Fangraphs Top 100 Prospects

[thewupk]

The day the goal becomes having one more loss to improve draft position and pick up a couple million dollars is the day the Atlanta Braves lose TONS of fans.

I doubt most fans would even care or know what that means. There are 162 games in a season. This isn't like tanking in the NFL where you just have 12 games. When you are losing 90 games 1 more isn't going to cause fans to mass exodus.

[clvclv]

I doubt most fans would even care or know what that means. There are 162 games in a season. This isn't like tanking in the NFL where you just have 12 games. When you are losing 90 games 1 more isn't going to cause fans to mass exodus.

That assumes an awful lot, and frankly sounds a lot more like a condescending Emscheff comment than you. Fans tend to notice a lot more during a rebuild process and when their teams are losing than they do during good times. There always seem to be more voices for them to hear discussing "what's wrong?" during those times as well. There wasn't much discussion of how the farm system was getting worse while Wren was around because the big club was doing well, but it sure didn't take long for that to become obvious when there was even a little trouble at the major league level.

Truth be told, even "average fans" are much more advanced than they were in the past than we give them credit for, and they (at the very least) have more access to people offering up that kind of information than they did in the past. That likely has a lot to do with the way this rebuild has been handled - the brass is scared to death of being accused of "tanking", whether that would move the process along faster or not. The Braves have historically had attendance problems during good times, they certainly don't want to risk driving chunks of an already fickle fanbase away by "trying" to lose.

[thewupk]

That assumes an awful lot, and frankly sounds a lot more like a condescending Emscheff comment than you. Fans tend to notice a lot more during a rebuild process and when their teams are losing than they do during good times. There always seem to be more voices for them to hear discussing "what's wrong?" during those times as well. There wasn't much discussion of how the farm system was getting worse while Wren was around because the big club was doing well, but it sure didn't take long for that to become obvious when there was even a little trouble at the major league level.

Truth be told, even "average fans" are much more advanced than they were in the past than we give them credit for, and they (at the very least) have more access to people offering up that kind of information than they did in the past. That likely has a lot to do with the way this rebuild has been handled - the brass is scared to death of being accused of "tanking", whether that would move the process along faster or not. The Braves have historically had attendance problems during good times, they certainly don't want to risk driving chunks of an already fickle fanbase away by "trying" to lose.

Winning brings fans to the park. That is the #1 truth with attendance. A new stadium can assist in this for a short time but in the end it's all about winning. If your team is good the fans will come. If the Braves went into total tank mode the attendance would suffer. But imo that would accelerate the rebuild and get to a point where the team is good and the fans would return.

Also we are talking about a couple of games here and there. Over 162 this inconsequential to the attendance. But in the draft and getting the BPA it's huge. The Braves are worse of by picking 5th instead of 2nd. There is no way to deny that imo.

[clvclv]

Winning brings fans to the park. That is the #1 truth with attendance. A new stadium can assist in this for a short time but in the end it's all about winning. If your team is good the fans will come. If the Braves went into total tank mode the attendance would suffer. But imo that would accelerate the rebuild and get to a point where the team is good and the fans would return.

Also we are talking about a couple of games here and there. Over 162 this inconsequential to the attendance. But in the draft and getting the BPA it's huge. The Braves are worse of by picking 5th instead of 2nd. There is no way to deny that imo.

And the Braves' past has proven that that's simply not the case - attendance peaked in 1993 prior to the strike, then in 1997 post-strike. It decreased every year after that DESPITE the team recording 106, 103, 95, 88, 101, 101, 96, and 90 wins through 2005. During the run, the Braves won or were on pace to win 90+ games 14 out of those 15 years, yet they only drew 3+ million fans six times.

[thethe]

And the Braves' past has proven that that's simply not the case - attendance peaked in 1993 prior to the strike, then in 1997 post-strike. It decreased every year after that DESPITE the team recording 106, 103, 95, 88, 101, 101, 96, and 90 wins through 2005. During the run, the Braves won or were on pace to win 90+ games 14 out of those 15 years, yet they only drew 3+ million fans six times.

Its almost as if people forgotten the Cubs fans outnumbering Braves fans in teh playoffs at Turner field.

No way fans are going to stay with the team if they are purposefully trying to lose.

[thewupk]

Its almost as if people forgotten the Cubs fans outnumbering Braves fans in teh playoffs at Turner field.

No way fans are going to stay with the team if they are purposefully trying to lose.

If the team wins they will come back. Do you disagree with this? Especially with the stadium relocating?

[smootness]

I don't think losing a couple more games has a long-term impact on fan attendance/enthusiasm. I do think clearly attempting to lose on purpose can carry some stink for a little while, though long-term you're still probably ok once you start winning.

But we are trying to get as much revenue as we can as quickly as we can, so any carry-over in fan apathy carries with it a real hit to revenue. That will in turn bring a real hit in available resources to build the team over the next couple years.

[Southcack77]

Its almost as if people forgotten the Cubs fans outnumbering Braves fans in teh playoffs at Turner field.

No way fans are going to stay with the team if they are purposefully trying to lose.

Who exactly do you think is buying tickets to see the team with the worst record in baseball (or second worst) and what exactly do you think they are expecting to see?

You think people that go to baseball games are going to quit going to games because the Braves didn't start Teheran in the season finale or because they gave a lot of kids from the farm some playing time?

I disagree.

And people who don't buy tickets to watch the worst team in baseball very likely will buy tickets when you have a product that is young and exciting and hasn't been a contender lately.

[thewupk]

And the Braves' past has proven that that's simply not the case - attendance peaked in 1993 prior to the strike, then in 1997 post-strike. It decreased every year after that DESPITE the team recording 106, 103, 95, 88, 101, 101, 96, and 90 wins through 2005. During the run, the Braves won or were on pace to win 90+ games 14 out of those 15 years, yet they only drew 3+ million fans six times.

Atlanta is not a baseball town. The stadium moving to where more Braves fans supposedly live may change that. But the Braves being good will net them an attendance ranking in the middle of the pack. Still doesn't change the fact that it's winning will do that.