There is no confirmation that the Wichita Wranglers will move to Springdale, Ark., should voters there approve a 6,000-seat, $33 million stadium next month. But there’s also no question that the Wranglers are the least-supported team in the Texas League, with an average turnout of 2,700. Can this franchise be saved? Should it be? Maybe Lawrence-Dumont Stadium could use a makeover. But as we argued in an editorial last week, it “isn’t just any old place to play baseball. It’s a community treasure in a picture-perfect spot.”
Meanwhile, a letter writer suggested that the Wranglers play at WSU’s Eck Stadium instead of Lawrence-Dumont. He said that the University of Nebraska baseball team shares a stadium with the minor-league team in Lincoln.
Got any creative ideas to boost attendance and keep the team in town?
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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29 Comments
It may be that people in Wichita have been to Wranglers games, and comparing that experience with all the other activities available to them, prefer those other activities to Wranglers games.
There’s nothing inherently good or bad about that. It’s simply the judgment that people are making about how to allocate scare resources — money and time.
But Ms. Holman and some of our local government leaders believe the Wranglers are an irreplaceably valuable community asset, and that without them, Wichita would somehow suffer. Given that few people attend the games, I don’t see that connection.
It’s true that the small number of people who attend Wranglers games would be worse off if the Wranglers left. Those people are easily identifiable, however, and if it’s going to take a subsidy or stadium improvements to keep the Wranglers in town, we know who to ask to pay.
A minor make over is due, lower the admission price would help the attendance.
Yesterday evening, Saturday, June 24, 2006 — the Wichita Wranglers beat Frisco, both double-A teams in the Texas League.
Talk about your perfect storm. Last night at Lawrence-Dumont stadium had to be a perfect summer baseball evening here in Wichita.
For starters, almost 6,000 baseball fans watched the Wichita Wranglers beat Frisco 9 to 4.
But the game was only part of the perfect evening. Several company picnics took place at the game with lots of traditional hot dogs, potato salad, soft drinks. I ate a couple of those “dogs” myself.
The game had plenty of diversions with give-away contests, people watching, with t-shirts and other prizes tossed willie-nilly into the audience.
And last night was the annual “Wilbur Birthday bash,” Wilbur being the bigger-than-life Wranglers mascot. A surprise was the entry of a dumure female version of Wilbur and their low-key introductory dance. Lets hope Wilburette returns to future games.
After the game, the traditional creation of the worlds largest ice cream sundae complete with chocolate syrup and marshmallow topping — in ice cream cups completely circling the baseball infield — assembled in kind of a controlled pandomonium. Then the entire baseball audience and staff and even players moved out on the field to consume one or more of the small sundaes.
But the party wasn’t over yet. Right on schedule on a cool evening and under a starry sky, the best fireworks show of the season showered into the night sky on the second shortest night of the summer.
What a pleasant view: youngsters, oldsters, staff, baseball players and Wilbur and Wilburette all sitting out on the turf in the field transfixed by the blaze of exploding fireworks against the backdrop of the downtown Wichita skyline.
Afterward, about 11 PM, a thoroughly satisfied crowd passed happily out the gates of the historic Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.
As Steve Shaad used to claimand I happened to notice lastnight … the ghostly apparition of old “Hap” Dumont sitting on the roof of the Stadium with hisever present cigar and a big smile on his face watching the happy crowd depart the perfect baseball evening.
JWink, you shuld be writing copy for the Wranglers. With taps like that, more people might just go to the games.
Some people just don’t enjoy baseball. I’d prefer a beating to having to watch a baseball game. Friday night, I took a friend to an excellent free concert at Bradley Fair that was much better attended than the Wranglers game.
I have no issue with baseball, but if it’s such a great thing, let it support itself. Isn’t that the way a free market works?
Superbly written J Wink! Good on you. You almost perfectly encapsulate an experience that at only $4 a ticket for general admission is available to those of even the most modest means. Truly this is a community asset worthy of maintaining.
Wichita should buy the Wranglers.
If it is such a great thing, let it support itself.
X I MIGHT say the same things as you did of the Wranglers about golf courses. I won’t because even though I find golf the province of the wealthy and supremely boring, the community green spaces that are attendant with giving the few who play their venue are an asset. And who knows, I MIGHT even decide to take a swing myself some day. I know those greens fees are killer. But who can say that a golf course exists just on the backs of those who CURRENTLY play the game? We ALL pay for them. We ALL have the option open to play.
If we rely only on the free market and let only those things that are survivable only on their own revenue exist we cheat ourselves as a community of the opportunity to experience new things.
JR, with the exception of Auburn Hills, last I heard, the public golf courses support themselves.
“I find golf the province of the wealthy and supremely boring”
OUCH!!!
You might be surprised how many people play golf. And the tournaments held in Wichita are far better attended than Wrangler games. A round of golf is a lot healthier than sitting on your butt eating hotdogs and watching baseball. I know, they say you don’t get all that much exercise playing golf. Whoever said that has never seen me play golf, lol. I spend a lot of time in the rough. Still, a 3 mile walk lugging a golf bag isn’t bad for you.
I took up the game a couple of years ago. I don’t know why….guess I must enjoy humiliation, lol!
I’m not for sure that moving them to Eck Stadium is going to make a difference. It actually might hurt them.
I don’t think that the stadium being old has anything to do with it, but somehow we are in a “new stadium” kick around the country. People loved the old parks in New York, Boston, Chicago, but I guess they want to build new.
Honestly! The spot of LD Stadium would be great for the Downtown Arena.
I don’t know why our attendence is dismal. We are a good college town with great turn out for WSU baseball and basketball.
RoundRock, which used to be double A has so many fans attending that they got moved up to triple A.
I once last year went to a game in OKC to watch their triple A team. Their attendance was pretty low.
I guess we just need to get behind them and really support them. We also need fanitical fans and let them be known. I know crazy fans for the Thunder and they push the energy for that team.
I’m sure there are Wrangler nuts, but we just need a few more of them to convience others to watch. Great fans are contagious.
But since this possible move came up, I suspect that the Wranglers will get their attendance now. I haven’t been to a game in years, and now I’m thinking about checking them out regularly.
:)
Aww that wasn’t a shot XXX. At least I didn’t mean it to be. I just used something that I have observed would be a partially public funded activity that you enjoy.
I’ve always seen golf as an eltitist thing. You know, how buisiness types and such work the game into management and deal making and such. I know that is not universally true.
“With the exception of Auburn Hills” Well even one exception makes my point.
The point is that even if we do not use them, (golf courses or ballparks) it is better for a community to have more opportunities for recreation and entertainment, not less.
I guess I shouldn’t say too much. I’ve not been to a Wranglers game yet this year. I always went with my dad who had partial season tickets.
These last few years, going to the ballpark and bowling were things he enjoyed.
If we only had one bowling alley and it was in danger of closing, I’d be for public funding for it too.
Only 2,700 attend?
In what backwards world do we live where building a bigger stadium will fix that?
How about more publicity, have themed events, give out free tickets to kids at school, do some promotions?
I think that getting more fans to the game is better than trying to build another stadium first.
I spent 30 years watching slowpitch softball. Baseball is boring compared to it. And I can watch a damn good softball game for free!
Yes, I’m a little birdie…cheap, cheap, cheap. :)
Nathan is right. (See, I CAN be fair.) But as JWink pointed out, promotions are going on, and it doesn’t seem to be helping all that much.
Perhaps taking into consideration the fact that many people either don’t have time or possibly the money, thanks to the economy that is still lagging, to attend events. Or only have so much time/money to attend one instead of many.
I’ve never attended a Wranglers game, nor do I plan to. It’s not that I dislike the Wranglers (or any other local team), it’s the fact that I’m working THREE jobs to make ends meet and just don’t have the time. (Plus, I really don’t like sports.)
Sports, movies, dancing, dining out, theater, opera etc- these are luxuries that someone like me cannot afford to take time off work for.
I suspect the same holds true for a lot of other people in Wichita…
3 jobs? You either have a lot of children or a lot of debt.
Minor league ballclubs and golf courses are for profit entities and should not receive government subsidy. I have the “pleasure” of being co-coach for our twins baseball team this year and I would like to see more and better ball diamonds for the kids.
viva La Raza Blanco!!!
I think the old stadium is fine. Not everything has to be all metallic and shiny.
Here is a sorta related idea.
The Eagle I think occasionally has a game night that they sponsor. Not sure on that but I think so.
How about a WEblog meetup in conjunction with something like that??
(XXX you don’t have to watch the game. We can share a beer in the Hardball cafe)
Joe, I’ve got 4 kids and a terminally ill family member to look after. (Got lots of debt too, thanks to medical bills.)
Life doesn’t always turn out as planned…
To be brutally honest. ITS MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL!!!!!
Heck the Majors have trouble with attendance (Royals, Rockies etc.)
Im in my mid 20s and most people within my age group are not big spectator fans of baseball. Even the ones who have played the game before have told me their dislike for watching the game.
But here are my suggestions:
House Band – Could play most of the music in between innings and such.
Outdoor Booths – Like the Kind you see at Horse racing events. Plush seats included, Wait Staff.
Maybe just more promotion from advertising and News Outlets. Could Include a BillBoard on Kellog, Canal, 235, that has an electronic update of the schedule.I.E. “Next up Frisco Fri 7:30″
Free tickets are available at Credit Union Of America on Douglas for tomorrow evening’s game, Monday, June 26th. Wranglers playing Midland Rockhounds.
Also free tickets are available at Quik Trip stores for Wednesday evening, July 5th. Wranglers will play Arkansas Travelers.
Both games at 7 PM. There might be free tickets for other nights.
Of course, there will be lots of free tickets for the first week of the NBC tournament which begins this year on July 28th.
Personally, I buy booklets of either 20 or 40 tickets, I forget which — and that way I do get a discount. They can be used for Wranglers and NBC games.
JR, I’d attend free Wranglers game coupled with a meetup. And I’d even watch the game! :)
3jobs, I hear ya. Don’t let the haves tell you it’s a breeze out there.
I think part of the problem is that the Wranglers are the minor league team to the Royals. Also has the Eagle has not helped much either. Just like the Thunder the Wranglers don’t get enough coverage.
I enjoy baseball. Can’t play worth a darn but I’m a great umpire heckler (my dad umps rec league). I enjoy getting out to the games but being as I don’t live in Wichita and it’s a semi-special occasion when I actually make it downtown not to mention getting sitter for the kids, I’d really rather go sit in an airconditioned movie theatre.However I would definately make it for a meetup and even watch part of the game (when I’m not too busy visiting).
Have been to one game, and kind of enjoyed it. Got free admission (was a work related thing) so couldn’t complain about the cost (except for the overpriced, soggy hot dogs, oh well).
But, I did NOT enjoy it enough to support subsidies or tax dollars to keep a team here. The City already owns the stadium, meaning there is no property tax revenue from it–that is more than enough subsidy in my estimation.
Baseball has been losing fans ever since their greed strike, when major league players are making millions and strike for more. People seem to have a hard time supporting that line of thought. As such, I don’t think subsidies would help anyway.
I vote for sink or swim on their own..it is a for profit enterprise.
Miami Heat, gets better media coverage in Wichita, than The Wranglers!! I don’t think, the City and the local media, make much of an effort, to support this team.
They should do more, in the way of promotion, to generate an awareness of the importance of this activity, in Wichita.
L/D Stadium, is an old ballpark. Still, it’s a nice place, to see a ball game. It’s cheap and fun. Tho, it isn’t Major League, like the Royals???
Until, the announcement, of a possible move from Wichita, the local media and the city, have pretty much, kept their head in the sand. The Wrangler’s, are pretty much, an after thought.
Should the city, pay 10 million to keep them? No!! Fixing up a stadium, will not assure a larger fan base. But, it takes more than printing out the box scores, in the Eagle, or an occasional comment, from the local media, to generate much interest.
To me, it’s sad, that thru neglect in promotion and apethy, on the part of the City, that we are faced with the prospect, of losing this valuable entertainment asset.
Why would the city even consider spending $10 million that they forcibly took from taxpayers in order to buy a team for the benefit of approx. 3,000 baseball fans? It is only minor league baseball and for anyone that has been paying attention, interest in baseball is on the decline nationwide, it is no longer America’s pasttime, having been forced to compete with football, cable TV, internet, etc., baseball no longer measures up as an attractive entertainment option for many people.
It seems that the quickest way to be labeled a “jewel” and important to Wichita, is to operate a business that loses money and cannot attract enough customers to stay in business without taxpayer subsidies. The city government of Wichita is not much more than a wealth redistribution scam that forces successful businesses to pay taxes used to subsidize a host of failed businesses that no longer can attract customers. A better idea for the $10 million would be to return it to the people that it was stolen from in the first place – taxpayers.
Same could be said, for the New Arena. Hmmmmm.
Well written game synopsis, JWink, and I think it shows two things wrong with the situation the Wranglers are in.
First of all, to echo what some others have said, the Eagle’s coverage of local sports is ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC. Other local newspapers cover their local teams and generate some excitement because of it. Our newspaper could care less what goes on around here, but they’ll jump on stories about major league teams in Kansas City. NEWSFLASH, Eagle sportswriters: THIS IS WICHITA. I DON’T GIVE A CRAP WHAT GOES ON IN KANSAS CITY. It could fall off the face of the planet and I wouldn’t notice (other than it making the front page of our sports section). Our TV stations are almost as bad.
Secondly, I wonder how many people know the promotions that go on at Wranglers’ games. Where’s the marketing??? Does anybody know how to spell “advertising” in Wranglers front office? Hate to be spiteful about this, but damn. Don’t complain about attendance when part of the problem is your fault. If you run a minor league sports team and people forget your season has even started, you need to climb the nearest rooftop and start shouting.
I’ve honestly never thought of Wichita as much of a baseball town. WSU gets some attendence, but even the NBC World Series doesn’t draw very well. Maybe there’s just too many games. I’d have to say that the only real hope for a team in Wichita would be an independent team, and one that would build their own stadium. I’ve been going to Lawrence-Dumont since I was little and it’s not that attractive. I know it’s historical, but at some point you have to update or move on. Besides, the stadium you see now is not the stadium that appeared on day one. I say let a team come in and and rebuild on top of Lawrence-Dumont with their OWN money. I don’t see a minor league team being an financial asset to a city. It’s business, let them pay for their own structures. I hope someday Wichita can support baseball