Medford Bobby
07-15-2003, 11:38 AM
This one is in todays bright one in the biz section by Chris Isadore
Home of the Sox fails to infatuate the fans
July 15, 2003
BY CHRIS ISIDORE Advertisement
U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago is a monument to the fat-cat luxury suite patron, designed first and foremost to separate fans as efficiently as possible from the greatest number of dollars.
It is a wonderful testament to the fact that this strategy is a money-losing one.
The home of baseball's Chicago White Sox, nee Comiskey Park II when it opened in 1991, is the site of tonight's All-Star game. But the stadium itself has been no star. Of the 14 stadiums built since 1991, it is by far the least successful at attracting fans and revenue to what has been a modestly successful team.
The problem lies in the two tiers of luxury suites that push the upper deck into the stratosphere. What's more, the architects pushed the front row of the upper deck behind the luxury suites and lower deck in order to avoid any overhang over the more expensive seats below. These two design decisions make the game a rumor for anyone above about the sixth row of upper deck.
The stadium also suffers in comparison to one of the great meccas for baseball fans--Wrigley Field, aka the Friendly Confines, home of the crosstown rival Chicago Cubs.
Wrigley, with its neighborhood park charm, its obstructed-view seats and relatively limited concession space, is a money machine for the team, a magnet for fans even during losing seasons. U.S. Cellular Field, with the warmth and charm of a suburban mall, almost seems to repel fans.
So since 1993, the Cubs, with about 12 percent fewer seats, have outdrawn the White Sox, even in years like 1993 and 2000, when the Sox finished first and the Cubs had their normal poor finish.
White Sox spokesman Scott Reifert argues the team draws better in its new park than in the old stadium that had been across the street.
"The 2000 attendance was the seventh best in club history," he said. "I don't know if it's anything that anyone has to apologize for."
He also points out the team has made some changes and plans more, such as brick work and lighting to improve the warmth and feel for fans. But while plans have yet to be announced, taking out a level of luxury suites and lowering the upper deck probably isn't in the works.
It's a wonderful thing, for those who like to see underdogs rise up and bite the fat cats, that the team is out far more money from lost ticket sales since the new park opened than it could ever bring in from all its luxury suites.
The 102 completed suites bring in less than $10 million in rent a year. But unlike many other stadiums, the White Sox haven't sold all the suites on a full-season basis, and haven't even completed outfitting all the suites it originally built.
If the White Sox had been able to raise their attendance to a modest 80 percent of capacity, with each extra ticket bringing in only an average of $12, less than the cost of a current upper deck seat, the additional ticket sales would have been worth between $11 million and $18.5 million a year since 1995.
White Sox owners, who chose this type of park over the more fan-friendly model in a misguided attempt to grab the big bucks, have no one to blame but themselves for the problem that will dog their box office revenue for years to come.
Chris Isidore covers the business of sports for CNNMoney.com. He can be reached at chris.isidore@turner.com
Any thoughts............its a true look that they screwed themselves out of millons intead of buiding a fan friendly ball park :angry:
Home of the Sox fails to infatuate the fans
July 15, 2003
BY CHRIS ISIDORE Advertisement
U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago is a monument to the fat-cat luxury suite patron, designed first and foremost to separate fans as efficiently as possible from the greatest number of dollars.
It is a wonderful testament to the fact that this strategy is a money-losing one.
The home of baseball's Chicago White Sox, nee Comiskey Park II when it opened in 1991, is the site of tonight's All-Star game. But the stadium itself has been no star. Of the 14 stadiums built since 1991, it is by far the least successful at attracting fans and revenue to what has been a modestly successful team.
The problem lies in the two tiers of luxury suites that push the upper deck into the stratosphere. What's more, the architects pushed the front row of the upper deck behind the luxury suites and lower deck in order to avoid any overhang over the more expensive seats below. These two design decisions make the game a rumor for anyone above about the sixth row of upper deck.
The stadium also suffers in comparison to one of the great meccas for baseball fans--Wrigley Field, aka the Friendly Confines, home of the crosstown rival Chicago Cubs.
Wrigley, with its neighborhood park charm, its obstructed-view seats and relatively limited concession space, is a money machine for the team, a magnet for fans even during losing seasons. U.S. Cellular Field, with the warmth and charm of a suburban mall, almost seems to repel fans.
So since 1993, the Cubs, with about 12 percent fewer seats, have outdrawn the White Sox, even in years like 1993 and 2000, when the Sox finished first and the Cubs had their normal poor finish.
White Sox spokesman Scott Reifert argues the team draws better in its new park than in the old stadium that had been across the street.
"The 2000 attendance was the seventh best in club history," he said. "I don't know if it's anything that anyone has to apologize for."
He also points out the team has made some changes and plans more, such as brick work and lighting to improve the warmth and feel for fans. But while plans have yet to be announced, taking out a level of luxury suites and lowering the upper deck probably isn't in the works.
It's a wonderful thing, for those who like to see underdogs rise up and bite the fat cats, that the team is out far more money from lost ticket sales since the new park opened than it could ever bring in from all its luxury suites.
The 102 completed suites bring in less than $10 million in rent a year. But unlike many other stadiums, the White Sox haven't sold all the suites on a full-season basis, and haven't even completed outfitting all the suites it originally built.
If the White Sox had been able to raise their attendance to a modest 80 percent of capacity, with each extra ticket bringing in only an average of $12, less than the cost of a current upper deck seat, the additional ticket sales would have been worth between $11 million and $18.5 million a year since 1995.
White Sox owners, who chose this type of park over the more fan-friendly model in a misguided attempt to grab the big bucks, have no one to blame but themselves for the problem that will dog their box office revenue for years to come.
Chris Isidore covers the business of sports for CNNMoney.com. He can be reached at chris.isidore@turner.com
Any thoughts............its a true look that they screwed themselves out of millons intead of buiding a fan friendly ball park :angry: