Sunday, October 3, 2010

DBAP Review

Just to heap the praise a bit higher and drive the nails in a bit deeper, I thought I’d summarize the comments from the end of the season in one place. Most of these are from an earlier post but a couple just came to mind.

This isn’t a very scientific survey, obviously. On the other hand, readers of this blog do go to and listen to a lot of Bulls games. That can be taken as a strength or weakness, I suppose.

Starting with the praise:

  • The staff that interacts with the public does a terrific job — the folks at the gates, at the entrances, the fan assistance people — well done.
  • The idea of getting local choral groups to sing the National Anthem was inspired. We heard some terrific renditions this year (and fewer embarrassing, off-key, off-time performances). Good idea, good execution.
  • Responsiveness — a couple of times during the year we passed on a problem to the front office (fans blowing us out of our seats, loudspeakers doing the same) and got an immediate response.
  • Field conditions started out looking good and were kept that way all year. Congrats to the grounds crew for a good job.
  • Wool E. Bull was in great form this year. Amazing to see him out there on the great tarp escapade doing his thing.
  • Webcam improvement helpful on rainy days.
  • Several readers pointed to the great job Neil Solondz does at the radio, and that’s true. Master of Bulls trivia, terrific play-by-play, sorely missed when he went off to St. Pete a couple of times. Here’s hoping the front office appreciates what an asset he is to the fan experience.
  • Coverage by AM 620 is an improvement over last year, but sure would be nice if it reached further into Wake County. Often could not quite get it when I was away from my computer.

Areas to work on:

  • Green Team video got really old, really fast — and not necessarily a very good idea to begin with.
  • This year’s pizza wasn’t very good. Lots of folks didn’t like it as well as previous vendor.
  • One reader, an apparent aficionado of sausage (with a name like Fritz, he should be), pointed out that the brat ain’t brat and volunteered to assist setting standards for next year. Which reminded me that there once was a serious vender of sausage in the concourse behind first base. Wonder what happened to him?
  • Similarly, it looks like the healthy foods vendor wasn’t able to make a go of it. Too bad.
  • Had occasion to watch a couple of the games on TV this year and while the Explorer Post 50 crew is pretty good, and it’s probably expensive, an upgrade of the equipment and production skills would help.
  • A Bulls iPhone app would be really neat. Noticed that the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs have one that looks very cool. Can track the scores throughout IL all the time as well as the team’s games. Not sure if it streams the broadcast, but that would be nice as well.
  • Better coverage by local media. Know that this concern is probably shared by all the Bulls staff, but keep chipping away guys. Maybe someday the N&O will notice there are two professional baseball teams in the area.
  • Given the connection to Capital Broadcasting, why can’t we get more Rays games broadcast in the area? Build the Rays fan base and the Bulls fan base goes up with it. Know that this is an old problem — we’re all supposed to be Baltimore fans according to the media dictators — but fight the good fight.


10 comments:

  1. Regarding your last point, according to the local coverage maps, we are both Baltimore and Washington fans. I pay for the mlb.tv plan, which works well and I usually watch the Rays game. However, I can't watch them when they play Baltimore since we are in the home market.

    Also, I would _love_ it if we could get real brats at the DBAP.

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  2. Forgot to mention the NL team. And I am being a bit inconsistent here since last year I complained about all the Rays giveaways instead of getting Bulls stuff. Have come around to the idea that trying to wean the Triangle away from Braves fandom (which seems to have fallen off a lot in recent years) and trying to build a Rays fan base would be good for the Bulls.

    Mostly because I'm at or listening to Bulls games, I don't get to watch Rays games anyhow. Did not know that they were easily available otherwise. Thanks.

    Agnostic on the brats, personally, but better pizza welcome.

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  3. I never had any plans to become a Rays fan, but these things just happen. I mean, next week we could be watching a playoff game with David Price pitching to John Jaso, with Matt Joyce, Dan Johnson, Reid Brignac and Sean Rodriguez getting at bats (and even Evan Longoria, BJ Upton and Carl Crawford for those who have been going to Bulls games for more than a couple of years). How could a Bulls fan not want to cheer for that group?

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  4. I must, somewhat reluctantly, agree. Just can't watch those former Bulls without wanting to cheer for them. And here they are Division Champs again! Good for them.

    Gotta worry, though, about this 3 for 7 run against Baltimore and KC. Still it ended up a clean win and that's a good thing.

    And I'll have some baseball to watch as the championship series starts.

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  5. I love being a Rays fan! When a Bull gets called up, and does well, I feel so proud! The N&O had a good article awhile back about former Bulls now on the Rays team. I'll look through the archives to see if I can find it.

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  6. Morning edition of N&O frontpages Braves getting into the playoffs. Rays get one sentence buried almost out of sight...sigh...

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  7. Hot dogs and beer are classic ballgame fare

    Brats and a Craft Brew sure would be nice, if the
    DBAP isn't willing to try locally grown brats Johnsonville's would be a step up from the shite they now serve.
    That is too bad the healthy food option got nixed.

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  8. The food option I miss more than anything is the Japanese hibatchi to-go containers that they had for maybe 1/2 a season I think in 2008 (maybe 2007). It tasted good, was a decent price, and I didn't feel bad about eating something ridiculously unhealthy. I'm sure it wasn't profitable to the vendor, but I loved it.

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  9. Why must there always be music BLARING from the loudspeakers? Can't we just enjoy the sounds of the game? (I say either have an organist every day or turn the damn music down.)

    ...and whomever came up with the "Green Team" video should be smacked. That was the single-most annoying thing about pre-game.

    ...get new promotions between innings. The ones we have now are SO, SO SOOOOOOOO old. (And here's an idea: how about having promotional games that have something to do with baseball?!) Crazy idea, I know.

    ...give vendor space to a deli as well as a sushi place. It's especially hard for us Season tickets holders who come multiple nights a week to eat healthy, but don't force us to eat complete crap!

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  10. right on the money Syd

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