17 ways for the Padres to get people to attend more games without making changes to the team or the park dimensions
by Dex on Apr 22, 2008 7:44 AM PDT
59 comments
- Bring back the Chicken on weeknights
- Make the Compadres Club free
- Tell the ushers not to be so stingy about people sneaking into the rich people seats after the 6th inning when there's obviously less than 15,000 people in the stands
- Have a bobblehead giveaway. Everybody loves bobbleheads
- After a loss, have the losing pitcher sit in a dunk tank and sell baseballs 3 for $5. Have the money go to charity
- Lower the price of beer 75 cents
- Start a 100 Hot Dog Club. Have people stamp a card every time they have a hot dog at the park. At the end of the year, fans who've eaten 100 hot dogs get a free souvenir pin to stick on their lanyard or hat
- Invite an indie alt-punk band from a local community college to play all of the music throughout the game (anthem, intros, 7th inning stretch) from atop the batters' eye
- Open up the Toyota Terrace restaurants to the masses
- Have each of the players make 5 phone calls to Padres fans before a big series, asking them to come to the game. DO NOT CALL SEASON TICKET HOLDERS WITH THESE CALLS. THEY ALREADY HAVE TICKETS.
- Have each of the players call the season ticket holders to thank them for being season ticket holders. To ensure that they continue to feel entitled, call them up twice.
- Make the Compadres Club free. I know I said that already, but I feel strongly about it.
- Don't even give that much stuff away with your free Compadres Club. Just let people tally their points and look up how they're doing online. Don't even print those dumb coupons. Don't have the video of the Padres player. Just track their information and where they're sitting.
- Don't tie your fan loyalty program strictly to dollars spent. That's just crass.
- Do tie your fan loyalty program to the games attended
- Do also tie your fan loyalty program to games watched on television or radio. In some random inning, announce the day's Compadres Word of the Day and have fans text or email it within the next ten minutes to get credit
- Since our offense is light, have the marketing center around the Best Pitchers in Baseball.
That's kind of a weak one to end on, but I'm sure more will be added.
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Or we could
just start winning the games that we should. Winning baseball = happy fans. Happy fans (theoretically) = attendance.
by Phantom on Apr 22, 2008 7:56 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
yeah that's real easy
that’s the winner, phantom. you have big things ahead of you.
by Dex on Apr 22, 2008 8:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hah!
I didn’t even think it was that jerky.
As for actual ideas:
1) Go back to the cheap seats/cheap food days. It was GREAT when you could attend a game at Qualcomm and get all your food for $10. The idea isn’t so much to artificially inflate attendance, but to hook people once they’re at the games.
2) Play earlier Saturday games. If we started our Saturday games at 5:05 or 5:35 instead of 7:05, people could enjoy the game, and still have plenty of time to party in the Gaslamp. This would also make for warmer temperatures throughout.
3) Make the Transit Tuesdays promotion permanent. People that take the trolley SHOULD get a $6 discount whenenver they want. It will help to reduce congestion around the stadium (which isn’t really a problem IMO) and the $6 someone saves on a ticket would likely be spent on concessions.
4) Do some kind of Thirsty Thursday promotion where beer is half-off for the first 5 innings. I’m not advocating the Padres adopt the Minor League model of dollar beers (always our most interesting nights with the Mavericks), but a regular drink discount would be a great call.
5) Improve the quality and frequency of promotions. The Opening Day hats are always great, but how many other “must-have” promotions are there this year? The Kouz Kouzie is great, and the kids always get cool stuff, but promotions are always Friday/Sunday. Start a recurring Tuesday night pin set or something that is cumulative and fits together.
6) Find more discounts to offer fans. Local college students get $6 off. We already have a transit discount and a military discount. Maybe do some kind of family discount where if you buy a set of four tickets, you get a voucher for $20 in Petco Park bucks. I know the Padres would worry about losing money on this, but $20 doesn’t get you shit at the park for a family of four. People are much more willing to shell out $40 on food if $20 of that is covered.
7) Do multiple seat upgrades per game on weeknight games. Make this as public as possible. Maybe something like each entrance to the park gets a seat upgrade. If you make this into a big deal, people might feel like they’ve always got a chance when they come to a game.
by Phantom on Apr 22, 2008 8:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not sure
if the the Padres do this. But up here in Nor Cal, the Giants have a singles night. It sells out all of the time. Basically you get a free drink with your ticket, and they open up the park early so singles can have a drink an talk. Then there is a singes section once the game starts. It is mad popular.
by sacpadre on Apr 22, 2008 8:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Also
you could expand the “Bases Loaded” RF pavillion tickets. I have a feeling that they plan to do this in the future, and you could certainly stagger the credit based on the seating.
100s between the foul poles – $25
100s in the OF – $15
200s between the foul poles – $20
200s in the OF – $10
All 300s – $5
Again, these end-up being negligible amounts as a) most fans won’t figure out how to use these credits and b) Most fans who do use these amounts will outspend them.
So, if a family of four decidse to get cheap 300 seats, they instantly have $20 to spend on food. I really think this would help people come out to the ballpark. And these should all be like gift certificate type things, and not loaded onto the ticket (which is a dumb idea). Make them so that you have to spend the entire amount (no change) and make them good for alcohol.
by Phantom on Apr 22, 2008 8:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
the other good thing about this
there’s a natural broken piece to it. there’s no good way to spend exactly $20 so the padres either pocket the extra couple bucks that people don’t want to spend, or they manage to convince people to spend an extra couple bucks to top off the $20 credit.
by Dex on Apr 22, 2008 8:37 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Precisely my thoughts.
I really do think they would get a lot of mileage out of this. You’d bolster merch or food sales (as a Season Ticket holder, I’d sample just about everything in the stadium or get smashed).
Oh, and you should also improve the perks for Season Ticket holders. We got shafted this year with the new Compadres Club thing. We should AT LEAST people able to eat on the Terrace whenever we want. Some kind of permanent merch discount would be nice.
by Phantom on Apr 22, 2008 8:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Jerkface Maghee
Yep.
Wiggins: Voted "Creepiest Gaslamp Baller" by his fans.
by wiggins4ever on Apr 22, 2008 10:53 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm with Phantom
Can we start winning some of these easy games? I feel like the Padres have no passion.
by sacpadre on Apr 22, 2008 8:18 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I have a suggestion....
Why is the Coca-Cola Family and Friends Pack only available on weekends? Shouldn’t those be available for every game? I mean, if they want to exclude the “Premium Games” (which is a completely different argument), then fine. But you’re telling me that it couldn’t help with those Tuesday nights against the Reds when we get 15,000? I think it would.
by Drama on Apr 22, 2008 8:04 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Another one...
Bring back the Super Five Buck nights.
Make these tickets $5:
RIGHT FIELD UPPER BOXES
LEFT FIELD RESERVED
RIGHT FIELD UPPER RESERVED
UPPER RESERVED
BLEACHERS
And of course, $1 hot dogs.
by Drama on Apr 22, 2008 8:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Super Five Buck
jbox and i were trying to remember what they called that. i don’t get why they don’t do that. they could even skip the dollar dogs and i bet they’d get a good turnout.
by Dex on Apr 22, 2008 8:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dude....
You can’t skip the dollar dogs. The dollar dogs were awesome.
Besides, they would actually make more money with the dollar dogs. People end up buying drinks with them, or Cracker Jack or peanuts. It gets the people to the concession stand. Don’t let the vendors sell them in the seats….make them only available at the concession stand.
by Drama on Apr 22, 2008 8:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just went to this sort of thing in Oakland.
I think they do it every Wednesday home game. $2 tickets for the second deck in the outfield and $1 dogs. The $2 tickets sold out easy, but I had to wait in line for an hour for hot dogs and missed half the game because Felix Hernandez and Blanton blew through the game in 2 hours. The line issue was mostly due to the Coliseum being an all around bad stadium.
Regardless, if the A’s can do this every Wednesday, the Padres should easily be able to do it.
by Wes on Apr 22, 2008 4:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ooh, fun!
1. I like it, except I fear Chicken over-exposure!
2. OMFG WTF BBQ YES! (you bastards)
3. Yeah, quit making me give the slip to the usher in the wheelchair.
4. True
5. Hey, we’re not the Diamondbacks, ok?
6. One dollar and seventy five cents… or MORE STONE!
7. Reward for 100 hot dogs? Coupon for doctor’s visit
8. No comment.
9. Maybe for weekdays only
10. Cool
11. Cool again
12-15. YES!
16. But I can’t stream 1090 at work. :(
17. Yeah, video of Briles hitting doubles is cool, but we’ve all seen that one before.
The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world.
by Axion on Apr 22, 2008 8:07 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
16 have a popup appear on Gameday
Or tie in with the blogs and if you’re participating in a GameThread or a IGD or in whatever they got over at SignOnSanDiego, release a special word there.
by Dex on Apr 22, 2008 8:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I want to vote
for number 6….seriously what do we need to do to make this happen?
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. " ~Frank Sinatra
by Sammy G on Apr 22, 2008 8:30 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
it seems super duper easy
especially after they’ve raised it 50 cents. lower it 75 cents and look like a winner.
by Dex on Apr 22, 2008 8:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Speaking of Sammy G and beer.
Each month they could spotlight a local brewing company. One of the local brewing companies could pick one of their brews and fans could find it at certain concession stands throughout the park.
Say for instance May would feature Stone Brewing Company. Stone could feature their IPA.
June could be AleSmith Brewing Company. And so on.
Maybe some could even do a special Padre brew.
by Drama on Apr 22, 2008 8:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Freaking brilliant.
I’ve heard that San Diego is starting to get some serious cred as a craftbrew town. You could definitely institute a beer garden that permanently features microbrews and bistro food to match. Then, like you suggested, have a special beer highlighted throughout the stadium. That special beer could be at a discounted rate (like $6) to get people to try it. Then, when the next beer comes around, you could go back to regular price at the gardne.
Brilliant idea, Drama. Simply briliant.
by Phantom on Apr 22, 2008 8:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Gaslamp Ball
needs to run the front office.
by sacpadre on Apr 22, 2008 8:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
(Making a brief cameo)
I’m planning on hitting a Pads game at some point this season. (Hopefully vs. the Dbacks, obviously) Do they really sell Stone brews at PetCo???
"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."
by DbacksSkins on Apr 22, 2008 8:53 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Right near the front gate.
Go up the stairs, first cart-thingy on the right.
Or if they’ve cashed that keg (which they do), the bar on the other side of the Toyota terrace thing has it, but is usually crowded. Buy two, because I haven’t found them anywhere except near the front gate.
The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world.
by Axion on Apr 22, 2008 9:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hmmm....
I doubt they sell it there, but somehow, combining baseball and Ruination seems more like a wet dream than a normal day at the park….
Anyway, sorry for posting during a non-Dbacks/Pads series. The question was too intriguing to not ask. Carry on.
"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."
by DbacksSkins on Apr 22, 2008 10:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
LOVE STONE!!!
I love Stone Beer! We could have Arrogant Bastard night or name the best player of the night the Arrogant Bastard! The beers in San Diego are rated the best in the Country (the world)!! Alemith, Pizza Port and the one with different fishes on it. Beerratings has San Diego beers on the top and I have a magazine indicating them about how good they are.
I'm trying to think but nothing happens.
by CaleciaPad on Apr 22, 2008 10:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Based on no slogan and the Compadres thing
you guys have already done more work than the entire marketing department did in the off-season.
I am so in favor of #10 – minor league teams do this, MLS teams do it and college athletic programs have taken to doing it as well. It’s so simple, so easy and takes so little time. Would cost the team ZERO to do and it would go such a long way toward connecting with the community.
by Winfield's Ghost on Apr 22, 2008 9:01 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Well, we've done the work...
... where’s the paychecks? :-D
Seriously I just hope they read some of this.
The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world.
by Axion on Apr 22, 2008 9:09 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
One of my own
Open up home team batting practice. I could make a joke about letting the fans see the Padres actually hit for awhile, but I’m not amused by the lack of offense anymore. :)
I got a coupon thing to get into one game early this year, one of three select dates. All from NL’s Comedy Central I might add… this is a start, but they could do better.
The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world.
by Axion on Apr 22, 2008 9:27 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Great idea
it’s a shame that we can’t see our home team take batting practice.
by jbox on Apr 22, 2008 9:33 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Padres
Don’t have offense? When did this happen? =)
by sacpadre on Apr 22, 2008 9:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Totally agree with this
It’s so dumb that you can watch them practice before games.
by Winfield's Ghost on Apr 22, 2008 9:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I never realized
how great it is to be down around the dugout during BP until this weekend in AZ. It was great being able to interact with the team so closely. Heath Bell is hillarious. And my dad got Jake Peavy’s autograph on his camo jersey. Jake not only signed his name and number, but also wrote “NL CY 07”
by Phantom on Apr 22, 2008 9:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
dude that's sick
make it more valuable. this isn’t jake peavy, also ran. it’s jake peavy, nl cy 07, muthfacka!
by Dex on Apr 22, 2008 10:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You have stories like this?
And you write 1000 words about the AZ fans being jerks? Where’s the pictures from this?
by jbox on Apr 22, 2008 10:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hah!
It’s actually pretty funny given that the camo Peavy jersey was an advance Father’s Day present for my dad. Then, on the first day he wears it, Jake signs the numbers on the jersey, effectively rendering it useless as a jersey. But we’re all quite OK with that.
It’s pretty hard to get pitctures of these things because things happen so quickly. The players at pros at trying to sign as many autographs as possible in a short period of time. I’ll try to get a picture of the jersey at some point. It’s going to be framed and hung in my parents’ Padres shine, regardless.
What was REALLY annoying were all of the D’Backs fans that flooded our area when people like Edmonds and Peavy were signing. I of course expected them to show up for Hairston and Clark, but they were trying to pilfer Padres autographs when there were other Padres fans there who had been waiting. Doucebags.
by Phantom on Apr 22, 2008 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I've been trying to figure out if AZ fans are "douche bags" or if you're crazy.
Maybe you just aren’t giving us all the information but you are real quick to decide somebody is a douche bag.
Phantom: Do you know any information you can tell us about the ballpark?
DB Fan: Actually, no. Sorry I couldn’t help.
Phantom: YOU DOUCHEBAG! CAN’T ANYBODY IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA TELL ME FUN FACTS ABOUT THE STADIUM?! AAAAARGH DOUCHEBAGS! ALL OF YOU ARE DOUCHE BAGS!
DB Fans: [back away slowly]
by jbox on Apr 22, 2008 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Crazy
That’s Wiggins’ vote. That biyatch is crazy.
Wiggins: Voted "Creepiest Gaslamp Baller" by his fans.
by wiggins4ever on Apr 22, 2008 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not crazy at all
They just were annoying and knew nothing about their team or their stadium. And we got nothing but flack for actually having the gall to go our of our way to support our team.
It’s pretty bad when you take the stadium tour and your tour guide can’t ask questions about the stadium.
by Phantom on Apr 22, 2008 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
For the record
Arizona is a douche state. My first extended experience was during spring training this year. Everyone drives 30 MPH on the freeway. Downtown Phoenix is dead. Went to a Coyotes game and the fans were zombies. Oh and everyone is a douche. It is like the fan base at AT&T Park if it were a state.
by sacpadre on Apr 22, 2008 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
jeez
for the record, gaslamp ball doesn’t think that arizona is a douche state and has relatives who live there.
by Dex on Apr 22, 2008 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm with you
I like the state. I vacation there. I play golf there. I have relatives there. I had an excellent time at the Peoria facility last June.
by Winfield's Ghost on Apr 22, 2008 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wasn't speaking on behalf of gaslamp ball
just my personal opinion. And actually we met a few nice people there. I just like to cause some conflict. It is good for ratings.
by sacpadre on Apr 22, 2008 11:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Totally agreed.
We were so bored on Friday and Saturday during the days, as there was literally nothing to do. We ended up seeing a movie, because we couldn’t find anything else to do.
by Phantom on Apr 22, 2008 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's awesome
It’s absurd, though, that you had to go to an AWAY game for this experience. Infuriates me.
by Winfield's Ghost on Apr 22, 2008 10:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's the kind of thing they need to hear
Stories like that really bring the point home. You have to travel with your team to get a home team experience. Ridiculous.
Padres for life
by sdgaucho on Apr 22, 2008 10:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
18.
LIFT BAN ON WIGGINS AT PETCO
Wiggins: Voted "Creepiest Gaslamp Baller" by his fans.
by wiggins4ever on Apr 22, 2008 10:49 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
19.
BRING BACK “BLUE-PER”
Wiggins: Voted "Creepiest Gaslamp Baller" by his fans.
by wiggins4ever on Apr 22, 2008 10:51 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
20.
HANG JERRY COLEMAN FROM THE ANNOUNCER’S BOOTH AFTER GOOD PLAYS.
Wiggins: Voted "Creepiest Gaslamp Baller" by his fans.
by wiggins4ever on Apr 22, 2008 10:52 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
I laughed so hard at this comment.
"If baseball is about beer and offense, then this is a lousy time to be a Padres fan." -- Geoff Young
by TheGrandHatching on Apr 22, 2008 12:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I got
Peavys’ signature a couple of years ago in Phillie. He was real friendly, sat down on the padding along the third base line and chatted with the parents for a good 40 mins while signing. I sat in the “Hall of Fame” section, so I had him sign my ticket, right next to the words HALL OF FAME!
Anyway, Brian Lawrence was there too, remember him! He was encouraging this kid to find his card in a large stack he was holding. We thought the kid was shy or star-struck or something. Brian started to get antsy, there was a big line of people waiting… at this point the kid grasped Brian, pretty firmly I might add, by the shoulder and whirled him around. HE HAD NO FREAKIN’ IDEA WHO HE WAS! Not only was he a phillie fan getting a padre player auto he had to look at his jersey to figure out who he was. No wonder those guys get tired of that stuff!
"We've... we've got lumps of it 'round the back."
by ABY on Apr 22, 2008 10:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
What angers/bothers me
is how the Padres are in the top 10 in revenue for merchandise sales and in the bottom 10 in the league in terms of payroll. Dish out some bucks and get some offense to go with that (sometimes as of late) great pitching staff.
by Hacker on Apr 22, 2008 11:02 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Bobbleheads
Totally agree on that one. The last one they gave away was the stupid Peavy NASCAR one. Other teams give aways like 2 or 3 a year if not more! Kouz Koozie is tight, but c’mon Padres, you can’t afford NOT to give away bobbleheads.
by dave h on Apr 22, 2008 12:56 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Bring up
Antonelli and Headley and get this party started!
VIII. Chargers at Steelers -- Sunday, Nov. 16
Pittsburgh's offensive line could struggle with San Diego's pass rush. But then they would also struggle with San Diego State's pass rush.
by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Apr 22, 2008 2:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
They've both
been getting hammered in Portland. Venable has been doing pretty well though. Although he has shoulder problems now.
by sacpadre on Apr 22, 2008 2:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
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