A TALE OF TWO TEAMS

/ totallytigersblog

By:  Holly Horning

Let’s take a break from the Houston Astros cheating scandal, shall we? Er, that is until Rob Manfred lowers the boom on the Boston Red Sox. Then all bets are off…

Today, I want to talk to you about another city. And another sport.

And it’s all because there is a eerie similarity to our Tigers.

But first, let’s quickly review the professional sports scene in Detroit. Such as it is.

Four teams that are scraping the bottom of the barrel. Owners who refuse to make significant changes and seem to have a deaf ear to what the fans are saying – and wanting. And deserving.

Owners who are making boatloads of money. Even some owners who are making larger profits by fielding non-competitive teams.

It’s all about how much you can cut your team expenses and how creative you can get gouging the fans and luring paying corporations out of their hard-earned bucks.

Everyone knows about the futility of the Detroit Lions. The NFL’s team with the lowest operating costs (by far) and profits in the 9-figures.

And people wonder why Martha Ford doesn’t sell the team.

But her son, William Clay Ford, Jr., plays in an adult ice hockey league every weekend with…….. Chris Ilitch.

Gee, what do you think the two of them talk about while they are lacing up their skates?

But I often wonder if sports owners talk with other owners about how they run their businesses. Or at least study them in the effort to pick up tips.

Case in point: I have been reading about another NFL owner who bears a striking resemblance to the Tigers’ owner – and maybe other sports team owners as well.

The team I’m talking about is the Washington Redskins, here in DC where I live. And if you read Jason Gay (Wall Street Journal), he calls them the “Washington Sadness Machine.”

(Fair warning, Jason picks on each sport’s worst teams and he’s now been referencing the Tigers quite frequently…)

The Redskins used to be known as one of football’s best teams for decades with the most loyal fans. There was a 17-year wait list to get season tickets.

But that all changed when owner Jack Kent Cooke passed away and inheritance taxes forbid his son from continuing to own the team. Enter Dan Snyder, new owner.

In the 20 years under Snyder, the team has lost 50 more games than they’ve won with only 6 seasons of winning records, 8 seasons of double-digit losses and a measly 2 playoff games. They’ve gone from having football’s best attendance to the worst. Television cameras are prohibited from showing the empty seats in the stadium.

Most of the fans, if they want to see real football, are venturing to see the Ravens in Baltimore.  Only in DC do the fans of the opponents outnumber the home team’s in attendance.

A number of articles have been written about what happened to the Redskins. And they all point primarily to a common denominator – the owner.

Let’s explore the major points that these writers have identified as the root causes of why this team has been the creator of their own mess…..

BAD CONTRACTS

A number of bloated contracts handed out in addition to lengthy contracts given to older players constantly injured or not proactive in taking care of themselves for the long-term. At least one player named as the franchise face – and rewarded as such – and for whom the team mortgaged their future. It is still the albatross around their neck.

BAD TRADES

A history of players walking in free agency and measly returns on them in the draft.

INEPT GM

A GM with little to no track record of making good moves or solid draft picks. Controversy over deciding if rookies were capable of being ready to play. A staff assembled for the team now known as the place where “coaches go to die.”  The local writers’ words, not mine.

MEDICAL CONCERNS

More than one player claiming to be misdiagnosed or statements from said player about how the team was never able to find out what was going on with them. At least one player sued the team.

CRONYISM

Friends and former legends sticking around to advise the team despite a record that didn’t support any level of success or support continued employment. A GM who stuck around for 10 years who was known to be buddies with the boss. Employees who were “yes” men. And when top executives were dismissed, the press conferences never had the owner in attendance.

NICKEL AND DIMING

Premium prices charged for alcohol and food. The introduction of charging fans to watch pre-season camp – and also charging them for the parking, too. Snyder is known as one of the best in maximizing the team’s profit by tying together all of the products associated with attending a game and forcing fans to pay him for it all.

Which brings us to…..

PARKING LOTS

Yes, you read it right. Snyder owns all the parking lots around Washington’s stadium. He managed to get rid of all independent parking lot operators and even, at one point, succeeded in getting the county’s ruling to forbid pedestrians from walking into the stadium – forcing everyone to drive and park in his lots. According to him, it was a “safety” issue. Can’t make this stuff up.

Parking at the stadium costs 3 times as much as a single ticket. Which means, of course, you don’t need to fill the stadium in order to make money.

Does any of this sound familiar? Is this now the blueprint for maximizing profit while fielding non-competitive teams?  Not just in football, but in baseball and other sports?

And if true, what does it say about some owners?

What it really says is that winning takes a back seat to profit.  That quality and results don’t matter.  And as a result, fans that don’t matter either.

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15 thoughts on “A TALE OF TWO TEAMS”

  1. It used to be a successful business model to manufacture razors so people would come back to buy blades. Now the model is to own a sports team so fans will have to come to you for parking. A lot of guys have quit shaving. When will fans discover it’s easier (and cheaper) to stay home and watch games on TV?

    Liked by 8 people

  2. As someone whose family reveled in owning those golden tickets all during the halcyon days in DC when many on the list hoped to at least move up a few spots every year (barring unforeseen disaster to or complete surrender by those ahead of them), I can only cringe and say “ouch”. Also, go Nats!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Holly the theological spiritual and moral implications of what you said are staggering. In today’s professional sports scene an increasing number of owners no longer aspire to achieve high professional standards or success . Now the pro teams they own are just money making machines and their fans are dehumanized to the point that they are seen as money making objects to be exploited. This extremely materialistic mind set and its demoralizing effect on fans is threatening to destroy/undermine the very existence of the sport.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Right on Rev! So you have some teams that are noncompetitive that exploit/gouge their fans with various money grab tactics (team-owned parking for example). On the other end of the spectrum, there are the uber-competitive teams that use devious methods to win even when told to stop. All lead by a commissioner who reports to the owners. Truly a mess, both business-wise and morally.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Thus the appeal of amateur athletics, Rev. But even that is tainted by the lure of college scholarships and the “hero worship” that surrounds the star athlete. And many on the cusp of turning professional sit out games for fear they’ll get injured and lose out on the big “prize.” Their idols have replaced their love of the game.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. The best owners in pro sports seem to approach the business as a stewardship, rather than a “profit at all costs” mentality. They seem to get the emotional connection between a city, the fans, and its’ teams. It also seems that those teams remain profitable and economically viable through the inevitable ups and downs. It’s sad to see how many awful owners dot the pro landscape right now.

    Liked by 6 people

  5. Its getting tougher and tougher to be a loyal committed fan. The young enthusiastic boy who lived to read the box scores everyday, and listened to every Ernie Harwell broadcast has become a cynical, jaded old curmudgeon who can’t respect the players, owners, and managers of the game that gave me joy for decades. It might be time for this ole boy to move on.

    Liked by 5 people

    • I’m with you on that Walt. I have moved on….to the couch. Haven’t been to Comerica in 8 years. Used to go at least once every year. Still watch the Tigers on TV, but it is no longer a top priority. The hardest part for me when sitting in the ballpark was watching a guy for whom the Tigers had “mortgaged their future” trot to first base on every ground ball he hit.

      Liked by 4 people

      • I knew a local sportswriter who was working on a book about the Lions. He said everyone told him that he had to understand that the family ran the team the way they ran the car company–“You screwed up and lost us $100 mill? Hey, you’re loyal and a team player. Try not to do it again.” So after some years of mediocrity they hire a new GM, he goes 24-72 under his four year contract–and they extend the contract. For all the ownership’s protestations about wanting to win, that doesn’t really seem to be a priority.

        Liked by 3 people

  6. As a DC denizen myself and Motown expat, I am not sure it’s fair to compare little Ilitch to the Danny – yet. I think both seek to maximize their profits. But Little I does have the family legacy of winning franchises, Snyder had nothing of the sort. And Snyder pulled a number of other loathsome money grubbing stunts over the years. Not defending little I, just saying he has a ways to go to be at the bottom as is Snyder.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Mcwatt you are right about amateur athletics in both regards not to mention minor league baseball like my Bowling Green Hot Rods who are even being threatened by the MLB powers that be (it rhymes). Mcwatt and Sprocket what are us old timers going to do about these MLB “Wild Things”(Troggs Autumn 1966). Who are not from Philadelphia or Cleveland? LOL!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hey Rev, I am going to continue taking part in TT and hopefully in the not too distant future the worm will turn and MLB will get rid of Rob Manfred and the Tigers will start getting serious about putting together a major league team. Last year I felt I was watching Spring Training up through the end of September as far as the Tiger games go. Keep the faith!!!

      Liked by 2 people

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