DJ I do agree with you on the stadium. The Orange Bowl was a distinct advantage for the Dolphins & Hurricanes many times in victories and I will never disagree with that. But its not the reason the Dolphins are not winning now. Its because we had superior players back then. The Dolphins don't have such players now, and that is the main reason we lose games.
Most of the new stadiums built in the NFL over the last 20 years are in the 60-65,000 range. There are exceptions of course, but those built in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Seattle, Phoenix and Houston are all less than 70,000. 2 of those cities have a metro population larger than South Fla. (Phoenix and Houston)
That's only because of the GIANT sweetheart TV deal the NFL has. NBA teams don't get even half of what NFL teams get.
it's all bad news when it comes to our building and the vision of the people that built it..asinine actually.
Because deep down we all know what more than likely will happen on Sunday and we'd rather not talk football because of that. (just kidding Nasty you are right)
I will agree that the stadium built by Joe Robbie is not as football friendly as some other football stadiums around the nation. Unfortunately when he built the stadium, he intended for it to be used as a future baseball stadium also, therefore the fans are further from the field and the atmosphere at the games is not as football friendly as the old Orange Bowl was. I just don't see the public being interested in supporting the upgrades needed at the present stadium through the use of tax payer dollars. Because of the Marlins and how the public feels in regards to them getting a public funded stadium. I just don't see the politicians being willing to spend any more tax dollars on improving the Dolphins stadium. If Ross and the NFL want to upgrade the stadium, they are going to have to do it with private funding. Personally I go to the games to watch football. I have absolutely no problem with the stadium the way it is now. But I also loved the old Orange Bowl, so to me it isn't about a canopy or the stands being closer to the field. It is about the game on the field. Heck, I would go to a playing field without stands at all and watch the games if the Dolphins would just start winning more often. I don't agree that fans need a reeducation on becoming a 12th man. Once the Dolphins start winning consistently again, the crowds will grow and they will make the noise you desire. I have heard this type of fan support in this stadium in the past and winning will create that type of support once again. Fans know how to yell and scream and support the team. Unfortunately the team just hasn't given them many reasons to get excited over the past decade.
Dj, I'll say it again. The Dolphins home woes are their own doing. They have created this mess. It's not the fans fault they made bad hire after bad hire, and not the fans fault they have had bad free agency and draft picks. We didn't draft Pat White, Jason Allen, John Beck or Ted Ginn Jr. We didn't hire Cam Cameron or Dave Wannstedt. We also didn't put in orange carpets and dance clubs or have a club mandate that killed all team activities in the county where you should be drawing more than half of your season ticket holders. It's up to the Dolphins to get themselves out of this funky morass. Not the other way around.
Glad someone said this. I remember many a Dolphins game played at NE where there couldn't have been more then 25,000 in the stands, and some of those were Sept games that weren't played in Siberia type weather. The networks act like this thing with NE has always been there like Fenway Park, another myth, that has only been like that since the Sox competed every year. In the 1990's and 1980's Fenway could have less than 10,000 for some games.
Its not all the players fault Oak. What's happening in Dallas only makes me chuckle.. Everyone's questioning their stadium, "but they just can't explain it".. Lol..bayless, who loves the cowboys, says, you can't trust them at home, because there's no signs of life at home." He says their building has become detriment, an non home field advantage.".....he's right about those things but he doesn't know where it all comes from really...I do.. Ironic if you know how I've followed that story and how on some levels it correlates with ours..They have similar issues with intimacy and distance issues in their building as we do ours..the number one complaint is.." We're too far away from the players"..or these.." It's like a Mausoleum in there" "Theres to many distractions" "Upper deck is a mile away from the field"..
The Redskins, just like Pittsburgh and the Giants and Bears are OLD OLD OLD teams with 3 or 4 generations of fans. The Dolphins while are not new, did have one of the larger out of town fan bases for many years. They went from being Super Bowl contenders in the 1970's to a team with a Star of Star's in Dan Marino in the 1980's and most of the 1990's. That kind of star power has been sorely lacking for the Dolphins since 2000, and it definitely has hurt their bottom line in many ways. Tannehill is their hope. Then get a stud WR either by FA or by the draft, and then make them the faces of the franchise and sell the team to the public. Then they need to win, and win consistantly and not make the same mistakes in HC's or draft picks year after year. Become consistent and win more than you lose and this will be a football town again, I guarantee it. The Heat notwithstading, God Bless them, but this still will be a football town forever if you get our team back to the way it was in the 1970's & 1980's.
The Pittsburgh Steelers had revenue that was nearly identical, and had a lower operating income than the Dolphins last year.
I think the marketing of key players will be key moving forward..even though waiting for wins and then winning will bring fans back, we still need a different approach to recreate a new identidity, the old one is toast. Tannehill and Manti t'eo anyone?? I've said it a million times, it's gonna take special players to win in this town and in that stadium, better start putting a premium on their character and passion for the game.
43.75% winning percentage. Not much of a home field advantage is it. That's sad, because back in the day, you ask anyone, NFL teams and college teams HATED playing in the Orange Bowl because they knew the Dolphins and Canes would more than likely kick their *** there. Too bad we've lost that.
Well Joe Robbie did it on a string shoe budget and with his own money, or rather money he borrowed. Look at what the lack of foresight the City of Miami council had in delaying for years and years not helping the Orange Bowl out. Now they have Marlins Park, who no one will go to, they screwed up on the parking garages and won't even get revenue for that and are left with egg all over their faces. It really is a banana republic at Dinner Key.
They didnt need extra money, they needed a brain, they needed to have a vision to continue what the impact of the orange bowl help create, our identity..you know what's funny, is owners today are still making hundred million dollar mistakes, because they don't get it...They don't get the concept of building it to be intimate, the rest would all grow from there..culture, revenue, attendance..home field advantage..wins. Pretty smart guy up there in Seattle does..lol..
JW actually he built it with SOCCER in mind, not baseball. That was the reason for the extra wide field. When Huizenga bought the team & stadium he was the one that thought about baseball. He then get a $ 60 million tax break from the state of Florida (it was available for stadium renovations at the time) and retrofitted the stadium for baseball (using only $ 35 million and pocketing the remaining $ 25 million - we think no one will ever talk about that even back then - the politicians would change the subject if it was ever brought up) in 1991/92. The whole irony is, that when the World Cup came calling in 1994 the stadium that was perfect for a venue was not usable because the Marlins played there and the World Cup people said no to a stadium with a baseball infield in it. Same thing happened in 1996 with the Atlanta Olympics, some early round games were played here in Miami and in the Orange Bowl for the same damn reason.
What do both teams have in common ? They don't win a lot of games. I'm telling you DJ that has more to do with it than anything, its the players not the venue mostly to blame. Yes the stadium can be a HUGE help, but the crowds will come once they establish the home winning atmosphere. This is not a chicken and the egg kind of thing, its on the franchise to turn this around.
Even more of a gross display of vision.. "Hey mr Robbie, because you want to lure soccer here in this stadoium, it will require us moving the stands farther away from the field from the norm? Mr Robbie.."Ok, no big deal.." Lol.
Maybe there is still debt that is being carried from the stadium upgrades a few years ago ? Is that eating into the Dolphins profits. IIRC they did a $ 300 million upgrade in 2006 or 2007, right ?
Well at the time he built Sun Life, his soccer team The Ft Lauderdale Strikers and the old NASL were kind of a hot ticket, and the talk was a World Cup was coming to the USA. That would have meant his stadium would have been on world wide TV seen by billions. The jacked up stadium ad revenue would have been amazing for Robbie. Unfortunately he died in 1990 and never saw any of it happen.
I believe thats correct, those big screens are bad ***. Here's why I can pull out my hair..300 mill, 6 years ago, another 300 mill in new renovations.. Multiplex, Dolphins/Canes...OB2..Think we could of done it for that. No sir, not that kind of vision here.....Dumb dumb dumb.
Joe Robbie stadium foreman.."Mr Robbie, because of the width of a soccer field, we must completely build the configuration of your stadium to fit that field, which requires everything to be farther from the playing field than the normal stadium, is that ok.. Joe Robbie..hmmmm, the stands have to be built farther from the field so I can entertain soccer?? Uhhhhhhhh, sure, ok, I don't see a problem, go for it man..have a good day, bye now.
DJ, you're entitled to your opinion, but frankly the lack of respect you show for Joe Robbie and what he accomplished here is frankly disgusting. He built that stadium completely with private funds and because of the presence of that stadium, this area eventually did get MLB, which was part of why the stadium was configured the way it was. Yes, it's unfortuante that 25 years later the Marlins have moved to their new digs and the stadium is too big because the Dolphins stink, but putting that on Joe Robbie is ridiculous.
Thats correct and it is also the reason the seats slope slowly like they do. Built like a soccer stadium. BUT some of the loudest crowds you'll ever hear are soccer games....
This town would be lucky to still have Joe Robbie! At least he had the balls to try and bring his visions to light which includes bringing the Miami Dolphins into the NFL. His problem was money! He did not have a ton of it and making the stadium fit for football, soccer and possibly baseball is how he got the investors to bite!
I'm not being disrespectful, I'm not mocking his heart and intention, only his complete lack of vision...especially when it comes to the reference point you had in your own damn backyard...To go from our extreme, to that extreme, was a complete display of ignorance on him and his team of experts part..sorry.
It doesn't take extra money to configure your building, it takes an understanding of what you had, to what you were willing to sacrifice...he obviously didn't know what he had, or what he was getting himself into. I know he did a lot of nice things,it's to bad he made an incredible mistake that continues to punish everyone involved...
It really only seems to be punishing you DJ and it's very easy for you to say his vision was all screwed up now. Most others realize that it could have been different but it's not. We also know that Ross is not planning to foot the bill on renovations by himself. So we know it will not get done until he can get the right mayor and city counsels seats elected. After shelling out the money to buy the team, which included the stadium, Ross will not seek a new one. You need to let it go man or it's going to stress you out beyond repairs...
Actually,the World Cup used the Citrus Bowl. But you are correct that Joe wanted added width for soccer hence the distance to the stands. The Marlins threw a curve ball at that dream....
Lets put it this way, if anyone here believes that there is such a thing as a home field advantage, then you should understand how extreme our situation is that our team has to deal with..sunlife is the antonym for home field advantage..
Any home field advantage comes mostly from our environment/climate than the actual stadium itself. We should be able to compound our natural climate advantage with an electrifying, enclosed, home crowd. Deej, you ever watch Dave's Old Porn? Funny stuff. lol.
