Foul Weather Fans?
The Star today has several articles, including a teaser on the front page, about fans who continue to support the Chiefs despite their awful play this year. It's encouraging to see the Star do some hard-core investigative reporting in locating a few fans to interview - by the end of the game yesterday, Chiefs fans were as scarce at Arrowhead as college graduates at a NASCAR race.
Let's just get over the "shock" at the idea that Kansas Citians might be "fair weather fans". The derision tied to the term "fair weather fan" is nothing more than the greatest marketing concept ever developed by sports team owners. Why should anyone feel even a tiny bit sheepish about supporting a team when it's up, or abandoning a team when it's down?
Imagine if restaurant owners could achieve the same marketing mindset. "Sure, your waitress brought you rancid meat the last several times you visited, but if you don't show up next week, you're just a fair weather fan." And food columnists would question whether Kansas City really deserves good restaurants if we don't eat awful food. Other cities would brag about keeping terrible restaurants open for years, taking civic pride in their numbers of food poisoning deaths.
It is not a sign of civic softness that Arrowhead was a ghost town by the end of yesterday's miserable performance. It was a sign that the Chiefs offered up a completely unacceptable entertainment entree. Both teams were bad, and one - our home team - was awful. The real question was not "Where did the fans go?" but, instead, "What kind of freaking idiots came out here in freezing weather to watch this crap?"
Labels: diversions
posted by Dan at 12/17/2007 06:14:00 AM
6 Comments:
I suppose that if, for some people, sports fandom is just about being entertained by the product on the field, then your restaurant analogy makes sense.
For me, sports fandom is mostly about loyalty -- sticking with your team year after year, unwaveringly. When my alma mater (Washington State) finally made it to the Rose Bowl (something that would have been hard to even conceive of when I was in college) - the reflected glory was so much sweeter because I had suffered through so many horrible years as a die-hard fan than if I had not.
What boneheads like King Carl forget is that real-life, diehard fans get pissed when their team slowly swirls in circles before getting sucked down the crapper. Fair weather fans are the ones who don't care when their home team is terrible. Real fans don't grovel at the feet of team management to show their loyalty - they get mad when those in charge do a bad job.
If you are a real Chiefs fan, whatever that means, you are probably pissed and have every right to be. If we want change, and we do, we vote with our butts (and leave the game early) or with our bucks (and don't buy tickets) until someone wakes up and does their job.
"...for some people, sports fandom is just about being entertained by the product on the field."
That is just exactly what it is...or supposed to be...entertainment.
A lot like the gladiator contests in the Roman Coliseum. Keep the people entertained so they don't get unruly.
The problem is, there isn't anything entertaining about seeing your quarterback get sacked 7 times and have his pass attempts bitch-slapped out of the air.
It's like watching schoolyard bullies playing keep-away with a fat kid's pants. It's makes you want to cringe with embarrassment.
For the prices the Chiefs charge for tickets, parking and concessions, they damn well better be REAL entertaining. Otherwise, they can french-kiss my big, white, flabby ass.
That's what kind of fan I am.
Otherwise, they can french-kiss my big, white, flabby ass.
You'd trust Carl to do that right?
No way in the world that I would trust Carl to do that.
Has anyone ever physically been present when Carl and Gloria have been in the same room? Yes, I know it is a long shot, but it would explain a lot of performance issues.
(Evil Grin)
KCCoug it is that kind of mindless loyalty which breeds fraud and failure -- such as, Washington State Football.
I hope the Chiefs improve.
Moving to a better topic...Chris Koster received a huge endorsement from the Fraternal Order of Police. When the State's largest organization of police officers picks an AG candidate (and they don't always do), voters should pay attention.
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