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nlfan wrote:

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BPD noted this story about GP: Grand Prairie AirHogs must draw fans to new stadium - and keep them there

The BPD quote is:

The greater concern, perhaps, is the crowded nature of the sports market in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area; it sounds like Air Hogs management will be focused on local marketing and trying to not to being in fans from the entire Metroplex.

Focused marketing would make sense since it's unlike that Cats fans are going to change allegiances --isn't that right horseraider? It would work best to try getting the inter-city rivalry going and get fans making trips to both LaGrave and QT for games.

And they'll beat me to the QT since it appears they'll be there for the opening series. Oh well... I'll be there two weeks from today to check it out anyway.

With gas right at $3.70 a gallon it might, Bill!

Honestly it is kind of tempting...I live across town, just drive the six or seven miles to all the AirHog games or buy season tickets. But I can't, as tempting as that may be. I've talked to a handful of new GP season ticket holders who HAVE switched allegiances, I guess you can say. They used to go to Cats games all the time and since they live in town, it obviously makes more economic sense to them to stay here and support the AirHogs. More likely those folks don't have the same emotional attachment I have to the Cats. I just don't think the Cats have lost that many GP fans though. I know several others like myself who still go to Fort Worth and ain't changin' teams!

I have always said my allegiance to a team will go as far as my wallet allows it to go. That is a truth with me.

Ballpark looks nice. Drove by one last time today before Friday. All the little external touches are making it look like more than a big cattle barn.

I hope they do draw well, for the league's sake. We need a strong league and not have teams dropping out every year. My sales tax dollars are helping pay for this thing, and the city sure doesnt need a $20 million dollar white elephant only being used for high school and little league games down the road.

My guess is, the ballpark will be the draw for a couple years and the attendance will be good. But as has been proven, even in the major league boom of new ballparks being built all over in the 90's, the "newness" of a ballpark only draws fans for so long. The teams have to start winning after that (the local Texas Rangers as proof of that..maybe 15,000 actual fans in seats at most games nowadays, when they used to have twice that regularly). The same thing will happen with the Hogs if they don't have a competitive team in a couple years. "Fun Is Good" only works for so long. The funny stuff is the same, there will still be a swimming pool and sports bar and luxury suites, but after the newness wears off..As Bill said one time, the Saints still had the "Fun Is Good' stuff going on but the team wasn't winning and attendance dwindled. Winning does matter over the long run!!

I'll take a couple pics Friday and post. Will be getting there early to check out everything and give the park my "review" later this week.