular for a couple years can barely scrape by.

Maybe the sports fan base just doesn't exist there. It is possible. I think It also takes the friends and families of sports fans to fill the bleachers. So if you don't have quite enough, then you just aren't going to have the attendance needed.
I'd say the Cav and Indian fans are pretty loyal since they're both landmark franchises and prices are high. That may not leave enough fans or money for smaller leagues.

Cleveland is a Rock N Roll town baby!

The Hagerstown Suns & the Frederick Keys, both minor league baseball teams, seem to be doing well, in these parts.

Maybe the sports fan base just doesn't exist there. It is possible. I think It also takes the friends and families of sports fans to fill the bleachers. So if you don't have quite enough, then you just aren't going to have the attendance needed.
I'd say the Cav and Indian fans are pretty loyal since they're both landmark franchises and prices are high. That may not leave enough fans or money for smaller leagues.

Cleveland is a Rock N Roll town baby!

Cavs fans are the biggest bandwagoners in pro sports (other than Yankees fans)

In contrast, Browns fans are the most loyal in the NFL, determined by Bizjournal. Cleveland is a Football town.