OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: Fire Sale Edition?

[Shwag33]

What I don't get is fans who shame other fans for being fans just because ownership sucks.

A boycott that forces a franchise to change at the ownership level is such a fantasy. There are just not enough people outraged enough to turn down a major league baseball game in a great park for 20 bucks.

I understand but on the other hand everyone going are just enablers. People should be outraged enough... i mean what more does nutting have to do for people to be outraged? I've been in an active boycott for about 10 years. I know my dollar means nothing, but it's the only thing I can do. Even their 'good' years were a facade and had nothing to do with the front office stepping up.

I'd like to go, the ball park is amazing, but I won't out of principal.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I understand but on the other hand everyone going are just enablers. People should be outraged enough... i mean what more does nutting have to do for people to be outraged? I've been in an active boycott for about 10 years. I know my dollar means nothing, but it's the only thing I can do. Even their 'good' years were a facade and had nothing to do with the front office stepping up.

I'd like to go, the ball park is amazing, but I won't out of principal.

I refuse to give a dime to Nutting, will not even go to Seven Springs, but do not blame those who go. Honestly until baseball changes protests are meaningless, so I understand those who enjoy the sport and atmosphere, love the game and keep going. I also get why they are tired of being questioned. I respect their choice, and more, like I said understand it.

 

[ImporterExporter]

What I don't get is fans who shame other fans for being fans just because ownership sucks.

A boycott that forces a franchise to change at the ownership level is such a fantasy. There are just not enough people outraged enough to turn down a major league baseball game in a great park for 20 bucks.

Which is exactly why you continue to watch a gong show.

I mean, if we're calling it like it is.

There is no incentive for Nutting to change course. Enough people still fork out a few 20's to go to the park (yeah it's a gorgeous park that sits mostly empty all year) and chat up one another while ignoring the vast majority of the shit product on the field.

There is no hope while he owns the team AND "fans" continue to line his pockets buying Pirate related crap.

 

[ziggyjoe212]

Which is exactly why you continue to watch a gong show.

I mean, if we're calling it like it is.

There is no incentive for Nutting to change course. Enough people still fork out a few 20's to go to the park (yeah it's a gorgeous park that sits mostly empty all year) and chat up one another while ignoring the vast majority of the **** product on the field.

There is no hope while he owns the team AND "fans" continue to line his pockets buying Pirate related crap.

Tickets cost like $20, and barely anyone shows up. Most of their revenue is from TV money and revenue sharing. I don't know about now but a couple years ago the Pirates were the 3rd most profitable team in the majors. More profit than even the Red Sox.
Pirates don't need fans to come to the games. And I bet ownership doesn't care either. They're making big profit either way.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

I assume the folks who claim to give nothing to Nutting cancel AT&T sports network during baseball season.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Oneil Cruz with 2 more doubles tonight . 3 for 4 with an RBI. Continues to do well.

And after this article was posted on MLB.com today.....

A 6’6” shortstop? This prospect may break mold


So we have that going for us. Some great results again throughout the minors with our starters . Along with Cody Ponce going 5IP 2 H 0ER 8Ks on 54 pitches. The return from Lyles trade. Who knows....maybe change of scenery finally works in our favor(was once a top 10 prospect for Brewers until 2018 struggles).

 

[ImporterExporter]

I assume the folks who claim to give nothing to Nutting cancel AT&T sports network during baseball season.

Been doing it for yeeeeears.

 

[ImporterExporter]

Since the AS break:

Bell is OPSing six ninety eight. That's a sixer. Niner. Eight.

Shocker.

 

[Winger for Hire]

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Quinn Priester promoted to WV.

So far so good.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

"You, as a fan, are partly at fault for the team being bad. That 36 bucks you spent at the park the other day assured Bob Nutting that he is on the right track."

What you read above is a dumb argument made by dumb people.

 

[Empoleon8771]

It's absolutely moronic to blame fans for Nutting being cheap. Blame the MLB for not having a salary floor, which allows multiple teams (not just the Pirates) to be absurdly cheap and value profits over winning.

Fans literally can't do a thing to change how much Nutting puts into the team. Even if every hardcore fan turned away to try and convince Nutting to change, casual fans or fans of other teams will still go to games because they don't give a **** how much Nutting spends on the team. Not only that, but that money is only significant if you pretend that their primary income source wasn't a TV deal and revenue sharing.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Archer's injury could turn the tide for 2020. If his shoulder is f***ed long term, that makes his option an easy decline but also means they need to find 3 pitchers for the 2020 rotation. Hopefully, for any sane FO, that would signal the need for a rebuild and no stupid sound bites of competing.

I dunno. I'm probably grasping at straws here, but I have no idea what else to do.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

"You, as a fan, are partly at fault for the team being bad. That 36 bucks you spent at the park the other day assured Bob Nutting that he is on the right track."

What you read above is a dumb argument made by dumb people.

So by that rationale voting doesn't matter because you're only one vote, and democracy is a farce?

I don't blame people for going to games, but I take issue with that logic and calling people dumb.

 

[ziggyjoe212]

Maybe poor attendance is not a Pirates issue, perhaps it's a baseball issue. I'm in my early 30's and I know 3 people who like baseball who are under the age of 40. The sport doesn't really appeal to the younger crowd. Do others have the same experience?

 

[Empoleon8771]

So by that rationale voting doesn't matter because you're only one vote, and democracy is a farce?

I don't blame people for going to games, but I take issue with that logic and calling people dumb.

That's a blatant false equivalency. The equivalent of that would be if voting counted for like 10% of deciding who won the election, and 90% of what decided the winner was controlled by corporations or rich people. So yes, in that case, voting wouldn't matter and democracy would be a farce in that case.

 

[Pens1566]

That's a blatant false equivalency. The equivalent of that would be if voting counted for like 10% of deciding who won the election, and 90% of what decided the winner was controlled by corporations or rich people. So yes, in that case, voting wouldn't matter and democracy would be a farce in that case.

Eh, you sure you want to go there?

 

[Winger for Hire]

I'm pretty sure neither of you want to continue this. It only leads to dragging down the thread.

 

[ImporterExporter]

So by that rationale voting doesn't matter because you're only one vote, and democracy is a farce?

I don't blame people for going to games, but I take issue with that logic and calling people dumb.

It's what people on a specific side of the political spectrum do. Hurl insults, discredit with sarcasm/memes/gifs, in an attempt to steer the conversation away from reality.

If you call yourself a Pirate fan and actually spend real money on the team you are a very small pieces to the shit pie we all get to witness. It's that simple. The ONLY way to stop Nutting is to stop purchasing Pirate related crap. Doesnt' matter if we're talking tickets, beer, merch, tv channels, etc. Revenue sharing doesn't cover THAT much.

Enough people (many of whom hate what the Pirates are) still go to games, still buy jersey's, still spend $100+ on beer, food and other crap for a family outing. I'd rather go to the Pittsburgh Zoo 7 straight days than take a FREE ticket to a Bucs game. Why would any sane person give their TIME (and money) to such a farce? I've got plenty of minor league options within 1-2 hours of where I'm at.

 

[Empoleon8771]

"You're hurling insults in an attempt to steer the conversation away from reality"
"Anyone who spends any money on the Pirates is a piece of **** idiot"

Believe it or not, some people enjoy baseball more than they hate Bob Nutting. But yes, insulting people who have the audacity to go to a baseball game because they enjoy baseball games seems like a reasonable stance to take. This whole discussion sounds like a vegan trying to tell non-vegans that they're pieces of crap for not being vegan. You can be proud that you view yourself as morally superior for not doing something you have an objection with, but spare us the lecturing on how we're crappy because we don't share the same stances.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I'm not going to get sucked into bickering and semantics over a simple point. My point was merely that the action of an individual matters in the aggregate.

Anyway, Nutting isn't going to change. The only thing that can save the Pirates is MLB.

Maybe poor attendance is not a Pirates issue, perhaps it's a baseball issue. I'm in my early 30's and I know 3 people who like baseball who are under the age of 40. The sport doesn't really appeal to the younger crowd. Do others have the same experience?

My experience is kind of the opposite. I'm in my 30's and might know a couple of people who don't like baseball. The rest range from casual to diehard. I can't think of a single one who supports the Buccos' ownership though and most have quit going to games altogether.

 

[Winger for Hire]

I hope it's because the Pirates don't want the blood on their hands with him insisting on putting the tools of ignorance back on

 

[Empoleon8771]

Cervelli seems like an incredibly stubborn person

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Some people say calling a spade a spade is an insult. I have no idea what politics has to do with any of this.

All I know is that a baseball franchise has never changed the way they do things because of a fan boycott. If it has ever happened, it has not been recently. Nutting is gonna make his cash no matter what anybody does and, like most owners, his franchise is more of a status symbol than anything. The profits he makes off this is money he will never spend. If he ever stops making money, he sells to another version of himself.

The problems with this league go far deeper than one owner and they sure as shit are not the responsibility of the fans.

Even if a boycott happened, they would make money when the Cards and Cubs come to town. People will watch on tv.

The boycott is a fantasy. You can either accept that as a fact or you can become a Yankees fan and not have to worry about payroll.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Boycott talk aside(since that stuff never happens)...what we really needed was to have this bad of a record the past 3 years as well. The fact that we finished with around 80 wins all 3 years had them believing we werent far away from "competing".

Now that we are 23 games below .500 we are finally hearing this kind of talk in the media(about needing a change)...which should have already been happening if not for those runs our team went on staying in the race until August. Not to mention it also would have got us close to 5th overall pick each year and no Archer trade.

So whats happening this season is perfect if you want change. We just needed it to start a few years ago.