The Problem with the Bobcats

Given my delay in writing here, it’s probably not a surprise I have a few things I need to get off my chest in the sports world.  So let me start with….

The Charlotte Bobcats.  Yes, I’m going to pick on our Crappy (capitalization intentional) local NBA team.  An article appears in this week’s Charlotte Business Journal with the sub-headline, “Team goes into offseason with focus on sales.”  On one hand, that may be a good thing, since they were 22nd in the NBA in attendance.  However, I would imagine a number of those people who did go just wanted to get in the new arena (which was built despite the majority of taxpayers not wanting it).  It seems the team was shocked, SHOCKED that they had a 33% DECREASE in the number of season tickets sold when they increased prices anywhere from 25% to 100%, depending on the seat location.  Why would anyone want to pay MORE to go see a team that SUCKS???  Apparently, no one in the Bobcat front office was bright enough to answer (or probably even ask) that question last year.  Or at least they weren’t bright enough to answer it with something other than, “To see the new arena!!!”

People want to continually look at Cleveland and Jacobs Field for a reason to build a new stadium.  They had the place sold out for every game for something like 7 years after they opened.  Morons who own teams (and there’s a lot of ‘em that are morons) think it was the stadium that did it.  They forget that Cleveland was winning the AL Central and in the playoffs 6 out of those 7 years.  Back then, there weren’t that many new stadiums, so people would travel in from other places to see a game there.  Heck, Rob & I have traveled to see games in new stadiums (Skydome in Toronto in ’89 and Camden Yards in Baltimore in ’92) in the first year.  But then EVERYBODY started putting up new parks, so it became less exciting.  That’s why now, if a city builds a new stadium, they can only really count on a bump in attendance for 12-18 months.  After that, it’s like Al Davis said:  “Just win, Baby.”

Full disclosure:  I hate the NBA.  I’m only half convinced that it doesn’t function in about the same way the WWE does.  That is, not everything is scripted, but the outcome is pre-determined.  There’s only about 8 people in the league who seem to know how to pass, and about the same number who play defense.  Any sport that allows music to be played in the arena WHILE THE GAME IS BEING PLAYED has to be fixed.  It’s also become an ugly game to watch.  I confirmed this last night when Rob called me at halftime from the Palace to tell me he was in the 4th row.  I kept flipping over to see if I could see him (I’m trusting he wasn’t one of those people who had to wave at the camera), but never did.  I did discover, however, that it is more fun to watch if you TiVo the game, and watch it at double speed without sound.  That way, it actually looks like guys are trying.

Well, maybe that’s enough for today.  Time to watch 24.