Pitching

[Obscured By Clouds]

There's another thread in this section where we discussed the Dolans and attendance. If you find it, feel free to bump it.

I think the big thing that is going to drive attendance is bringing more people downtown. You can't count on the suburban family to drive attendance anymore, but there are few things I enjoyed more in life than walking over to Progressive Field for a game.

The Indians should work with partners to help increase the residential living spaces downtown, and then also help work with groups that are trying to push Cleveland towards public transportation.

Downtown Cleveland has actually had a growing population for some time now, and pre-Covid was set to top 20k residents.

Population boom: Downtown Cleveland will see 20K residents by year end as DCA sets new goal of 30K

You can expect to see 20,000 people living downtown by the end of the year, says the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, which is working to keep that number growing.

www.freshwatercleveland.com

They still need to get rid of that pointless fucking airport that just so happens to be on the most prime real estate in DT Cleveland.

 

[CDAV45]

There's another thread in this section where we discussed the Dolans and attendance. If you find it, feel free to bump it.

I think the big thing that is going to drive attendance is bringing more people downtown. You can't count on the suburban family to drive attendance anymore, but there are few things I enjoyed more in life than walking over to Progressive Field for a game.

The Indians should work with partners to help increase the residential living spaces downtown, and then also help work with groups that are trying to push Cleveland towards public transportation.

Those seem like good ideas Q. I've leaned more toward eventually building a stadium more on the outskirts of the city to make it more accessible. Either way I don't want to see the team leave Cleveland even though I've mentioned having the Indians and the Clippers trade places. I think having a new stadium somewhere just off the 271 belt, south of town would allow quicker and easier access to the ballpark and might draw a lot more fans from the Columbus area. Admittedly, I could be completely wrong though.

 

[sportscoach]

Those seem like good ideas Q. I've leaned more toward eventually building a stadium more on the outskirts of the city to make it more accessible. Either way I don't want to see the team leave Cleveland even though I've mentioned having the Indians and the Clippers trade places. I think having a new stadium somewhere just off the 271 belt, south of town would allow quicker and easier access to the ballpark and might draw a lot more fans from the Columbus area. Admittedly, I could be completely wrong though.

I wouldn't go to games in Columbus, it's a bit too far away. How is the attendance at the Clippers games?

Coming from Canton, it would be nice if the ball park wasnt downtown for the Indians since it's a pain in the ass cause of trying to find parking that's even reasonably priced. In 19, every time we went up, it was at least 20 a few blocks away.

I think if the Indians had their own parking lot with fairly inexpensive parking that would be helpful plus south of cleveland would make it way easier for Canton area and south to get to games.

 

[Gson]

I wouldn't go to games in Columbus, it's a bit too far away. How is the attendance at the Clippers games?

Coming from Canton, it would be nice if the ball park wasnt downtown for the Indians since it's a pain in the ass cause of trying to find parking that's even reasonably priced. In 19, every time we went up, it was at least 20 a few blocks away.

I think if the Indians had their own parking lot with fairly inexpensive parking that would be helpful plus south of cleveland would make it way easier for Canton area and south to get to games.

wow..what a whiner...

 

[CDAV45]

I wouldn't go to games in Columbus, it's a bit too far away. How is the attendance at the Clippers games?

Coming from Canton, it would be nice if the ball park wasnt downtown for the Indians since it's a pain in the ass cause of trying to find parking that's even reasonably priced. In 19, every time we went up, it was at least 20 a few blocks away.

I think if the Indians had their own parking lot with fairly inexpensive parking that would be helpful plus south of cleveland would make it way easier for Canton area and south to get to games.

The Clippers' attendance is usually a full house or close to it. Beautiful ballpark right off of the I-70 exit next to the Blue Jacket's arena.

I agree that parking is an issue, especially if you drive an F-150 and they want to charge you double.

 

[sportscoach]

wow..what a whiner...

I am not whining, just being honest. Parking is horrid for the Indians games, it cost you 100+ dollars for 4 tickets plus 20+ for parking then add in eating anything at the ball park, plus gas etc. It's easy to spend 200 dollars if not more for the day and that's not something I can afford often neither can my dad who is retired.

 

[Gson]

I am not whining, just being honest. Parking is horrid for the Indians games, it cost you 100+ dollars for 4 tickets plus 20+ for parking then add in eating anything at the ball park, plus gas etc. It's easy to spend 200 dollars if not more for the day and that's not something I can afford often neither can my dad who is retired.

just pulling your leg...

We go down to Huntington Park to see between three & five games each year (none in 2020).. My son lives near there.. We Uber/Lyft in and out.. do the same thing for Buckeyes' games...

 

[thestatman]

I am so sick of this hearing this garbage.

Cleveland showed its true colors in 2017.

We were coming off the 2016 World Series, had two MVP-caliber position players in Jose and Lindor, we had one of the greatest pitching staffs in the history of baseball, the best record in the American League, and we went on the longest win streak in the history of baseball, in the middle of summer with beautiful weather, and we still weren't selling out every game.

You had the absolute perfect storm and fans didn't show up.

It's clear that nothing the team does will change that--but some people continue to point at anything they don't like and say "See! That's why I'm not going!"

The truth is, no matter what the team does, you were never going to begin with.

I went to about 20 games every year except last year. I don't like the roster moves and you shouldn't either. The only thing that's garbage is that the Indians once again have screwed up their roster decisions. Whether you agree or not, I stand by my comment that people will stay away until the best players are promoted and the pos's are gone. I'll watch them on TV and I'll go to see the Rubberducks.

 

[AZ_]

I went to about 20 games every year except last year. I don't like the roster moves and you shouldn't either. The only thing that's garbage is that the Indians once again have screwed up their roster decisions. Whether you agree or not, I stand by my comment that people will stay away until the best players are promoted and the pos's are gone. I'll watch them on TV and I'll go to see the Rubberducks.

They didn’t show up after the World Series appearance, but they’re going to show up because Jake Bauers gets cut?

You sure that’s the preverbal hill you’d like to die on, here?

Quite frankly, people who call players “pieces of shit” have historically shown themselves to be not fans at all.

Looks like that theory tracks, here.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Bauers got his first RBI of the spring yesterday - didn't even wait until the last game. People should get off his back.

And if he gets five RBI's today so his RBI total exceeds his errors then his critics will really feel stupid.

 

[Obscured By Clouds]

I wouldn't go to games in Columbus, it's a bit too far away. How is the attendance at the Clippers games?

Coming from Canton, it would be nice if the ball park wasnt downtown for the Indians since it's a pain in the ass cause of trying to find parking that's even reasonably priced. In 19, every time we went up, it was at least 20 a few blocks away.

I think if the Indians had their own parking lot with fairly inexpensive parking that would be helpful plus south of cleveland would make it way easier for Canton area and south to get to games.

$20 is very cheap for special event parking in a city.

I don't see moving the team south will help with parking. There are no existing parking garages like that exist downtown, even if there were, it would just be $20 all over again.

If a new stadium was built south of the city, with a parking lot, the lot would have to be massive and expensive to build and maintain, so the team would probably end up charging $20 anyway.

 

[sportscoach]

$20 is very cheap for special event parking in a city.

I don't see moving the team south will help with parking. There are no existing parking garages like that exist downtown, even if there were, it would just be $20 all over again.

If a new stadium was built south of the city, with a parking lot, the lot would have to be massive and expensive to build and maintain, so the team would probably end up charging $20 anyway.

It's free to park at Tampa's stadium if you bring 4 or more people btw

Either way my point is, how can someone who doesn't make a ton of money get to games often?

 

[BMAN]

There’s parking that’s way less than $20 downtown, you just have to walk a little bit to get to the stadium. It’s honestly not that bad.

And I’ve been telling people for the past couple years downtowns population is growing. You have two new apartment towers, Sherwin Williams consolidating their HQ, a few growing companies and HQs moving to downtown (including Rocket Mortgage adding 700 employees with a possible new office tower and Cross Country Mortgage). Post pandemic there should be a lot more people. I haven’t even mentioned what’s going on in University Circle.

There’s also MLB wanting to build communities around their stadiums and some whispers of projects around Progressive Field. Basically where I’m going with this is there should be more and more people downtown in the coming years.

 

[Obscured By Clouds]

It's free to park at Tampa's stadium if you bring 4 or more people btw

Either way my point is, how can someone who doesn't make a ton of money get to games often?

Oh I am sure they would incentivize with something like free parking if there are X of you, as that 4th person would spend more money in the ball park than that $20 to park.

It is kind of a moot point considering The Jake is no where near needing to be replaced.

As for how do people afford to go often? Sadly, attending games is expensive, and the Indians are one of the more affordable teams out there.

 

[NEOLeo]

It's free to park at Tampa's stadium if you bring 4 or more people btw

Either way my point is, how can someone who doesn't make a ton of money get to games often?

Im not arguing your point at all - games are expensive. I usually only go with my wife. No kids yet so I can’t even imagine all those extra costs.

However, there are creative ways to save on parking. You can drive and park at a local bar/restaurant that has ample free parking and Uber from there (Ohio City/Lakewood can usually get you there for around $20-$25 round trip depending on surges but you get dropped off right at the stadium and don’t have to walk as far as you would if you parked in a $20 lot. To avoid surges I Uber down early and wait out the rush after the game at a restaurant). Great Lakes Brewery has a free shuttle from Ohio City. There are RTA rapid stations where you can park and for $5 round trip you get to tower city which is a short walkway from Progressive Field (this saves money if your group is 3 people or less). There are also bike share stations around the city. There’s one in Ohio City near the west side market (where you can park) and then it’s an easy (and beautiful) ride over the Lorain-Carnegie bridge right to the corner of Carnegie and Ontario where there’s another bike docking station. The bike rental is per minute so it only costs a few bucks.

I’m a west sider so those are the examples I’m most familiar with but I’m sure they’re applicable in other areas too.