1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Is Miami really a sports town?

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Bumrush, Mar 25, 2013.

  1. Bumrush

    Bumrush Stable Genius Club Member

    29,473
    34,332
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/24/v-fullstory/3304556/is-miami-really-a-sports-town.html
    Discuss
     
  2. Section126

    Section126 We are better than you. Luxury Box

    47,525
    72,483
    113
    Dec 20, 2007
    Miami, Florida
    Yes it is.

    I can show you Ad buys on sports shows down here (Radio and TV), and compare them to other cities that are so called "sports towns". So . Fla. has them beat.

    The facts are that people down here care A LOT about sports, and CONSUME (most important factor) as much or MORE than major markets with so called "great sports towns".
     
  3. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

    72,252
    43,684
    113
    Nov 27, 2007
    Miami is a sports town. The problem is they are also:

    - a financially hard hit town
    - a mutli-cultural town
    - a beach town
    - a tourist town
    - a unique transplant town

    Miami has one of the craziest markets in the US in terms of population diversity and income. They aren't fair weather as much as they can all agree on winning. I mean from the transplants to the immigrants, the market for local loyal fanbases is actually pretty small. So many people either root for teams from where they are from or prefer different sports that are big in their country of origin, the only way you're getting butts in the seats is to win. Winning transcends culture and geography. Its working with the Heat.

    Miami also offers a whole lot more to compete with the entertainment budget of families than most other markets that are traditionally considered "sports towns", like Green Bay.

    If the FO is looking for ways to increase attendance until the winning starts happening, they can only do the things they've done already which is try to improve the fan experience and manufacture publicity (like celebrity ownership)...and lower prices.
     
  4. Stringer Bell

    Stringer Bell Post Hard, Post Often Club Member

    44,356
    22,480
    113
    Mar 22, 2008
    Asking if Miami is a sports town is pretty ambiguous.

    I think Miami is an entertainment town.

    I don't think its a football town though. People aren't going to go to games simply because they appreciate the sport.

    The economics of S Fla. necessitate the need to cater to the wealthy. Sun Life doesn't do that, and they will struggle to sell tickets until the stadium is improved.

    IMO Miami is a lot like Los Angeles in terms of sports markets.
     
    Larryfinfan and rdhstlr23 like this.
  5. Joe Robbie

    Joe Robbie The Patriarch

    388
    253
    63
    Dec 24, 2008
    Miami Gardens
    This guy gets it.



    Except when it comes to the new logo. :p
     
    NolesNPhinsFan likes this.
  6. Serpico Jones

    Serpico Jones Well-Known Member

    4,697
    1,667
    113
    Feb 1, 2012
    This.
     
  7. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

    72,252
    43,684
    113
    Nov 27, 2007
    I forgot, its also ridiculously effing hot at 1:00 games. Like gargling hot sauce...while your pants are on fire...and your shirt is made of lava....while doing wind sprints on the sun...hot.

    That kind of heat is easier to take after win.
     
    Frumundah Finnatic and maynard like this.
  8. Mainge

    Mainge Season Ticket Holder

    6,829
    1,449
    113
    Mar 23, 2008
    West Palm Beach
    My question is: does it matter?

    We're all pretty big sports fan here, especially Dolphins fans, and if other people are or aren't, it shouldn't detract from your enjoyment.
     
  9. maynard

    maynard Who, whom?

    18,425
    6,346
    113
    Dec 5, 2007
    clearwater, fl
    I agree with everything above, but sometimes I wonder if "good sports town" is mostly just code for high level corporate sponsorship
     
  10. Wile e coyote

    Wile e coyote New Member

    34
    6
    0
    Feb 6, 2013
    At the moment it's a basketball town.............
     
  11. Limbo

    Limbo Mad Stillz

    2,476
    1,128
    113
    Mar 21, 2013
    Hard to say what makes a city a 'sports town'. I guess you can just say people like sports, but to be a sports town I think it has to be really evident that people like and follow the hometown teams. I'd say three things can show it: 1) Attendance 2) sports bar scene and 3) solidarity (can you talk with strangers about last night's/tonight's game). The Heat pass the tests, at least for the most part, but they're the only team - I'd consider this more superstar/celebrity worship and fair-weatherness than actual support of competitive events. The Phins and Canes fail these three points pretty miserably, imo. Places like Boston and Pittsburgh blow Miami away with these three criteria - though I don't think these three questions are the only ones, I'd like to hear some other ideas.
     
  12. Killer Bees

    Killer Bees Bringin' the Ruckus

    3,187
    1,030
    113
    Aug 14, 2011
    Yeah when you leave a 1:00 game in September after a loss you start to question why you even came lol. I remember after the opening day loss to the jet's in 08, i was leaving the stadium saying "is this gonna be another year of the same old dolphins?" But we all know how that season turned out, I went to the last game of the regular season in new york as well, wow one of the best feelings i've ever had leaving that stadium.
     
  13. Ohio Fanatic

    Ohio Fanatic Twuaddle or bust Club Member

    32,073
    22,828
    113
    Nov 26, 2007
    Concord, MA
    I don't think those two go together at all. SOme of the midwestern towns (Green Bay, Cleveland) are unrelenting football cities, I doubt their corporate sponsorship is as significant as any of the coastal cities or Chicago.

    I think it's pretty simple. Combine economics with the fact that we've sucked for 20 years and you get the product that we have.
     
  14. PHINANALYST

    PHINANALYST Well-Known Member

    1,834
    513
    113
    Jan 3, 2008
    North Carolina
    Miami is NOT a sports town ...

    a sports town would be defined as one that would routinely reach high attendance levels, have tickets that are hard to come by, etc - for IT'S teams ...

    it doesn't mean that folks don't 'love sports' ... but it isn't a 'sports town' ...

    having a PHINS football game on the TV at the bar you are at on the beach doesn't count towards a 'sports town' ....

    MIA is very much like LA ... they are not sports towns, mainly because of the what the cities are (and add in the transients for MIA) ...
     
  15. Hurricane

    Hurricane Guest

    Miami is totally a sports town, but a large number of the fans are transplants (fans of out of market teams) and bandwagon fans, so the home-team support is lower than towns with one team and very low resident mobility (i.e. Green Bay).

    But if you go beyond team allegiances and look at sports fans a percentage of the population, I'd be willing to guess that Miami is in the top 5, nationally.
     
  16. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

    7,760
    3,486
    113
    Sep 4, 2010
    Maui, Hawaii
    Jesus, you and I never agree on anything, but you are 100% correct in your assessment of the South Florida community and how sports fits into this area. Good job.
     
    Frumundah Finnatic and Fin D like this.
  17. azfinfanmang

    azfinfanmang Premium Member Luxury Box

    29,745
    11,512
    0
    Nov 23, 2007
    Fin D is Jesus?
     
    jdang307 and Fin D like this.
  18. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

    72,252
    43,684
    113
    Nov 27, 2007
    There, there my son. All is well. Consider me your shepherd.
     
  19. azfinfanmang

    azfinfanmang Premium Member Luxury Box

    29,745
    11,512
    0
    Nov 23, 2007
    Nope. You got it dead wrong.

    This would make you my adversary. :tongue:
     
  20. bigbry

    bigbry Huge Member

    5,278
    3,071
    0
    Dec 18, 2008
    Colorado
    and its shearing time!
     
    Fin D likes this.
  21. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

    52,652
    25,565
    113
    Nov 13, 2009
    Lucky really wasn't playing when he said Jesus touched him. Deeply.
     
    Fin D and bigbry like this.
  22. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

    72,252
    43,684
    113
    Nov 27, 2007
    Very true, there was no playing, it was all work.
     
    MikeHoncho likes this.
  23. bigbry

    bigbry Huge Member

    5,278
    3,071
    0
    Dec 18, 2008
    Colorado
    10 seconds worth
     
    MikeHoncho likes this.
  24. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

    52,652
    25,565
    113
    Nov 13, 2009
    Even the part about the lashings and the fish?
     
  25. Triggercut

    Triggercut Well-Known Member

    717
    388
    63
    Aug 12, 2011
    Miami has a Pro football team, College football (several), Pro Baseball, Pro Hockey, no pro soccer which baffles me, other sports (jai-alai, dog racing, chicken fights) Tennis, Golf.... yeah, not a sports location.

    Miami Dolphins have sucked, for a long time.

    If they win, the fans will come back.
     
  26. Finsanity

    Finsanity New Member

    718
    363
    0
    Apr 21, 2009
    City of Angels
    LA is a sports town. LAKERS always sold out. Angels and Dodgers 3+ million attendance every year, USC and UCLA strong attendance. Raiders and Rams didnt leave because fans didnt go to the games. Al Davis wanted a new stadium and LA tax payers never gave it to him. Rams left because that stripper escort ***** who killed the owner Georgia Fronteria took the team back to her home town.
     
  27. HardKoreXXX

    HardKoreXXX Insensitive to the Touch

    20,459
    14,210
    113
    Apr 2, 2008
    Coral Springs, FL
    I was at that game as well. Jets fans were passing out from heat exhaustion. So that was cool
     
    NolesNPhinsFan likes this.
  28. Desides

    Desides Well-Known Member

    38,949
    20,033
    113
    Nov 28, 2007
    Pembroke Pines, FL
    So we've come to crapping on perceived genuineness?

    I hope the Dolphins sign Brent Grimes just so this crap goes away.
     
    MikeHoncho likes this.
  29. Ozzy

    Ozzy Premium Member Luxury Box

    This is funny. The Dolphins sold out over 100 games straight and hardly made the playoffs. Then they really start to suck and the fans start to show ownership that enough is enough. Now all of a sudden, in a two year span, its not a sports town?


    Not to mention how many straight sellouts that the Miami Heat have and that they rank number 3 in total attendance with a smaller venue than the team in 1st...

    It's not much of a baseball town anymore after being screwed over by MLB once, a former owner and now their current one. But this is as much of a sports town as ALMOST every single town in America.
     
    Section126, shula_guy and Alex44 like this.
  30. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    111,652
    67,546
    113
    Dec 20, 2007
    Coming from the most itimidating venue in football to the most disconnected in football, has had a cumulative negative affect for the past 20 years, on both programs..

    Winning will help, but it will always haunt, attendance is just one derivative of its negative power.
     
  31. maynard

    maynard Who, whom?

    18,425
    6,346
    113
    Dec 5, 2007
    clearwater, fl
    To provide some background, this is part of the debate going on here with the TB Rays and lack of attendance

    http://www.tampabay.com/sports/base...ys-stadium-pits-business-interests-vs/1182190

    I don't know the difference in the NFL or Miami specifically. But consider if Tampa Bay had very strong corporate ticket support. Suddenly attendance is up and Tampa is a great sports town even though nothing changes in terms of the number of overall fans
     
  32. pocoloco

    pocoloco I'm your huckleberry Club Member

    8,444
    5,721
    113
    Nov 28, 2007
    North Chicagoland
    No, Miami is not on par with the great sports towns, notably Pittsburgh, Green Bay and Dallas for the NFL, New York, Boston and St. Louis for MLB, etc. Don't take it hard, Miami is tops in beaches, weather, T&A, etc
     
  33. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

    52,652
    25,565
    113
    Nov 13, 2009

    ...and beautiful women
     
  34. steveincolorado

    steveincolorado Spook, Storme & Pebbles

    11,511
    3,069
    113
    Mar 23, 2008
    Colorado
    I've never been to Miami so I have no idea. Someday I might fly in, but it won't be in the summer....to f!cking hot....lol
     
  35. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    111,652
    67,546
    113
    Dec 20, 2007
    Oh come on, go to an early sep game, upper deck..really fun stuff
     
    steveincolorado and Fin D like this.
  36. Ozzy

    Ozzy Premium Member Luxury Box

    Boston was a baseball town until the Patsies won a SB in the 2000's. Then they get a new stadium that holds the proper amount of people. NY has 50 triilion gazillion people Pittsburgh's baseball attendance is worse than the Marlins.
     
  37. steveincolorado

    steveincolorado Spook, Storme & Pebbles

    11,511
    3,069
    113
    Mar 23, 2008
    Colorado
    In my younger days, I would have no problem with the heat. Now that I'm older, I have no interest in the heat. I sometimes head to the Broncos practices, but even then, there's no shade and I don't care to stay. I grew up with the heat, but I have no interest in it now....
     
  38. pocoloco

    pocoloco I'm your huckleberry Club Member

    8,444
    5,721
    113
    Nov 28, 2007
    North Chicagoland
    New York and Boston are not football towns at heart, they are baseball towns even after the Giants' and Patriots' superbowls. You can go to a Pats game and hear stadium wide "Yankees suck" chants for example. You can stop someone on the street in NYC, and they can talk for hours about how Cashman is insane. Compare that to this: http://www.groupon.com/deals/gl-miami-marlins-1-6?utm_medium=afl&utm_campaign=3640929&utm_source=rvs

    Pittsburgh is, and will always be, your prototypical football town. Baseball is a complete afterthought there. I used to live there. The place is like a ghost town when the Steelers are playing. Every kid in grandma is decked head to toe in black and gold and waving those stupid towels. Miami is nowhere close to that.

    Then again, if you see the lumpy women in western PA, you'll quickly understand why most athletes prefer Miami.
     
  39. steveincolorado

    steveincolorado Spook, Storme & Pebbles

    11,511
    3,069
    113
    Mar 23, 2008
    Colorado
    10,000 post, 10,000 post, 10,000 post!!!
     
  40. Limbo

    Limbo Mad Stillz

    2,476
    1,128
    113
    Mar 21, 2013
    Boston and Pittsburgh are huge hockey towns - Pittsburgh likes the Pens almost as much as the Steelers. Boston also loves them some Bruins and C's, and Pitt sells out basketball and gets 50,000+ at football games.
     
    MAFishFan likes this.

Share This Page