are we going to continue to look away?

You are never going to convince me your "right" to stand prevails over the rights of the old person, kid, or really anyone behind you who wants to see the damn game and can't or does not wish to stand.....

 

Geesh...

Bunch of alcoholics! LOL

EDIT: Yes. I am drinking.

 

I've been going to the games since the 70's and I renewed my tickets again next year.
That said, the team hasn't been good for a very long time now. The last playoff win was 15 years ago.

I don't blame people that don't want to come out and spend a lot of money for a mediocre product.

 

Actually, as with most things, your rights end when they interfere with mine, especially when mine don't effect yours at all. You have a right to your seat, not to stand blocking my view, read the back of your ticket. And if you won't sit when I ask, you will when the usher does.

 

There is one thing I think you are overlooking and I don't see a simple solution for it. South Florida is loaded with people originally from the northeast and they still root for the home town teams. I have 2 friends that are Pats fans and they both purchase 4 season tickets at Sun Life each. How do you propose keeping them out of the ballpark?

 

I stand corrected. lol

 

****, I'd settle for knowing how to tackle someone.

 

As I've said before, I've seen Dolphins fans booing our own players at HOME games when I lived in Boca Raton and went with my father. We used to take the tri-rail down for every home game. I've debated this many times, I'm not going to get into it again. Especially not this early. LOL

 

How about this DJ....let's take care of the ******* problem and not cuddle it..this is not new to this crazy woman..she played the same game in Atlanta..she always starts **** with no provocation...How bout this...Brent reins in his loud mouth woman before she cost him millions...If Brent does not know by now what we the fans, think of him...He never will....but this ***** is once again ruining it for her husband...We do not need fighting within the team because of her sorry ***.

 

Yeah, I'm not sure why fans are supposed to to shut their mouths, and just go along with the garbage Miko spews. Once someone goes into the public forum, via Facebook, or Twitter, etc, then they've put themselves out there for people to disagree with them, or call them out for their stupidity. This isn't like fans going out and saying outrageous things to Lauren Tannehill, and causing problems. Miko calls this stuff upon herself. Frankly, Brent should tell Miko to cut it out.

 

On topic, I think it should be expected that fans at a football game will be standing. Now, I understand, if you have a fan behind you who can't stand, maybe you need to change how you cheer...But, then again, a fan who can't stand should go to a game understanding that their experience may not be what they want since they're physically unable to do certain things.

 

Yeah...if you want to sit and watch the game in comfort, then stay at home. People should go to the game who want to stand and yell and get the place rockin.

 

Maybe? really?

 

I would buy season tickets in a heartbeat if I was there! I am making my first trip to Miami this year and am going to the Texans game, I am beyond excited! I've only seen the Dolphins play in Cincinnati and Indianapolis.

Me going to this game in Miami is roughly equivalent to a Muslim man making his first pilgrimage to Mecca

 

Like Cowherd said "LA & Miami fans aren't diehards like a Green Bay or Buffalo. If they lose they'll just move on & find something else to do." It's disappointing that If you go to a game at Sun Life there's more fans of the other team then our fans. Our fan support is pitiful.

 

I'm not convinced that winning is what brings in fans in massive numbers. Look at all of us here--we're digital fans. Most of us sit in front of our computer and/or TV screens in order to get the experience and the information we want. If someone isn't there to hand it to us, we go online and get what we want, as cheap as we can get it. People honor tradition, but evolution really doesn't so I'd be careful about making this a moral argument. I can sit at home and get it cheaper, more comfortable, more customizable, etc. and by the looks of the ads, that's exactly what the NFL wants. The big dollars aren't in filling the last few seats in a stadium, they're in reaching another million viewers.

More and more we're hearing about the increased (sometimes shocking) price of admission, the overwhelming rip-off that is concessions and the large numbers of drunken idiots who most folks don't want to deal with. I know this might sound shocking, but why would anyone in this modern generation event want to go to games? There is literally no advantage other than to say you were there and to feel the excitement of the crowd...but when you weigh that against the hundreds or thousands of dollars someone might spend being a season ticket holder as well as the numerous benefits involved with being an "at home" fan, it's not even competitive.

I'll be somewhat shocked if every team in the league isn't facing attendance issues within 15 years. It's just not that logical to support the team in person these days. Technology has completely changed the paradigm. But it's not just the overall common sense "sitting at home is better" argument. There truly are other factors that come into play that explain why some teams get fan support more than others.



Look at most of the northern teams and they have packed stadiums whether or not their team is doing well. If the team is winning, they may have a few more fans attend but it's not a large percentage.

To be perfectly honest, the south is all about college football. Period. End of Story. If you grew up here, you'd know what I'm talking about. If you didn't, I'm sure it's easy to overlook. Imagine how big the Pats and Giants are in their respective locations. Think of the Redsox and Yankees even. In the south, all of that same enthusiasm is directed towards college football and to some extent college baseball and basketball as well. In the south, there is still a large and substantial bias against the NFL as being an overly monetized industry which is mostly fluff. NFL fans argue the opposite and cite the strategy, the idea of a salary cap, the free agency and the caliber of the average NFL athlete but the debate rages on. Most people who go nuts for college football and attend games regularly have absolutely no interest in the NFL. Many NFL fans look at college football only as the source of future NFL talent.

I like college football because I'm not that far removed from spending my Saturdays on campus rooting for my team, but I'm also a big-time NFL fan because my family is a south Florida family and most of us are Dolphins fans. People here in SC and GA look at me like I'm crazy. I can't imagine what they're like in Alabama or Louisiana. The Falcons seem to get a sort of "inner city" support because they're in Atlanta but most NFL franchises in the south seem to face some sort of issue with fan support not being what it could: Tampa, Jacksonville, Carolina, Tennessee, etc.

Ok, Florida's not the south but it damn sure ain't the north so given that it's got so much in the way of low-income residents and/or the South Beach types, a similar effect goes on. The northern states don't have beaches and sunny weather. Heck Miami and the surrounding areas are tourists destinations for the kinds of folks that can afford the NFL experience. Moreover, northern states don't have the sort of poverty the south does.

You add that stuff up and it's a major factor as to why Miami's attendance isn't great.



My guess is that the heyday of Dolphins attendance went away with the Orange Bowl and that it's really never coming back. I just see too many arguments against it that have nothing to do with the morality of "supporting your team." At this point, technology is the biggest thing going against NFL franchises and as I said, the Dolphins face several other distinct disadvantages.

 

Yes...Maybe. Because, and I know this is crazy, maybe the person who can't stand shouldn't expect that everyone else should be inconvenienced, or should not able to enjoy the game they way they want, because of them. Maybe the person who can't stand should attend the game understanding that there may be times when they can't see because of their disability. It's a football game, not a performance of Swan Lake.

 

Terrible attitude for a business to take. They need to figure out how to accommodate as many different people as possible.

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

 

Who said anything about that being the stance of the business? I'm talking about individuals attending a game. That being said, it would still make much more sense for a business to cater to those without disabilities, as they are probably going to be the majority of their business. However, there are always luxury box options for those who don't want to have to deal with other fans, if you want to fork over the money for those seats.

 

I lived in South Florida for over 50 years and attended well over 300 Dolphin games, home and away.

While there are some things I miss about SF, now that I live in Hawaii, the thing I miss most is sitting in the stands in South Florida with my fellow season ticket holders, rooting on the Dolphins.

It was extremely odd last season, sitting here in Hawaii at 7:00am, watching the Dolphins when they played at 1:00 pm on the East Coast. I still root for the Dolphins and watch every game, but sitting at home watching the game can never compare to the experience of being at the game.

While I never had any problems with the stadium the way it was. I do hope that the renovations to the stadium will convince some of the stay at home fans in South Florida to actually take the time and spend the money to attend some games this coming season.

I have always felt that a winning team is all that is really needed to fill the stadium, but now that Ross is making improvements to the stadium, hopefully that will end the excuse of those who complained it was the lousy stadium which prevented them from attending games.

They now have a better stadium. They also have what many consider the most talented team the Dolphins have had in over a decade. So if fans don't show up this coming season, I wonder what their excuse will be this time.

 

I don't mean any disrespect by this and I speak as someone who will only have attended maybe 3-4 NFL games after seeing the Dolphins in Jacksonville in week 2, but are you not guilty of being a bit nostalgic there?

I understand you saw a lot more winning teams than I've seen having only been a fan over the last 15 years or so, but when I think of the position younger and mid-age fans are in today, going to a game isn't something you're going to do unless it's free or it's right nearby. I've attend Clemson games as a student and yes, that's an atmosphere. You get that many excited people together and every play can feel amazing. But it's free to students and that's why it's so filled up. Students are literally walking a few hundred feet to see the games in some instances. But that's what is so special about college football--that atmosphere of it all happening right there in your little place. That indescribable excitement that just isn't there in all but a few instances of the NFL.

At 30, I'm not going to games for free anymore and I don't work in a position where any stadium is right down the street from me so an afternoon of attending a game and then relaxing (or getting laid) becomes a day of attending a big event that requires a ton of effort. Maybe that works if you have a bunch of friends or a big family and it can become a thing, but for most people, that'd be considered overkill. The at-home experience is just so freakin' good these days. Everything is high-definition. It's A/C, a Lay-Z-Boy and cheap food/drink over stuff that doesn't compare. The bathroom is clean and private and always waiting. I can follow 8 or 9 games all at the same time flipping back and forth.

I definitely see why it was done "your way" for so long and why college football is so successful these days but it's hard for me to think that the times haven't changed for the NFL.

 

Oh, I agree with you, Greg. I said it awhile ago, but even if I lived in Miami, I don't think I'd buy season tickets, even if I could afford it. I'd definitely try to go to a couple games, but when you start factoring in parking, food, and drinks, it's just so expensive to go to games. Add in, I think the viewing experience is just better in your home. It's great to go to the stadium for the experience, but I feel like I actually watch the game better in my home.

 

Win and everything changes. Slight OT but I dont think the Dolphins do enough events with the youth for their product. It is a little half assed in that area compared to other teams. If you see what Green Bay does for Wisconsin you see why they have die hard fans packing Lameau.. the Dolphins barely do anything compared to other teams around the league. You want to improve the culture you need to show up in the inner cities, schools, run more youth camps, etc. then those kids are begging their parents to go to games and buying merchandise and talking Dolphins. I just dont see many inspired young Fin fans in Miami. It is lacking big time compared to the 90's.

 

Aren't your rights affecting his, if you're telling him he has to sit?

 

I moved to Hawaii in January 2014. I was a season ticket holder for nearly 40 years, with the 2013 season being my last year. So while I certainly enjoyed the winning years, I also sat in the stands through the losing years.
In fact, my wife and I traveled to London in 2007 for the Dolphin game and that is the year they were 1-15.
So basically I was still going to every home game until last year. I really wouldn't consider my views as being nostalgic, since I am not referring to games years ago but merely as recently as two years ago

While I was always fortunate enough to have the financial resources which allowed me to purchase season tickets and travel to many away games. I do understand that it is a financial burden for many fans to attend the games.

Yet South Florida has plenty of individuals who claim to be Dolphin fans and also do have the financial resources, but would rather sit at home and watch the game, instead of going to the stadium.

I understand this attitude based on the teams performance on the field over the past decade. I just wonder if these individuals will attend games once the team starts winning on a consistent basis again.

As far as going to games for free is concerned. While that might happen at the college level for students, I attended hundreds of Hurricane games in Miami over the years and I paid to get into everyone of them.

 

My whole contention is that people put it on the W/L record when there are much bigger factors at play.


I would say that the average person--still interested in football that is--probably isn't going to be able to afford season tickets without making serious concessions in other areas of their life. I'm not just talking money. Time constraints are probably a bigger factor these days. If I'm at home, a game is 3 hours. If I'm attending it's packing up, driving their, tail-gating, watching the game, waiting on traffic, driving home and getting unloaded. Maybe on a good day that's 5-6 hours for most folks opposed to 3. Once you're talking that much time, it becomes an affair you plan around.

Moreover, the world is quickly becoming very expensive. You can be a football fan who attends or you can be a recreational golfer or you can be a boater or you can have a family or you be a ____. More and more, people are being forced to make a decision on what single thing they want to be with the knowledge that it's going to be very, very hard to get much of the rest. If I can watch TV at home and save money it also means not having to give up lots of other things. Most rational people are going to see it that way.

One should also be careful about drawing comparison with basketball games because (1) there's much less seating to fill up, (2) basketball is arguably faster and more dramatic, (3) it's definitely easier to follow in person and (4) it's all in-doors so the environment is much more reliable and in most cases better.

But yeah, I agree with you that we don't know whether a winning team will draw better attendance or not. My feeling is, things would get better but it wouldn't resolve the issue.

 

Just adding onto this... Dwyane Wade attended a local bike event here in South Florida with hundreds of teenagers today.. he didn't even announce or promote it, he just showed up... The Heat organization is so hands on with these events - Hardaway, Alonzo and his Summer Groove, Wade, Haslem, and others... and that's just them individually, the Heat front office themselves host a ton of camps and events. And they all do this effortlessly. Those kids looking at Wade like a hero, like hey this is the guy we see on TV bringing championships to our city, is now riding bikes with us.

The Dolphins need to step it up with the youth, this fanbase hasn't been the same. I see more kids playing basketball at the park than getting a football game together - I used to play football ALL THE TIME when I was a teenager and preferred it over basketball since I couldn't make a jump shot to save my life. My friends and I talk about this all the time, the love for football isn't the same anymore.

 

Can you be more specific on what you're talking about? What exactly is 'building it correctly' and how does that differ from what the owner is currently attempting to do in the form of a self-funded renovation?

And with all due respect...how can you argue in such generalities when what you're asking for sounds to me like a new stadium?

Keep in mind that what my home has is comfort, space and privacy. If you attempt to build any of those things into a new stadium at a similar level, you're not going to be close to profitable.

There's no way any stadium will rival the comfort of my home...and the closer you get, the more expensive the experience becomes for the fan. You're not going to win that battle.

It honestly sounds like Miami needs a smaller stadium more than anything else!

 

Deej, WADR, you've painted yourself into a corner.

A) You claim the stadium needs to be redone so fans will have the right attitude.
B) You also claim the fans need to have the right attitude regardless of the stadium.

B negates A.

If you want the fans to power through the stadium deficiencies and have the right attitude anyway, then you're essentially saying the stadium's layout isn't relevant to the fans' attitudes because you want them to cheer loud without the stadium changes.

We are not gonna convince Ross to fund an entirely new stadium. We are not gonna change the residents minds of Miami to build a new one with tax money. What is happening is all that is going to happen, and that's the renovation that's occurring now.

So, there is no point anymore to continue your crusade. It either contradicts itself or is futile because there is NOTHING we can do to get a new stadium built.