Management has developed various patterns that are making fans cynical. They need to break these patterns in very specific ways.
Pattern 1--A pattern that needs to be broken: Though unproven, it is a common belief by many that every time the fan-base decreases, talks of a stadium and "it's really going to happen" occurs. The pattern: Decrease in fans, increase in talk, talk, talk. No face-to-face meetings with management at the coliseum to share our views about a new stadium is going to look like action. It's still going to be seen as insincere talk, talk, talk. Stop talking and start acting regarding a stadium...if they can't do that, they just need to stop talking about it! This fan-base/talk pattern needs to be broken.
Pattern 2--One that needs to be returned to: This club has been known as a fan-friendly club. Milton Bradley walking through the concourse during fan-fest would not happen now. (I know...Milton Bradley and fan-friendly seems like an oxymoron...but there he was...smiling...being a normal guy...signing if asked.) Now, everyone is escorted, surrounded and spoken for. The best part about our A's is that they are regular folks like us and we can chat and walk next to them etc. Let us do that at fan-fest.
Another example of how to get back to fan-friendly: We seriously used to have the best giveaways. That felt like the club cared about us and gave away items that made you MORE of a fan and allowed you to ACT as a fan. Now it is "yawn." Free giveaways but little MEANING or ways to be engage further with each other as fans and the club.
Example 3: Stop moving the friggin' people around who work for the A's. I like MY usher and MY beer person. Brenda and Joyce used to team at the Lagunitas beer booth...Joyce is still there but Brenda got pulled. Maybe once a year I see them together. I KNOW them...know about their kids/ grandkids...still try to push Brenda to quit smoking...There was NO reason to split them up. Quit moving them around. And for God's sake, make whoever is sponsoring the giveaway throw in another 500 items so that all the food and concession folks and sales people get a giveaway too. They are FAITHFUL. We talk players and games and stats etc. They keep us coming back...those relationships...let them be equal in status and get giveaways too. Fan friendly.
Pattern 3--Continually changing, and with each change limiting, the season ticket process. Get rid of the green, white, gold. Let us use our credit to buy parking passes again. Let us bank the price of the tickets and use it for any ticket in the future. You want a half a dozen blackouts. Fine, but get rid of the other crap. I've been a season ticket holder since 2006. I used to be behind home plate on the second deck. I bought 82 games. I had flexibility. Without it, I lose money. So I went to bleacher tickets for the weekend package only. Instead of going to 40-50 games and bringing different people with me and building the fan base, I now go to MAYBE 5-8. All of the above plus the lack of flexibility just has taken the fun out of it.
On a final, personal note: I began going to the Coliseum in 1968 when the A's first played there. I was 6. I was born in Oakland and raised in Richmond, and I have lived in the East Bay for my post-college years. I was planning my retirement (in a few years) to coincide with a new stadium. I even planned how I would be able to afford MVP tickets annually. With the traffic and rising costs, I'm now considering moving elsewhere. I NEVER would have considered that in the last 40 years until now. Why? Because the fan experience at the coliseum no longer meets my needs. Would I miss saying "Hey" to Ricky Henderson at the baggage claim after spring training games? Heck yeah. He's Oakland. I'm Oakland. But it's the coliseum experience is just no longer the experience that I've always loved. The symbiotic relationship is damaged. And it won't be long before it is irreparable.
Pattern 1--A pattern that needs to be broken: Though unproven, it is a common belief by many that every time the fan-base decreases, talks of a stadium and "it's really going to happen" occurs. The pattern: Decrease in fans, increase in talk, talk, talk. No face-to-face meetings with management at the coliseum to share our views about a new stadium is going to look like action. It's still going to be seen as insincere talk, talk, talk. Stop talking and start acting regarding a stadium...if they can't do that, they just need to stop talking about it! This fan-base/talk pattern needs to be broken.
Pattern 2--One that needs to be returned to: This club has been known as a fan-friendly club. Milton Bradley walking through the concourse during fan-fest would not happen now. (I know...Milton Bradley and fan-friendly seems like an oxymoron...but there he was...smiling...being a normal guy...signing if asked.) Now, everyone is escorted, surrounded and spoken for. The best part about our A's is that they are regular folks like us and we can chat and walk next to them etc. Let us do that at fan-fest.
Another example of how to get back to fan-friendly: We seriously used to have the best giveaways. That felt like the club cared about us and gave away items that made you MORE of a fan and allowed you to ACT as a fan. Now it is "yawn." Free giveaways but little MEANING or ways to be engage further with each other as fans and the club.
Example 3: Stop moving the friggin' people around who work for the A's. I like MY usher and MY beer person. Brenda and Joyce used to team at the Lagunitas beer booth...Joyce is still there but Brenda got pulled. Maybe once a year I see them together. I KNOW them...know about their kids/ grandkids...still try to push Brenda to quit smoking...There was NO reason to split them up. Quit moving them around. And for God's sake, make whoever is sponsoring the giveaway throw in another 500 items so that all the food and concession folks and sales people get a giveaway too. They are FAITHFUL. We talk players and games and stats etc. They keep us coming back...those relationships...let them be equal in status and get giveaways too. Fan friendly.
Pattern 3--Continually changing, and with each change limiting, the season ticket process. Get rid of the green, white, gold. Let us use our credit to buy parking passes again. Let us bank the price of the tickets and use it for any ticket in the future. You want a half a dozen blackouts. Fine, but get rid of the other crap. I've been a season ticket holder since 2006. I used to be behind home plate on the second deck. I bought 82 games. I had flexibility. Without it, I lose money. So I went to bleacher tickets for the weekend package only. Instead of going to 40-50 games and bringing different people with me and building the fan base, I now go to MAYBE 5-8. All of the above plus the lack of flexibility just has taken the fun out of it.
On a final, personal note: I began going to the Coliseum in 1968 when the A's first played there. I was 6. I was born in Oakland and raised in Richmond, and I have lived in the East Bay for my post-college years. I was planning my retirement (in a few years) to coincide with a new stadium. I even planned how I would be able to afford MVP tickets annually. With the traffic and rising costs, I'm now considering moving elsewhere. I NEVER would have considered that in the last 40 years until now. Why? Because the fan experience at the coliseum no longer meets my needs. Would I miss saying "Hey" to Ricky Henderson at the baggage claim after spring training games? Heck yeah. He's Oakland. I'm Oakland. But it's the coliseum experience is just no longer the experience that I've always loved. The symbiotic relationship is damaged. And it won't be long before it is irreparable.
