Wranglers owners have sent the city of Wichita clear signals that, if it wants to keep the baseball team (and the popular NBC tournament, too?) in town, then attendance at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium needs to increase.
It seems late in the game to be trying to boost attendance, especially during these sweltering dog days of summer, but we’ll throw it out there to the blog: Anyone have some good ideas for boosting attendance?
My idea: Cage dancers in the outfield.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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31 Comments
You need to get more audience participation. Maybe some audience games, have regular people race around the bases, throw prizes into the stadiums, have HOT cheerleaders.
Have a stand up open mike comedy act. Just a short one between innings. Enough to get one or two jokes in. Audicence laugh if they like it or boo you if they don’t.
Here is a question. If the owners of the Wranglers announce next week that they will move to Spingdale. Would people still go to Wrangler games? I suspect LD would be an empty place.
Joe all you suggest the Wranglers already DO. Save the comedy and the cheerleaders.
Editors? What say you to a WEblog meetup at a Wranglers game?
If Wranglers announce their moving to Arkansas while the team is out of town because of the NBC tourney, maybe they should be locked out of LD..who owns the stadium? Wichita should. The city determines fate of the facility, not under the whim of out of town ownership.
City gov can’t allow the NBC tourney to leave, by any means.
Next season is the problem, is there any place in Arkansas for the Wranglers to play. Maybe a high school field, its not going to be Uv of Arkansas baseball field due to the college charter, so they said.
LD is done for this season how it exists today. A push for fans to attend is almost meaningless. The bench’s aren’t comfortable and corps have bought tickets to good seats, employees rarely showing up to games.
A big effort to redo LD has to occur for any kind of minor league ball to occur in the future. If it takes investors and city money to make it happen, so be it. Sell some parts to make it go. The city can’t be key cheerleaders getting people to the ballfield. It has to be a passionately held facility once its fixed by fans of the stadium, wanting the experience watching baseball on certain days. Actually getting to know other fans in the seats.
More comfortable seating is required, chairbacks for everyone.
I think a real band before games, playing rock music or songs of any kind reconziable to pump up fans could work in future years.
During the game, I don’t know how many crazy ideas but they shouldn’t interfere or hold up the game for skits or jokes told. Stick to traditional baseball in a nice stadium. It doesn’t have to be a circus, tacky.
That’s what the Wranglers efforts have become in an old stadium. Not surprising the end is near. But the idea of baseball in the stadium will live on.
Someone writing on Bob Lutz blog said expand the field of NBC teams to 64 if that’s only the baseball experience in the stadium for a few years. At least we’ll have that until the stadium is finished being rebuilt. Another affliated minor league team or independent team.
It shouldn’t happen overnight or next season. Give Wichita a break dealing with professional baseball organisations, its not a stadium competitive against other parks right now.
Fan night once a week where the fans pick the starting roster. Fan bat-boy night: A drawing before the game of those in attendence, with one or two being picked as official batboy for the game. If they’re too old to perform the duties, they get to sit in the dugout for the game anyway.0.02 worth.
If you want to fill up the stadium you’ll have to do something besides play baseball there.Hard-core baseball fans are a dying breed.
It’s just not that entertaining. Triple A games show some almost Major League level play: the true professional game is about speed, power, and well-honed execution. Omaha and OKC have triple A teams. OKC has a terrific mini-Camden Yard ballpark.
Wichita is lame. Consider the so-called Bass Pro proposal. Bass Pro shops are like Cabelas. They don’t just sell sporting goods, they have aquaria and dioramas–they are edutainment centers. You can easily spend 2-4 hours in these stores. OKC and Tulsa landed BP. But after the STAR bond proposal was predicated on getting BP, Wichita got a bait-and-switch Gander Mountain, half of whose stores are sited in 50,000 or less population small cities. Bush league.
Wichita can’t make the big-time jump. It always falls backwards. Like the arena. We aren’t going to see the premier legends like Paul McCartney, the Stones, Madonna, Eric Clapton, Barbra Streisand. We aren’t going to get the Big 12 Tournament–get real– much less an NCAA regional. We aren’t going to get NBA basketball like OKC is enjoying for at least two seasons, and very likely several, if not permanently. We aren’t going to get NHA.
Look at Exploration Place. Great design and construction. But organizers didn’t know how to present science and technology. Result: a botched job, except for the contractors who took their winnings to the bank, like they plan to do for the arena.
The taxpayer-bailed-out Hyatt Regency. Nice building, but they don’t even know how to prepare a Sunday-brunch-omelette correctly.
Ben has talked about developing composite-manufacturing. I’ve talked about nanotech. But people here, particularly the “movers and shakers” find these things to be over their heads. They can only do stuff they already know how to do, like pour concrete, create a new-and-improved Kansas Coliseum II, and enrich themselves while the community descends into a poorer state than it already is.
Wichita would like to get respect. But you can’t do that if you consistently send out messages, “We’re rudderless. We have no vision.”
If baseball doesn’t pull enough fans to support itself, let the Wranglers go. A lot of people including me, don’t enjoy baseball. As I’ve said before, I’d rather take a beating than have to watch a baseball game.
Another bottomless pit for tax dollars (baseball) is all we need (NOT).
I say baseball is worthy of saving in Wichita. We have so few things to enjoy in this burg. We ought to hold onto what we do have.Public ownership of the team is at least worthy of TRYING! The fact that fans would really be watching “their” team might bring more fans. IF it didn’t work the team is not going to lose any value in the market.
But probably Wichita will let me down…..again. Being born and raised here I am not quite completely used to it.
J R – best idea of the day!
Make the games totally free like going to the park or the library.
If taxpayers basically support it, then stop charging admission.
People in Wichita will go to things if it’s free.
Hey I know!
Lets offer lottery style winnings to one lucky person who attends…
Oh wait, that was a scheme for voting…
The quality of the product (AA baseball) is not the problem. Often AA players are sent up to the majors rather than AAA because AAA is more for players on their way down.
I believe that familiarity with the players is part of the problem. Marketing the players is important for people to be drawn in to see them. There’s a player on the team now who was the #2 pick in a recent draft. The guy’s face should be everywhere. (I saw his picture on the video board at a Wranglers game the other day and his eyes were closed)
On another note:Unfortunately, baseball has had bring fans in with entertainment that resides just outside the baseball field. Baseball parks such as Comerica Park in Detroit have amusement rises to entice people.
The Wranglers may need to include some of these things and make room in the areas outside of the stadium, but still with the turnstiles, to help attract people.
My kids really enjoyed the games, i do too… After watching one of the interviews with Eric Eldistine (GM Wranglers) one of the reporters asked him why people don’t come more often, and he answered, he didn’t know why. I thought about it myself why I have gone more…
My answer, I’m not sure… I like the game, my kids like the game. The primary reason i don’t go more often is the heat. I don’t survive well outside in 85+ temps. Also, i have 3 kids who make the trip a bit expensive at times… All 3 want $4 hot dogs, and a $2 drinks and than my $5 beer.
I know, im more apt to go if its “Company” night, where a client or my company buys the tickets… I’m also more likelly to go on cheap beer or cheap food or free food…
Lets have the Eagle have WE Blog night with cheap beer!
I don’t know how to solve this, i also think that if this city lets the Wranglers go, we might as well tear down the stadium… We wont have another minor league team for decades…
One word on how to keep the Wranglers (or any other team):
Win
Aren’t the Wranglers battling for first place in their divison of the Texas League. Win and still the fans don’t show.
That’s becuase most seats in LD aren’t comfortable. Hot weather plays a part. Tacky Wranglers promotions and ill will toward the loser Royals. We hope guys don’t get called to KC and be part of losing 100 games.
We really don’t know the players and the mechanism bringing them to Wichita. Do those players like the city at all?
I think people are correct, we need players that are here trying to make a living in baseball and we know them. An independent AA team with local ownership and players truly part of this community. If they are called up to the big leagues, its by their choice as a free agent to any team.
(If anyone remembers the WINGS and well known the players were seeing them around town. I said hey Chico all the time, rarely saw a WINGS game.)
We need a rebuilt LD, that’s a given. We need an answer already if the Wranglers are moving to Arkansas. We don’t have an answer because the Wranglers have no idea where they could play next season while that new stadium is under construction.
It’s all a setup for next season. Wranglers might have play with free games as a lame duck team here. Their saying Wichita shouldn’t poison the idea of minor league ball downtown by apathy. Other organisations might have designs to play here. Keeping the promotion of baseball with good intentions all around.
Some sports teams just take off middle of the night, that could happen. But we know its going to happen so it wouldn’t hurt.
We’ll have LD to rebuild and should keep the NBC tourney. It will be a part of downtown redevelopment efforts.
Yes,
The bottom line is, minor league baseball is not that entertaining for most folks. Heck even the majors have attendance problems.
After reading about the troubles related to the fire station funding this past week I have taken a strong opinion and believe that the city should not spend a single penny to keep the wranglers in town. It would not make sense at all to risk lives and property just to keep an attendance struggling baseball team in town. I would hope that most citizens in Wichita and on this board would be outraged if the city takes steps to pursue financial backing of the Wranglers.
Last time my then wife and I went to a Royals game, we had to figure hard to keep it from costing under $50. Those multi-millionaire salaries have to come from some place.
I want to know more about the deal the city has that gives it the right to buy the team. What price?
It COULD be a good investment. And thank you Ben for calling it a good idea when I posted about it above.
Think on it. Attendance might improve if folks felt ownership in the team. Look at how Green Bay loves their Packers. Too, any bright prospects the team produced would generate revenue for the city. Even if it didn’t work and was a financial loser the demand for a team is clearly evident in Arkansas. When you have something that someone else wants you don’t just give it to them.
I just returned from tonight’s Wranglers vs Springfield (Missouri) double-A baseball game. I think Wichita finally won about 13-3 but have to admit in the last inning I was visiting with some long-time fans about future of Wichita baseball.
But, here I would like to compliment Bob and Mindy Rich, owners of the Wranglers AND the NBC tournament and several other sports teams which I am not up to date on. In the past several years, Bob Rich has added deep-sea fishing to his interests and has actually written a book about that.
Due to their Rich Foods company, the Riches are included on the Fortune 500 list. As I understand it, Bob Rich’s father invented his premier product, the powered coffee creamer sometime back in World War II days. Occasionally when I use a coffee creamer, I notice the Rich Foods label on the tear-off lid.
Bob and Mindy Rich are probably in their late 40’s or early 50’s. They are very nice and approachable. They used to visit Lawrence-Dumont Stadium regularly. One typical summer evening, the Wranglers were tied with their opponent at the end of the 9th inning. So the game continued and the fans slowly drifted out until there were virtually no fans left except our little hard core group in the hard ball cafe including Bob and Mindy Rich. As I recall, that game went to the 17th inning at about 3 AM and Bob and Mindy remained until the last strike out.
At another game, I wanted to talk to Bob Rich about something or other so sat around while Bob was being interviewed by reporters. He came over and said something to the effect, “Hang on and I will visit with you after these reporters leave … and he did.
I remember when Bob and Mindy helped dedicate the baseball sculpture at the corner of Maple and Sycamore. They also came to participate in dedication of new improvements to L-D stadium in about 2001. Bob made a speech but probably would have preferred for his accomplished wife, Mindy, to have done it.
Now, my point here is that Bob and Mindy Rich have done a lot for Wichita over the past 15 or so years. Now is not the time for Wichita to turn our backs on them. Yes, its possible a move to Springdale, Arkansas might make good business sense for several reasons. Staying in Wichita obviously also has advantages including the fact they are already here.
The other loose cannon factor at this time is the historic National Baseball Congress (NBC) that has been here in Wichita since the 1930’s, an invention of Raymond “Hap” Dumont. There are lots of stories about the great Hap Dumont, one being that he didn’t drive so took cabs everywhere. His office was in a little building that was at the corner of Sycamore and Maple, where he died a number of years ago. He often walked the block west to the TAK-HOMA-BURGER according to “Arky,” from Arkansas of course, former owner since 1948 and with whom I talked last week.
I and many other Wichitans who I have talked with, hope we can at least keep the historic NBC tornament here in Wichita. In effect, it is the WORLD SERIES OF SEMI-PRO BASEBALL, often attracting teams from Alaska and from several international locations. Since coming to Wichita in the mid 1990’s, I have wondered why Wichita doesn’t do more to welcome this prized baseball tournament. Perhaps fly NBC flags around the stadium. Perhaps furnish a buffet dinner to all team participants across the street at Ice Sports on the round-the-clock weekend, etc.
So, my recommendation is, if the Riches do choose to move the Wranglers to Arkansas, lets be good sports and offer them a graceful exit. We should provide a place at L-D stadium for the Wranglers to play until its time for them to finally go and then give them a royal sendoff. I for one will be interested in going to Springdale, Arkansas to see the Wranglers play in their new stadium, hopefully on a bus with lots of Wichita fans.
Then lets hope we do keep the NBC tournament here and promote and support it better. I know some have said lets extend it both directions to better utilize L-D stadium. But, remember, semi-pro players also play on college baseball teams in the spring. And immediately after the NBC tournament ends must return to college. Also travel and food expenses make it difficult for these players to stay in Wichita for more than two weeks.
We do need to make most if not all of the improvements suggested by Eric Edelstein, general manager of Lawrence-Dumont stadium baseball activities. For example, new infield turf is needed quickly. Seating is deteriorating especially in the hard ball cafe. The outfield viewing area needs to be made more viewer friendly. These are reasonable and needed improvements for whatever teams play there.
Lawrence-Dumont Stadium is now about 70 years old, having been built by the WPA in 1936 after the old Island Park stadium adjacent to Broadview Hotel burned a few years earlier. The wonderful view towards the Arkansas River and the downtown Wichita skyline “is priceless” as that saying goes.
As someone told me tonight, he takes his family to Lawrence-Dumont on summer evenings to enjoy a safe secure evening of entertainment in a park-like atmosphere. Baseball itself is only part of the attraction.
Have little league teams play a couple of innings as an opener to each game.
Instead of the “seventh inning stretch” we could have a “drive-by shooting” show, a parade of Illegal Mexicans and a purse-snatching.
How to fill up Lawrence-Dumont?
With dirt.
Typical degeneration of ideas from Wichitans shows up in every topic when dealing with this city and its struggles.
It’s likely we need to lose some citizens and keep LD going with whatever possible baseball events, because it shows community spirit.
I wonder why some even live here.
Seems to me Wichita has already voted with their wallets.
I don’t know how much is necessarily voting with wallets and how much is taking for granted and forgetting it’s there. I confess, when I make plans for my disposable income I don’t always think of the Wranglers – I enjoy watching live games but don’t really think about it when the movie trailers are on and I’m thinking about Pirates of the Caribean or Lady in the Water.
Since Joe Pajor (the City’s point-man on the Wrabglers) was in charge of developing Wichita’s solid waste management plan why not just fill L-D with trash?
JR – my support was for having a Meet-up at LD; not the City buying the team. That I would have to oppose – I tend to favor private enterprise too much.
It WOULD be interesting to see some of the wealthy families here buy the team.
Can see it now the Koch-Lawrence-Dumont stadium. As a crowd pleaser, they could have the feuding Koch brothers compete in a SmackDown match that only ended when one of them was dead.
DD – you have an idea there
I kinda like Downing Lawrence-Dumont stadium. With the steriod scandal going on w/ pro ball players – some of them are getting as big as gorillas. (Downing Gorilla Forest at the Sedgwick County Zoo)
Ive heard that the reason for the move is so that David Glass owner of the Royals and Wal-Mart exec can get a baseball team that he has links to close to his base of operations in Bentonville. I have wondered if the reason the Royals suck is because Mr Glass runs the Royals like Walmart not paying his players yet expecting results?