Tuesday conference call with Brooks

[beasly213]

Originally Posted by doublem23

Sox are limited to who they can hire for in-stadium staff, IIRC, due to a deal made when the new park was built, they have to be from local neighborhoods. Trade off, I suppose, to allow the Sox to further destroy their neighborhood.

I've never had much of an issue with ushers at the park. For the most part they are quiet and if I ever had a question they were always able to point me where I needed to go.

The people in the gift shops have also always been nice. As far as the food stand workers.. yeah they're not the happiest people in the world but honestly I don't know why people who are buying a burger and a beer at a ball game want to be treated like they're spending $200 on a steak dinner at a restaurant downtown.

These people aren't making a lot of money and while I've never been blown away with how nice they are I've also never thought to myself "Man he/she is a real jerk."

[mrfourni]

Originally Posted by beasly213

I've never had much of an issue with ushers at the park. For the most part they are quiet and if I ever had a question they were always able to point me where I needed to go.

The people in the gift shops have also always been nice. As far as the food stand workers.. yeah they're not the happiest people in the world but honestly I don't know why people who are buying a burger and a beer at a ball game want to be treated like they're spending $200 on a steak dinner at a restaurant downtown.

These people aren't making a lot of money and while I've never been blown away with how nice they are I've also never thought to myself "Man he/she is a real jerk."

I've never had a problem with the concession people not being courteous, but I have with how slow the entire process of ordering something can be. Like someone mentioned, during a busy game, you typically sacrifice an entire inning to go to the concession stands and order a beer.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by beasly213

I've never had much of an issue with ushers at the park. For the most part they are quiet and if I ever had a question they were always able to point me where I needed to go.

The people in the gift shops have also always been nice. As far as the food stand workers.. yeah they're not the happiest people in the world but honestly I don't know why people who are buying a burger and a beer at a ball game want to be treated like they're spending $200 on a steak dinner at a restaurant downtown.

These people aren't making a lot of money and while I've never been blown away with how nice they are I've also never thought to myself "Man he/she is a real jerk."

This pretty much mirrors my experience, too, although, I do admit that if I'm going to eat at the park, I try and get there a little bit earlier and beat the lines. So maybe after serving people for a few hours they get worse?

This summer I was able to go to Miller Park, Coors Field, and Nationals Park. Felt that the experience at each park was basically what I get at the Cell. Good experiences all around.

[TheVulture]

I kind of agree with the winning isn't everything idea. Would you rather spend the summer watching the 1990 White Sox, or the 2008 White Sox?

[Lip Man 1]

Considering the 08 club won 89 games and made the post season and the 90 club won 94 games, my answer is both.

Lip

[ws05champs]

Originally Posted by doublem23

Sox are limited to who they can hire for in-stadium staff, IIRC, due to a deal made when the new park was built, they have to be from local neighborhoods. Trade off, I suppose, to allow the Sox to further destroy their neighborhood.

I don't put the reason for the slowness of ordering food solely on the staff itself. It is a minimum-wage, part-time job and it's not going to attract world beaters. I do put the blame for the slowness on the ordering/preparation/delivery process and how the staff is trained and motivated. This is something totally under the control of Sox management.

As far as the staff in general, I have found them for the most part friendly and welcoming.

[Jerko]

Ok most of this is non-baseball related, but here are a few things they can change IMO to make Sox games a more pleasurable experience.

Ushers: Having one in every section, and having them work the same area of the park every game, might make them a little more "on the ball" so to speak. I know a few of these guys because I usually stand on the concourse, and without their little guide book, they're lost; even for something as simple as where certain stands are located throughout the park. Nice guys; not really trained properly IMO.

Concession workers/lines, etc: Yes, this seems to be the "nastiest" group of non-baseball related workers in the park, but I kind of see their angst. On a typical day these past few years, very few stands are open and everyone is funnelled to the fan deck. So, they are busier than most others, and that also makes for long lines since everyone is at the same damn stand. Open ALL the stands, Sox.

Driving/parking: I don't have to drive to games but for those that do, it's a circle jerk. Every lot should have cash spots available. IIRC only two lots accept cash, and you never know which entrance is open or not. Lot G in particular is a pain in the ass because if the gate on 33rd street is closed, you can only access it via 35th street going north on Normal. If you get to 33rd and try to take Normal going south, a cul de sac cuts you off before you reach the lot opening. If it's a crowded day, and you don't know exactly what lot to go to as you leave the house, it takes FOREVER to negotiate the few blocks needed until you reach the cash lot. Also, the cash lot to the south of 37th street is about 30 miles away from the park, and if you park there you are greeted by the two most inept and ignorant traffic management people in the city's history. Nobody wants to deal with that crap after a good drive and a 20 minute, 3 block trip to the correct lot. Make cash parking available in all lots.

Bathrooms: Yes the bathrooms are nice and spacious, but when it's crowded, forget it. You'll miss a good 2 innings but there's really nothing you can do about it.

Upper deck policy: I'm one of the few that actually agrees with this policy, but I can see it being a turn-off for some. As an old RF season ticket holder in the days before that policy though, I think it's a godsend. If people complain about the lines at the concession stands and bathrooms now, it's a piece of cake compared to the pre-policy days. I used to go UPSTAIRS to get food and hit the head, and I haven't seen anybody piss in a sink since the policy has been implemented. Yes we want bigger crowds, but not all in the same john.

Handicap acessible areas/seating: I think the Sox could do more to make their disabled guests more comfortable. Right now, they keep the area between the last row of seats and the plastic chain that fronts the concourse open for wheelchair bound patrons, but the people with them have to sit on 30 year old 2 foot wide chairs that look like they came from the Chicago Ampitheater after Dick the Bruiser's last match. Very uncomfortable. I don't know what they can do, but at the very least, update the damn chairs.

Family area: Again, the park is already built, but I think there should be a family section. Too often I've seen the "guy who just wants to down a few beers" vs the "don't say poo in front of my little Johhny" scenario play out. Yes people like to drink at games, and yes people like to bring their kids to games without getting a beer bath or sitting near obnoxious idiots.

As for the "baseball isn't a timed game" thing, well, it never has been, so I don't buy that. Baseball has never had a clock, and there have always been night games since the advent of lights, so I don't buy that as an "excuse" not to attend. It's not like this just became an untimed game.

Now I must say, I can go to a game, stand in my spot, have my beer brought to me by our vendor, and enjoy myself like that, but not everybody is me.

[Over By There]

Great recap, JB - thanks.

Originally Posted by SoxThunder

2. Offer free wifi at the Cell. Some of the diehards might hate this and say, "watch the game and put away the smartphones!" But face it...younger fans love posting pictures on Facebook during the game, tweeting, or watching in-game stats/replays on MLB At Bat app. My Internet browser (Verizon iPhone) almost never works when I'm at the Cell. Maybe US Cellular does this on purpose to make you think about changing cell phone carriers! The Sox should give incentives/prizes to people who "check in" on Facebook, Yelp or other social media. You can create that "buzz" if you're constantly seeing your friends "checked in" at the ballpark. Seeing this on your newsfeed makes you wish you were where the action is.[/FONT]

This is an interesting one. I've definitely noticed that cellular service is slow to non-existent at the Cell. We only made it to one game last year (hey, I live 1,000 miles away), but while we were there my wife wanted to "check in" and post a picture of our family at the park on Facebook. She had lots of difficulty doing so. At first I thought, no big deal, the game is most important. But the post above brings up a good point - if a casual fan's Facebook feed is filled up with pictures of friends having a great time at the park - eating a churro, kids playing at Fundamentals or posing with Southpaw - they might be more inclined to buy some tickets themselves.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by Jerko

As for the "baseball isn't a timed game" thing, well, it never has been, so I don't buy that. Baseball has never had a clock, and there have always been night games since the advent of lights, so I don't buy that as an "excuse" not to attend. It's not like this just became an untimed game.

Yes, but the length of a game has increased over the years due to more offense and bullpen specialization.

[Jerko]

They have free Wifi there but it is slow. Boingo hotspot.

[WhiffleBall]

Originally Posted by Over By There

Great recap, JB - thanks.



This is an interesting one. I've definitely noticed that cellular service is slow to non-existent at the Cell. We only made it to one game last year (hey, I live 1,000 miles away), but while we were there my wife wanted to "check in" and post a picture of our family at the park on Facebook. She had lots of difficulty doing so. At first I thought, no big deal, the game is most important. But the post above brings up a good point - if a casual fan's Facebook feed is filled up with pictures of friends having a great time at the park - eating a churro, kids playing at Fundamentals or posing with Southpaw - they might be more inclined to buy some tickets themselves.

Didn't they offer free Wi-Fi this year?

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2...white-sox-roll

[Over By There]

Originally Posted by dickallen15

I don't know how they are going to deal with the time factor, most of that is out of their control.

I call bull. They could've re-signed Buehrle.

[bunkaroo]

Originally Posted by WhiffleBall

Didn't they offer free Wi-Fi this year?

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2...white-sox-roll

Well, sort of. It's a pain in the ass to use. If you're not using it continuously you have keep accepting the terms. Every 1/2 inning break I'd take my phone out and have to do the same thing to get on. Kind of a deterrent.

Thankfully the last couple games I went to this year I had my new iPhone on AT&T LTE and I could actually do stuff on the internet as opposed to when I was on 3G.

[SoxThunder]

Originally Posted by Jerko

They have free Wifi there but it is slow. Oingo Boingo hotspot.

I've tried using this Wifi at the Cell, but it never works. The Sox should copy what the D-backs did at Chase Field...looks very cool: http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/.../c18115394.jsp

If fans have reliable Wifi service at the ballpark, there could be so many cool social media fan interactions. Think about the possibilities: During pregame autographs, a fan gets his/her picture taken with Gordon Beckham, tags @whitesox and @gordonbeckham, and uploads it to Twitter/Facebook. Everyone sees the picture in their newsfeeds and this makes them wish they were at the ballpark to "get in on the action". (Let's face it...Facebook has become a way to show off to all your friends all the cool places you've been.) By doing this, the players would get more "followers" and get a larger audience to tweet to. During the game (between innings), the Sox could show some of the tagged "fan pictures of the game" and show them on the scoreboard. This would get people to do creative stuff just to get their pictures on the scoreboard: dress their whole family up in Sox gear, make creative signs, take tailgating pictures, get their pic with Southpaw, etc. This creates that "buzz" feeling and also makes the fan feel like a contributing part of the White Sox family and the game experience.

[Harry Potter]

Originally Posted by Jerko

Driving/parking: I don't have to drive to games but for those that do, it's a circle jerk. Every lot should have cash spots available. IIRC only two lots accept cash, and you never know which entrance is open or not. Lot G in particular is a pain in the ass because if the gate on 33rd street is closed, you can only access it via 35th street going north on Normal. If you get to 33rd and try to take Normal going south, a cul de sac cuts you off before you reach the lot opening. If it's a crowded day, and you don't know exactly what lot to go to as you leave the house, it takes FOREVER to negotiate the few blocks needed until you reach the cash lot. Also, the cash lot to the south of 37th street is about 30 miles away from the park, and if you park there you are greeted by the two most inept and ignorant traffic management people in the city's history. Nobody wants to deal with that crap after a good drive and a 20 minute, 3 block trip to the correct lot. Make cash parking available in all lots.

I'm in the other camp. As a season ticket holder, I enjoy knowing that for the most part, Lots A and B are season ticket holder only. I thought Lot C and Lot E/F takes cash daily in addition to Lot G.

Especially if I leave work late for a weeknight game - it's nice to have a season ticket holder lot to park in.

Now that's not to say they can't improve traffic flow for the cash lots - that's a whole other discussion.