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While the topic is mainly geared towards Pirates fans, I thought it might bring up some interesting discussion amongst the board as a whole...
With the heightened talk of Freddy Sanchez being traded, it got me to thinking of the larger, off field, impact upon the fan base and ticket sales if yet another popular player is traded. The question posed below (hopefully) illustrates a large point concerning the impact of the moves the Pirates have made over the past two seasons.
Disregarding personal preferences, who would you consider a) the 5 most popular Pirates coming on the 09 opening day roster, and b) the 5 most popular Pirates of the 00's
Taking such things as national media coverage and the number of shirts/jerseys I've seen around PNC Park over the past 9 years, here is my take:
09:
1) Sanchez
2)McLouth
3)Wilson
4)Maholm
5)Morgan
For the decade:
1)Giles
2)Sanchez
3)Bay
4)Wilson
5)Kendall
To get at my larger point, with all but Maholm from the 09 top 5 either traded or on the block, and the fairly bittersweet losses of a number of other fan favorites from the past decade or so, I can't help but feel that the Pirates are running a very high risk of entirely alienating a generation of fans. While I have backed the moves of management, I have to question their PR skills. I recall both Connelly and Huntington making statements to the effect that they feel winning will bring fans back to the Pirates, and I'm sure to a certain extent that is true. However, I can't help but feel that this cycle of losing players in which the fans have made a significant emotional investment is doing nothing but pushing away the dedicated, die-hard fans that have been the team's main draw for the past 2 decades, as casual fans have increasingly lost interest in the team.
With the heightened talk of Freddy Sanchez being traded, it got me to thinking of the larger, off field, impact upon the fan base and ticket sales if yet another popular player is traded. The question posed below (hopefully) illustrates a large point concerning the impact of the moves the Pirates have made over the past two seasons.
Disregarding personal preferences, who would you consider a) the 5 most popular Pirates coming on the 09 opening day roster, and b) the 5 most popular Pirates of the 00's
Taking such things as national media coverage and the number of shirts/jerseys I've seen around PNC Park over the past 9 years, here is my take:
09:
1) Sanchez
2)McLouth
3)Wilson
4)Maholm
5)Morgan
For the decade:
1)Giles
2)Sanchez
3)Bay
4)Wilson
5)Kendall
To get at my larger point, with all but Maholm from the 09 top 5 either traded or on the block, and the fairly bittersweet losses of a number of other fan favorites from the past decade or so, I can't help but feel that the Pirates are running a very high risk of entirely alienating a generation of fans. While I have backed the moves of management, I have to question their PR skills. I recall both Connelly and Huntington making statements to the effect that they feel winning will bring fans back to the Pirates, and I'm sure to a certain extent that is true. However, I can't help but feel that this cycle of losing players in which the fans have made a significant emotional investment is doing nothing but pushing away the dedicated, die-hard fans that have been the team's main draw for the past 2 decades, as casual fans have increasingly lost interest in the team.
