$15 to get into BP early????

[Physics Guy]

there is some great irony in this thread......

 

I would concur. I find that the vast majority of the people who I agree with on this thread are those that I don't normally and just the opposite for those that think its a joke to even discuss it. I find it refreshing to be on the other side of the fence this time. Not everything the FO does is right, nor is is everything they do wrong. Doesn't it sometimes feel as though the forum is much like "debates" between the Republicans and Democrats?

 

I'd have to do some research (and won't) but I'm pretty sure that all MLB teams go by pretty much the same pre-game schedule.

 

I wouldn't pay extra for it. I'd love to see them open the gates earlier. But I certainly don't blame them for looking into options and things that other organizaitons are doing.

 

I did a quick search and came across an article in USA Today (albeit from 2005). 15 teams opened the gates with at least 25 minutes on home team BP left, sometimes up to an hour. I forgot that the Twins open two hours early on the weekends, so maybe we can watch part of it. I'd be curious what the stats on this are currently, but I'm guessing it would take way too long to figure out.

 

When I started this thread it was a quick reaction to the Strib article. I had no idea the discussion would go on this long and we've probably beat this one to death. Hopefully, the Twins come up with a well thought out solution.

[ThePuck]

Physics Guy,

 

Respectfully, I live in N Dakota. I have only gone to weekend games at Target Field. I have been there for gates opening almost every time. I've never seen the Twins do BP.

 

Respectfully.

[The Greatest Poster Alive]

ftfy.

 

it's almost as if baseball is some kind of business...

[The Greatest Poster Alive]

ThePuck,

 

Respecfully, please use the reply with quote button located below the post you're referring to.

[Guest USAFChief]

it's almost as if baseball is some kind of business...

Yeah, if anyone had any doubts, the Twins seem intent on removing them.

[snepp]

it's almost as if baseball is some kind of business...

 

Yeah, a consumer driven business, one that requires, you know, not pissing off and driving away one's customers.

 

A task which they've done a miserable job of in recent times.

[The Greatest Poster Alive]

Yeah, a consumer driven business, one that requires, you know, not pissing off and driving away one's customers.

 

A task which they've done a miserable job of in recent times.

 

In a year or 2 when this team is back on top of the AL Central... you'll all be back.

[ThePuck]

ThePuck,

 

Respecfully, please use the reply with quote button located below the post you're referring to.

 

Most of the time I do, I don't think it's needed to be done every time I directly speak to a poster, nor is it a requirement that I know of. So, respectfully, I'll use my own judgement when to quote and when to just address the poster in the manner I did.

[snepp]

In a year or 2 when this team is back on top of the AL Central... you'll all be back.

 

It's nice to know that we've all left.

 

 

PM me when it's ok to return, maybe we'll all be real fans when we come back.

[TheLeviathan]

Apparently for a small segment of Twins fans the following things constitute "good business practice":

 

1) Complete disregard for consumer loyalty/customer satisfaction

2) Priced gouging for all non-essential services offered

3) Premature press releases (damn interns!)

4) Singling out your two best customers (parents with children and hardcore baseball people) and openly giving them an "FU"

5) Not caring about customers because at some unknown point in the future when you hope to be good you know you'll get money from them.

6) Making the "Well every other business is doing it!" excuse look like something that not just 6 year olds employ as logic.

 

Maybe this explains why this organization feels entitled to do things like this.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Maybe it just gripes them that some are getting in cheap via StubHub, and this BP surcharge can't be gotten around that way, hah, take that, rabble!

Actually, I suspect this may have been a contributing factor. The Twins needed to create something new to maximize revenue right now. Of course, thinking about maximizing revenue when you've slashed payroll and the team generally sucks is probably not the best move in the world either, which is probably why it got pulled.

[snepp]

That extra $70,000 is going to make all the difference.

 

 

If they were worried about money they could have saved ten times that by not unnecessarily tendering a contract to Butera.

[Twins Twerp]

That extra $70,000 is going to make all the difference.

 

 

If they were worried about money they could have saved ten times that by not unnecessarily tendering a contract to Butera.

 

I actually think Butera is so good with pitchers, that they would rather pay him and keep on 40-man to work with super prospects May and Meyer. If he were taken off the 40-man he would be gobbled up by another organization like that. Financially, if he can help to develop May and Meyer, the Twins will easily recover that money in the long run. I know you were being sarcastic but Butera being on the roster does have SOME merit, not that I totally agree with it. Also, without Butera what would we call the Butera line? The Hicks line?

[snepp]

Hicks could only dream of hitting the "Butera Line" right now.

[Twins Twerp]

Can the Hicks line be .050? Or should we just let the kid alone, he might read this stuff you know. He might even be Aaron Cross incognito. OMG I just figured it out.

[snepp]

I prefer using the more sabermetric "Butera Line," a .500 OPS.

 

 

Hicks is only coming up a few hundred points short of that right now.

[Guest USAFChief]

I prefer using the more sabermetric "Butera Line," a .500 OPS.

 

 

Hicks is only coming up a few hundred points short of that right now.

Yeah, but he's got 3x as many RBI as Mauer!!1! And...on a serious note...just as many walks.

[Otto von Ballpark]

An informal survey of MLB stadium home-team batting practice viewing:

 

[TABLE=class: grid, width: 500, align: center]

Home BP viewing

# of teams

% of teams

15-30 minutes everyday

9

30

15-30 minutes only on weekends

7

23

No regular home BP viewing

8

27

45-60 minutes everyday

6

20

[/TABLE]

 

The Twins fall in that second group (15-30 minutes on weekends). (I haven't gone early to a weekend game in awhile, but essentially this group means the home team starts hitting 2.5 hours before game time, and the gates open 2 hours before game time. Not sure how much actual home BP viewing is practical with that schedule, though -- 15 minutes might be the max for most days.)

 

The best teams? Washington and Cleveland generally open gates 2.5 hours before game time. Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and San Diego also seem to open some outfield gates early.

 

The "no regular home BP viewing" teams (less than 10 minutes offered, according to their schedules): Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, New York Mets, and Pittsburgh.

 

(Pittsburgh and the LA Dodgers both allow early access to each game for season ticket holders, so they can essentially see full BP. My compiled numbers above just considered access for all fans, though.)

 

Cincinnati was the only team I encountered that had a special ticketing scheme like the Twins proposed -- $17 including museum admission, or $24 to add a ballpark tour too -- although those tickets could be bought in advance of the game and it purported to include ALL of Reds BP, as opposed to the Twins plan, which was game-day sales only and advertised just the "majority" of BP. (As mentioned upthread, Atlanta, Houston, and perhaps others have more expensive deals to watch BP from the field behind home plate -- I didn't consider those in this list.)

 

The Red Sox Nation deal mentioned previously is pretty interesting -- basically the same as a Twins Territory membership, but it also allows you to enter the park 30 minutes before the gates open (and visit the top of the Green Monster), so you could basically see some BP on weekdays and full BP on weekends for just $15 per year. If the Twins did something like Boston, Pittsburgh, or the Dodgers, I envision a real positive fan reaction.

 

As was revealed later by their quick pull, the Twins proposal was definitely half-baked -- I can't imagine any other team would only allow fans to buy this access on game day and also limits the quantities. You'd have people showing up 45-60 minutes early, willing to pay extra, and still potentially getting shut out, just to wait around an hour on the plaza? Contrary to what the team said and other posters here have repeated, my research suggests their proposal was nowhere near a common thing across MLB.

[Squirrel]

An informal survey of MLB stadium home-team batting practice viewing:

 

[TABLE=class: grid, width: 500, align: center]

Home BP viewing

# of teams

% of teams

15-30 minutes everyday

9

30

15-30 minutes only on weekends

7

23

No regular home BP viewing

8

27

45-60 minutes everyday

6

20

[/TABLE]

 

The Twins fall in that second group (15-30 minutes on weekends). (I haven't gone early to a weekend game in awhile, but essentially this group means the home team starts hitting 2.5 hours before game time, and the gates open 2 hours before game time. Not sure how much actual home BP viewing is practical with that schedule, though -- 15 minutes might be the max for most days.)

 

The best teams? Washington and Cleveland generally open gates 2.5 hours before game time. Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and San Diego also seem to open some outfield gates early.

 

The "no regular home BP viewing" teams (less than 10 minutes offered, according to their schedules): Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, New York Mets, and Pittsburgh.

 

(Pittsburgh and the LA Dodgers both allow early access to each game for season ticket holders, so they can essentially see full BP. My compiled numbers above just considered access for all fans, though.)

 

Cincinnati was the only team I encountered that had a special ticketing scheme like the Twins proposed -- $17 including museum admission, or $24 to add a ballpark tour too -- although those tickets could be bought in advance of the game and it purported to include ALL of Reds BP, as opposed to the Twins plan, which was game-day sales only and advertised just the "majority" of BP. (As mentioned upthread, Atlanta, Houston, and perhaps others have more expensive deals to watch BP from the field behind home plate -- I didn't consider those in this list.)

 

The Red Sox Nation deal mentioned previously is pretty interesting -- basically the same as a Twins Territory membership, but it also allows you to enter the park 30 minutes before the gates open (and visit the top of the Green Monster), so you could basically see some BP on weekdays and full BP on weekends for just $15 per year. If the Twins did something like Boston, Pittsburgh, or the Dodgers, I envision a real positive fan reaction.

 

As was revealed later by their quick pull, the Twins proposal was definitely half-baked -- I can't imagine any other team would only allow fans to buy this access on game day and also limits the quantities. You'd have people showing up 45-60 minutes early, willing to pay extra, and still potentially getting shut out, just to wait around an hour on the plaza? Contrary to what the team said and other posters here have repeated, my research suggests their proposal was nowhere near a common thing across MLB.

 

Thanks for this research and sharing the info.

[ashbury]

The best teams? Washington and Cleveland generally open gates 2.5 hours before game time.

 

I would like to see how the Twins might respond to this. "Oh, well, Washington and Cleveland, they can do this, because..." what? Ushers and security staff cost less there? Fans there are much better behaved and won't spray graffiti on the walls like unsupervised Twins fans would? No one in Washington or Cleveland actually takes them up on the offer and the ballpark is essentially empty until 15 minutes before gametime?

[Guest USAFChief]

Thanks for this research and sharing the info.

Concur.

[edavis0308]

An informal survey of MLB stadium home-team batting practice viewing:

 

[TABLE=class: grid, width: 500, align: center]

Home BP viewing

# of teams

% of teams

15-30 minutes everyday

9

30

15-30 minutes only on weekends

7

23

No regular home BP viewing

8

27

45-60 minutes everyday

6

20

[/TABLE]

 

The Twins fall in that second group (15-30 minutes on weekends). (I haven't gone early to a weekend game in awhile, but essentially this group means the home team starts hitting 2.5 hours before game time, and the gates open 2 hours before game time. Not sure how much actual home BP viewing is practical with that schedule, though -- 15 minutes might be the max for most days.)

 

The best teams? Washington and Cleveland generally open gates 2.5 hours before game time. Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and San Diego also seem to open some outfield gates early.

 

The "no regular home BP viewing" teams (less than 10 minutes offered, according to their schedules): Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, New York Mets, and Pittsburgh.

 

(Pittsburgh and the LA Dodgers both allow early access to each game for season ticket holders, so they can essentially see full BP. My compiled numbers above just considered access for all fans, though.)

 

Cincinnati was the only team I encountered that had a special ticketing scheme like the Twins proposed -- $17 including museum admission, or $24 to add a ballpark tour too -- although those tickets could be bought in advance of the game and it purported to include ALL of Reds BP, as opposed to the Twins plan, which was game-day sales only and advertised just the "majority" of BP. (As mentioned upthread, Atlanta, Houston, and perhaps others have more expensive deals to watch BP from the field behind home plate -- I didn't consider those in this list.)

 

The Red Sox Nation deal mentioned previously is pretty interesting -- basically the same as a Twins Territory membership, but it also allows you to enter the park 30 minutes before the gates open (and visit the top of the Green Monster), so you could basically see some BP on weekdays and full BP on weekends for just $15 per year. If the Twins did something like Boston, Pittsburgh, or the Dodgers, I envision a real positive fan reaction.

 

As was revealed later by their quick pull, the Twins proposal was definitely half-baked -- I can't imagine any other team would only allow fans to buy this access on game day and also limits the quantities. You'd have people showing up 45-60 minutes early, willing to pay extra, and still potentially getting shut out, just to wait around an hour on the plaza? Contrary to what the team said and other posters here have repeated, my research suggests their proposal was nowhere near a common thing across MLB.

 

Wow. Impressive research. Thanks for taking the time.

[Squirrel]

Another article ... if you can stand more on the subject ... I nipped it from a FB friend ...

The Twins hit a nerve with a batting practice ticket sale. | SportsonEarth.com : Emma Span Article

[edavis0308]

Another article ... if you can stand more on the subject ... I nipped it from a FB friend ...

The Twins hit a nerve with a batting practice ticket sale. | SportsonEarth.com : Emma Span Article

 

 

Great article, and it doesnt even touch on things like lowering payroll, etc, that gets the majority of us thrown into a tiz.

[ashbury]

Great article

 

Came back to say this as well. In this thread I've expressed only the negative, but this writer took the time to present a balanced and thoughtful view that pretty much echoes my own feelings but said better.

[ashbury]

I doubt the Twins PR crew has anyone that speaks French. "Goodwill" is an English vocabulary word apparently above their pay grade.

 

I think the better translation is "Freebie", and it isn't hard to imagine them doing a Monty Burns shudder at *that* word.

 

Also, I was wrong about it being French. In writing this up for my blog, I checked and found that it's either Creole or Spanish or Cajun or all or none or something. Mark Twain may have popularized it, accounting for some fuzziness on fact.