Redskins’ popularity wanes - PFT

[Gmanc711]

Originally Posted by skinsfaninok

I used to go to spring games at OU but have stopped recently, just too hot and honestly not that exciting.

Exactly. I've been to a few Skins training camps, a Jets (last year we waited 2 hours for the green/white scrimmage to start, left 20 minutes in because the bar seemed more fun), Bills... and they're just not interesting and its 100* out there. The only time I've ever really said wow that was fun after camp was the year I got to cover it, and when I was a kid and just chased autographs.

Maybe if the players didn't require all their practices to be out of pads, and there was some hitting and all that, people would be more interested...

I also think the lack of time to plan probably hurt peoples desire to go as well. Very few people I think can just pick up and go.

[GusFrerotte]

Dumb article. To really say that people aren't enthusiastic for the Skins, one must look at the attendance for the other teams' camps. I bet everyone is seeing piss poor attendance. The lockout alone would ensure that. The really hot days would also keep folks away. Why fry watching a lousy practice?

[GusFrerotte]

Originally Posted by The Goat

I don't see how the lockout would keep people away...I'm more excited for football this year than I've been in a long time because there was the possibility it wouldn't happen!!! I can definitely see the economy as a culprit, although NFL games and especially the Skins have been pretty high end tix for quite some time.

Even factoring that out I find the article title misleading. I'm a fan and will love the Skins all my life. But I have no respect for Snyder and like others refrain from purchasing anything that will benefit him. Obviously we bring our personal bias into any debate but I'd like to think folks are sick of him not the team.

The fact that you have billionaires vs millionaires bitching about relatively stupid things, other than the health insurance stuff for the old time vets, would turn off many folks. The owners make a ton, as well as the players, and it all revolves around marketing a GAME. Most people that are diehard fans won't care, but the casual fan might care and not show up.

[GusFrerotte]

Originally Posted by NLC1054

There's a level of bullshit in this fanbase that's unbelievable.

After years of having the "win now" mentality, and losing, the team is finally rebuilding, finally adding team first players instead of me first players, has dynamic young players, is making smart free agent signings and spending money wisely, has completely removed Dan Snyder from football operations...they're pretty much doing everything the fanbase has been demanding for years...

...And NOW is the time when people say they're tapping out and don't want to show up and support the team?

Christ...

Whoa dude!!!!!!!!! Frying your ass off just to watch a practice isn't such an alluring activity to many. I mean you are not watching a scrimmage, just a practice. Are you really going to take time off of work, etc to watch a practice in killer heat? I don't think so. As the economy worsens, the interest in pro sports in general will wane(meaning see it live). Look at the stands sometime if you can catch a E European soccer match. Not too many folks in the stands. They have more things to worry about than watching sports, things like getting food on the table, or securing a job etc. With inflation getting worse, ticket prices will soar and folks will stay home and watch on the tube. I am sure this is going on with the other camps as well.

[diehard]

A trade for Orton or drafting a QB in the first tound would've had fans braving the heat. No?

[Chico23231]

Originally Posted by Slingin Sammy 33

TC attendance and demand for tix have a lot more to do with the lockout and economy than Dan Snyder. Another PFT BS article trashing the Skins, it's fun and gets web-hits.....F PFT.

agree. PFT = garbage

[NLC1054]

Originally Posted by diehard

A trade for Orton or drafting a QB in the first tound would've had fans braving the heat. No?

Exactly.

One of the big name free agents people claim to hate shows up, and camp's a sell out, 100 degree temps or not. If we had Nnamdi, people would show up just to watch him walk the sidelines.

If I'm coming off as harsh, I'm sorry, but the mood swings of this fanbase are giving me whiplash. A couple of months ago we were talking about getting younger and jettison vets and moving McNabb and Haynesworth and no drama...and now we have that, and I hear people on the radio demanding Shanahan get fired for not being aggressive enough, while PHILLY Vinny Cerrato's it up and gets praised.

I'm a little irked right now is all, because I feel there's some hypocrisy right underneath the surface.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by GusFrerotte

Dumb article. To really say that people aren't enthusiastic for the Skins, one must look at the attendance for the other teams' camps. I bet everyone is seeing piss poor attendance. The lockout alone would ensure that. The really hot days would also keep folks away. Why fry watching a lousy practice?

Well the Lions attendance is up, from the anecdotal evidence I have. But yes it's down at many other camps.

Most of the true factors have already been listed here-economy, heat, lockout, it's not that exciting. Though you may recall that I did say that recent research we did showed that the Redskins' popularity is at its lowest point in a decade. But that was done after the 2009 season.

But I'll tell you what. I don't think it's a bad thing at all that there aren't so many fans there. This to me reflects the proper direction we're moving in. Before we had the headline grabbing players.

Oh my God. The Redskins signed Deion I gotta go see him Burgundy and Gold! We just traded for Donovan McNabb! I need to see him as soon as training camp starts! Haynesworth can't pass his conditioning test! This I gotta see!

Even the less hardcore fans were interested in these big names. But now? Not so excited about seeing Kory Lichtensteiger? Anthony Bryant bores you? So what, these are guys who are going to help us win...hopefully

And now I'll debunk much of what I just said and say that when some of our FAs actually can practice we'll probably see a bit of a lift.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by NLC1054

Exactly.

One of the big name free agents people claim to hate shows up, and camp's a sell out, 100 degree temps or not. If we had Nnamdi, people would show up just to watch him walk the sidelines.

If I'm coming off as harsh, I'm sorry, but the mood swings of this fanbase are giving me whiplash. A couple of months ago we were talking about getting younger and jettison vets and moving McNabb and Haynesworth and no drama...and now we have that, and I hear people on the radio demanding Shanahan get fired for not being aggressive enough, while PHILLY Vinny Cerrato's it up and gets praised.

I'm a little irked right now is all, because I feel there's some hypocrisy right underneath the surface.

It's because even some of the brightest minds out there are basically fickle and stupid when it comes to being fanatical about their team. Opinions change day to day (minute by minute on our gameday threads). But I've said this a 1000 times and I'll say it again, I believe one of the hardest things for Snyder to do (and I believe he now is) is to take off his lifelong fan hat and put on the owner hat. We have the fortune of being fans who can be irrational and retarded. Unfortunately for Snyder, when he bought the team he basically had to stop being a fan of the team. Our irrationality can go unchecked. His can't

[GusFrerotte]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Well the Lions attendance is up, from the anecdotal evidence I have. But yes it's down at many other camps.

Most of the true factors have already been listed here-economy, heat, lockout, it's not that exciting. Though you may recall that I did say that recent research we did showed that the Redskins' popularity is at its lowest point in a decade. But that was done after the 2009 season.

But I'll tell you what. I don't think it's a bad thing at all that there aren't so many fans there. This to me reflects the proper direction we're moving in. Before we had the headline grabbing players.

Oh my God. The Redskins signed Deion I gotta go see him Burgundy and Gold! We just traded for Donovan McNabb! I need to see him as soon as training camp starts! Haynesworth can't pass his conditioning test! This I gotta see!

Even the less hardcore fans were interested in these big names. But now? Not so excited about seeing Kory Lichtensteiger? Anthony Bryant bores you? So what, these are guys who are going to help us win...hopefully

And now I'll debunk much of what I just said and say that when some of our FAs actually can practice we'll probably see a bit of a lift.

I think it might be a good thing in that folks are going to be more practical in their expectations with the team. Too many folks over the course of my time involved with Warpath or the old WP Skins message board went with the hype of every new coach or QB we acquired over the past decade and said playoffs here we come, etc, even though in reality most people knew we would be lucky to hit .500. I know I have a bad rep in here being a pessimist, but I rather be a pessimist that is proven wrong on occasion and receives a nice surprise than a poor bloke that has visions of playoffs dancing in his head, when the team has more holes in it than swiss cheese. I am excited about this season, even if we only go 7-9 or 8-8. The newbies will be learning, but making things exciting. But I still don't think I would risk getting fried over watching a practice.

[MTK]

If I lived close by I'd be there every possible day, but that's just me.

[MonkFan4Life]

How about it's been about 90+ and felt like 100+ for the past two months or so.

Isn't PFT the same site that gained fame and credibility by saying that we were going to sign TO every year ?

[GusFrerotte]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

It's because even some of the brightest minds out there are basically fickle and stupid when it comes to being fanatical about their team. Opinions change day to day (minute by minute on our gameday threads). But I've said this a 1000 times and I'll say it again, I believe one of the hardest things for Snyder to do (and I believe he now is) is to take off his lifelong fan hat and put on the owner hat. We have the fortune of being fans who can be irrational and retarded. Unfortunately for Snyder, when he bought the team he basically had to stop being a fan of the team. Our irrationality can go unchecked. His can't

I still think the economy and the heat are keeping most of the folks away. If there is any factor that is team related that is keeping fans away it is the QB situation. The team made all the right moves other than that. They are getting younger, addressed needs in the draft, younger FAs, etc. A lot of these never satisfied, fickle fans, have written them off because of the Beck situation. I haven't written them off, but I am not sure how Beck is going to do if he did manage to beat out Rexy for the #1 spot. Also, face it man, we haven't had a real strong playoff team since 1999/2000 when Johnson and co set all of those offensive records. That was the last really decent O line we had, etc. Since then a lot of HCs and QBs have come and gone and the fanbase has been faced with mediocre football. The economy, the heat, and the Beck talk, all can be seen as why camp attendance is down.

[SmootSmack]

I wonder if the Twitter world we live in also impacts the attendance. Before if you wanted to know what was going on you had to attend camp, now you can get full updates anywhere. Often by people with closer access than you would have anyway

[MonkFan4Life]

Smoot I didn't even think of that. I think The Heat Dome, Twitter on top of the fact that there haven't been those splash signings (that we as fans complain about) is a part of the reason that the attendance is down. I've never been because of the distance but once my son gets to the age that he appreciates football then I'll take him down for a few days.