Comments on: Sponsoring the National Anthem at Penguins Games? Seriously? Yep.

By: Coach Bombay

Coach Bombay — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 14:50:15 +0000

And, thanks for reading!

By: Coach Bombay

Coach Bombay — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 14:49:59 +0000

I think that a lot of us are complaining right now, and we do have a right to. You’re right, we spend a lot of hard-earned money going to games and supporting the franchise. Yes, we get the joy and love of the sport in return. But, lately, it seems as if the franchise has started to get away from the appreciation of the longtime fans that set the Pens apart from so many other teams. I know that it comes with the winning and all, but it was nice to be a part of that something special that we had here.

By: 55 on point

55 on point — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 14:42:42 +0000

Thanks for your reply. As an afterthought, I know it sounds as if I’m complaining, but I’m not. I’ve been around long enough to know that’s how it is. It’s a business. However, reality aside, I sometimes feel a bit of disappointment that things are the way they are. We spend a lot of money to enjoy hockey, and when we’re sitting in the arena and the game is in full swing, we don’t think about that — until we pay the bill. In any event, I think sports franchises should do more for their fans. In almost every case, we built them their homes.

By: Coach Bombay

Coach Bombay — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:50:00 +0000

I was just logging in when this came through. The thing is that we were already as competitive as we could be given the cap. And, I’m pretty sure that the ownership group was still making a nice profit even spending up to the cap.

You’re right, it won’t reach the fans. The Pens lowered ticket prices following the lockout, but prices went up when demand rose. Surprisingly, ticket prices in most sections did not go up more than a few dollars, and some even went down, with the move to Consol. But, I think that was a PR move since everyone was fearing the worst…I think that will change very soon.

By: 55 on point

55 on point — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:41:41 +0000

I don’t care about the sponsorships as far as helping the bottom line, that’s a good thing in order to remain competitive. What does trouble me is how none of it will ever filter down to the fan. In the final analysis “fan-friendly” is just public relations BS. We love the Pens, and we love hockey and that’s where the relationship ends. If you have any illusions that they love you in return, stay home and watch it on TV and save your $150+ per game. There is no trickle down economics in professional sports. If you paid $75 for a seat this year, it will always be $80 next year regardless of how many sponsorships they sell. We’re the sponsors for our seats, we just don’t get our names on them. And, I won’t be surprised if someday soon we WILL pay a seat license — oh, it’s coming — and we still won’t get our name on the seat. Toilet paper? Maybe. Seat? No.

By: Coach Bombay

Coach Bombay — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:11:09 +0000

If the jerseys go the way of the European leagues with advertising, then I definitely want my seats sponsored.

Ugh, just thinking about it makes me sick.

By: Malkamania4life

Malkamania4life — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:06:06 +0000

When they start sponoring “This next defensive faceoff ” ahs been sponsored by.. Or the one I dread the most, when a Hockey jersey Looks like something Dale Earnhardt Jr or Milan Kraft wears over in Europe, thats when its time to “call it a day”

By: Coach Bombay

Coach Bombay — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 15:26:00 +0000

The difference though is that the more money the Yankees make, the more money they can spend on the team (or lining the pockets of the Nuttings from what I can gather of MLB’s revenue sharing, but I plead ignorance). With the cap in the NHL, there is only so much of the new revenue that the Pens can spend on the roster and they were doing that before every shot or check was sponsored. If the bottom line was an even better on-ice product, I could tolerate this all a little more.

I haven’t watched a regular season broadcast yet, but I’ve been told that there are added sponsored featured there as well such as the AGH Cam on FSN.

By: LawnyIris

LawnyIris — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:46:03 +0000

The biggest money franchise in major sports is the NY Yankees. You should try a radio broadcast by them one night. Just about everything is sponsored by someone (Jiffy Lube double play) comes to mind and just about everything that is hit, pitched, etc. Waiting for the “that foul ball was brought to you by the National Waterfowl Association”.
It is safe to say that the Penguins are cashing in on this trend. Unfortunately it is good for the bottom line, and we all know at the end of the day that is what it all boils down to.

By: Coach Bombay

Coach Bombay — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:44:58 +0000

Funny, I’ve made the comment to the front office that the Pens are starting to seem like the Steelers, but that’s another story… Actually, our seat licenses for the Steelers are less than the ones that the Pens proposed and we don’t sit amongst the clouds.

While I wouldn’t relegate anything out of the question at this point, I highly doubt that we will see a seat licensing fee added now. For the simple fact that they made a big deal out of the fact that we wouldn’t have them and there would be some serious backlash and bad PR if they imposed them now.

But, if they’d give a local business a shoutout over the PA system for me, maybe I could get my own sponsor. It’s a win-win. I get my seats paid for and the local business gets a write-off, plus the Pens can say the work with the local businesses and not just the big corporate sponsors.

Hey, Mr. Morehouse…there’s another one! Contact me anytime.

By: Coach Bombay

Coach Bombay — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:43:36 +0000

Oh, and in case Mr. Morehouse happens to be reading this, I can forward you my resume. I’m sure I come at a much better price than some of your current team. I can even provide a reference or two that you might know from back in your campaign days. *wink, wink*

By: Coach Bombay

Coach Bombay — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:36:27 +0000

As much as I would like to blame the PP on the sponsorship, simply because it’s annoying, it went downhill long before that started. I think the Power Ball thing started during the last half of last season…?

They haven’t done any after game giveaways yet, just the chips and hot dogs during the games.

By: Reg Dunlop

Reg Dunlop — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:34:08 +0000

You better watch out when you talk about finding a sponsor for your seat. The Pens might just do that. The sponsor being you, the ticketholder, in the form of a seating license. It was good enought for the Steelers.

By: ShagDog

ShagDog — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 02:48:25 +0000

I hate the Powerball Powerplay. The powerplay has sucked since they started it.

I do like the chip giveaways especially after the game :>)

By: Coach Bombay

Coach Bombay — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 02:05:41 +0000

Ha! I’ll expect my cut in the form of my account having a zero balance. And, then I will make good on my promise to use that new toilet paper.

By: Coach Bombay

Coach Bombay — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 02:04:02 +0000

That is one sponsorship that I would fully support! Thank you for your service!

By: dr.rosenrosen

dr.rosenrosen — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 01:46:57 +0000

I’m for it.

By: Styles

Styles — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 01:36:26 +0000

I can see David Morehouse calling an emergency meeting tomorrow morning:

Morehouse: “What the hell am I paying all of you good money for! I just read on some Penguin Poop blog that we could be having someone sponsor our toilet paper! I want a sponsor for the toilet paper on my desk by Wednesday at noon!”