...randomness surrounding Guided by Voices, Robert Pollard, and other great indie rock bands; a quasi objective look at "my" sporting teams; the random horror film; plus other crap as we see fit...all with a Pittsburgh based feel.

Monday, July 02, 2007

Pirates Fans Prove Case, for Nuttings


So the Pirate fan protest Saturday night basically proved my point (see: Pirates Fans vs. Nuttings). But I'm just a dork with an opinion & an Internet connection. Worse for protesters, they proved the Nuttings point. Fans will attend PNC Park despite the game on the field.

I keep hearing this cry of, "they owe it to the fans." Here's the harsh truth to the matter: The Nuttings DO provide what the vast majority of PNC attendees want: family entertainment. 90% of people who go to Pirate games don't care about winning baseball. Another 5% care, but will continue to attend games, anyway. Sure people will get upset over a loss when they leave, but they'll get over it. The next Fireworks night, they'll be back. Because that's what they want. Sorry.

The attendance announced Saturday night was 26,000. Maybe 1,000 got out of their seats at the end of the 3rd as planned. Reports are that maybe 100 people left the park. Most everyone who left their seat returned an inning later.

Leaving your seat and hanging out in the concourse??? Isn't that what fans at PNC do anyway??

This is why I'm non longer a fan. Take notice of the teams I support, whether they're here in Pittsburgh (i.e. Steelers, Penguins), over in Europe (Inter, Barca, Liverpool), or upstairs in Canada (Toronto FC). They've got passionate fans who care about the GAME ON THE FIELD!! They don't give a sh*t about frickin Bobbleheads!! I want zero part of a fan base that have sold out their desire to win for a Bobblehead. I'd be embarrassed to still be considered part of that contingent.

Pirate games are what they are: a family night out. And I'm sorry for those, like me, who wanted the "We are Family" thingy and proud tradition of Pirate baseball to live forever. But times have changed and nobody cares...except for a small majority of you.

This is what they care about:




Yeah...I got a last minute offer to attend PNC Saturday night. I was not taking part of the protest because again, I don't care. They were free tickets in the very front row, so I wasn't leaving. I drank my beer, crammed a hot dog down my face, watched some baseball, and laughed internally at all the supposed "fans" who cheered just as loud for the Pierogi Race as they did when the Bucs got 6 runs in the 2nd.

The other choice you have, as an irate fan who wants winning baseball, is to stop going. It may be difficult, but unless you can convince 20,000 in attendance to give a crap, then you're fighting a losing battle. If people continue to buy tickets to see that joke of an organization, then you're supporting what the Nuttings are selling.

Sorry to be so blunt for the few of you who care, and I support the fact that some of you are at least doing something about it. But your anger is focused at the wrong people. Next protest...take a long look around at your brethren.

My suggestion as an objective viewer w/o any emotional ties (not that it matters), is to aim this Irate Fan Movement more towards the real problem: the people who go to PNC for the amusement factor. Here's some ideas...

Boo the Pierogi Race. Boo the Hot Dog Toss. Throw your Bobbleheads in the garbage can. If you catch a T-Shirt, throw it back on the field. Chant "Sit Down Parrot" when he's in your section. I would show blatant discontent (mind you, without any vulgarities) for everything that has nothing to do with baseball. Show the "fans" around you how un-cool or un-hip "Let's Play Bucco" is. Write letters to the front office, and ask why ushers can't permit fans from entering their seats in the middle of play (after all, other "baseball" parks do this).

Until these "fans" grow tired of the extracurricular stuff at PNC, and care more about baseball, the Nuttings will continue to do what they need to make $$. And as a business owner, they have that right. It's almost pointless, and somewhat ignorant, to blame them entirely. They have simply recognized what the majority of their customers want, and provide it accordingly. That's just smart business.

Pirates fan protest fizzles out

Some Bucs fans, but not too many, leave their seats in protest

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