Winnipeg Goldeyes

[pegcityboy]

Weather too cold in April for Triple A here I think but if it ever happened I think it would be a good draw here .

[esquire]

Originally Posted by pegcityboy

Weather too cold in April for Triple A here I think but if it ever happened I think it would be a good draw here .

When Edmonton had a AAA team they usually spent the first month on the road, I don't think it's that uncommon for teams in northern areas. Hell, the Twins tend to play mostly on the road in April.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by thurmas

You might be right I am on ticketmaster for tonight's game and would say 85 to 90% of the seats are still available for sale.site that showed last years attendance was off of ballpark digest i guess sam Katz is inflating the numbers similar to the Graham police headquarters.

Slipping Sammy made off very well as mayor of Winnipeg, got a house in Arizona for next to nothing to boot!

His overpriced D level baseball Goldeyes attendance is dwindling because the people that used to attend games are dying off or are now in care homes, no one under 50 cares about baseball or even knows what it is anymore as kids stopped playing the sport about 20 years ago!

[Danny D Oh]

Originally Posted by pegcityboy

I could see if American Association folded or if Goldeyes ever folded that site would be ideal for a new Arena that the Jets will need 2040ish . That site if you remember was the site of the MEC Arena proposal and those empty parking lots could eventually be filled up with residential buildings eventually.

I see that site being built up as mixed use and housing more than another sports facility.

Winnipeg is really due for some new outdoor facilities, soccer and baseball. Wonder about U of M, that southwest area the Ice were looking at, ASD/Ex Grounds and Blumberg for redevelopment.

Still think long term the WCBL will be the ball team here as the costs being in USD makes the Goldeyes a breakeven at best operation. Nobody would tell the difference in level of play from Indy ball, even low minor league. It's a college summer league so a lot of the guys are MLB prospects as much as anyone in low minors/Indy.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by thurmas

You might be right I am on ticketmaster for tonight's game and would say 85 to 90% of the seats are still available for sale.site that showed last years attendance was off of ballpark digest i guess sam Katz is inflating the numbers similar to the Graham police headquarters.

There are like 500 - 700 seats below the Craft Corner that aren't listed on ticketmaster and there are also 600 seats at suite level. The Goldeyes probably count those as sold seats whether tickets/suites have been sold/distributed or not. This way, even if there are only 1000 or so people in the general seats, they can announce crowds of 2500 or slightly more...at least that's what I suspect.

There are still some games with good attendance which can boost the overall average. Next Wednesday's game is nearly sold out and next Sat's game is over 50% full.

[BlackDog204]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Slipping Sammy made off very well as mayor of Winnipeg, got a house in Arizona for next to nothing to boot!

His overpriced D level baseball Goldeyes attendance is dwindling because the people that used to attend games are dying off or are now in care homes, no one under 50 cares about baseball or even knows what it is anymore as kids stopped playing the sport about 20 years ago!

I'm pretty sure it may have something to do with the Jets, and to a lesser extent, the Moose. I heard after the Jets returned, a lot of venues in Winnipeg took a hit- the WSO, the RWB, theatre, etc.

Let's face it, the Goldeyes are good family fun, but their heyday was the 2000s, when the new stadium was built, and people were not forking over a kidney to see the Jets.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Slipping Sammy made off very well as mayor of Winnipeg, got a house in Arizona for next to nothing to boot!

His overpriced D level baseball Goldeyes attendance is dwindling because the people that used to attend games are dying off or are now in care homes, no one under 50 cares about baseball or even knows what it is anymore as kids stopped playing the sport about 20 years ago!

Yes, as the Baby Boomers age out of attending games, they haven't been replaced by younger people. The quality of the league (first northern league and now the american association) has also declined from the 90s/early 2000s as other, better independent leagues have emerged. Losing the cornerstone franchise in St. Paul also hurt.

Unfortunately, Winnipeg is too far away from any other single A/double A affiliated baseball clubs to become a viable farm team for a MLB club in a bus league. I think the closest one is 12 - 13 hours away.

Even with crowds average crowds of 2000 or so, I bet the Goldeyes make money. The players are bused around, not flown. I imagine they stay at nothing better than 3 star hotels....and hey, let's remember something like 15 years ago, we heard the salaries for the entire team was something like 75 - 100,000 lol. oh, and the per diems were $15 per day! I recall them trotting out Hal Lanier, the manager of the Goldeyes at the time, to prove that players could eat just fine on $15 per day.

[BlackDog204]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

Yes, as the Baby Boomers age out of attending games, they haven't been replaced by younger people. The quality of the league (first northern league and now the american association) has also declined from the 90s/early 2000s as other, better independent leagues have emerged. Losing the cornerstone franchise in St. Paul also hurt.

Unfortunately, Winnipeg is too far away from any other single A/double A affiliated baseball clubs to become a viable farm team for a MLB club in a bus league. I think the closest one is 12 - 13 hours away.

I think it is less about the Goldeyes, and more about the sport of baseball itself. The MLB was once neck and neck with the NFL in terms of popularity is the 70s and up until around 1986. Compared to football, soccer, and basketball, which have increased in popularity by leaps and bounds, baseball is just not what it once was.

Baseball is just not that appealing to people under the age of 30.

[esquire]

^ I think baseball really soared in popularity around here with the Blue Jays' success in the late 80s and early 90s. Without them, I don't think the Goldeyes would have existed in the first place. But it's been a while since then.

It doesn't help that the Goldeyes play in a league that is totally irrelevant here. I mean, can we even confirm that the other teams actually exist? Or is just the same bunch of guys that get trotted out in different away uniforms to play the Goldeyes? I'm being facetious of course, but it's a far cry from leagues with more exposure where you know who the other teams and players are. I think Valour also suffers from this to some extent.

[Danny D Oh]

The cost for Goldeyes tickets post-pandemic is ridiculous too.

I can get into a MLB and affiliated ball games in much nicer cities and facilities for less.

I don't quite understand the pricing for Goldeyes games. They'd be far better off getting more people into the park to buy concessions at half the ticket cost.

[Danny D Oh]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ I think baseball really soared in popularity around here with the Blue Jays' success in the late 80s and early 90s. Without them, I don't think the Goldeyes would have existed in the first place. But it's been a while since then.

It doesn't help that the Goldeyes play in a league that is totally irrelevant here. I mean, can we even confirm that the other teams actually exist? Or is just the same bunch of guys that get trotted out in different away uniforms to play the Goldeyes? I'm being facetious of course, but it's a far cry from leagues with more exposure where you know who the other teams and players are. I think Valour also suffers from this to some extent.

Valour for sure suffers from the lack of relevance and exposure. Soccer does not have enough action to be a sport attended by casuals who don't know the background of who and what.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by BlackDog204

I think it is less about the Goldeyes, and more about the sport of baseball itself. The MLB was once neck and neck with the NFL in terms of popularity is the 70s and up until around 1986. Compared to football, soccer, and basketball, which have increased in popularity by leaps and bounds, baseball is just not what it once was.

Baseball is just not that appealing to people under the age of 30.

It wouldn't matter if baseball was as popular as it was 30 years ago. Winnipeg is too far away from other farm teams to make it work long-term. If somehow several current farm teams relocated to places like Fargo, Sioux Falls, Bismarck, Duluth then sure a team in Winnipeg could work...but that won't happen.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by Danny D Oh

The cost for Goldeyes tickets post-pandemic is ridiculous too.

I can get into a MLB and affiliated ball games in much nicer cities and facilities for less.

I don't quite understand the pricing for Goldeyes games. They'd be far better off getting more people into the park to buy concessions at half the ticket cost.

Yeah, I've seen farm teams for MLB clubs have lots of $5 - $10 tickets for kids and even adults as I've looked up a few stadiums in the past on ticketmaster. At least when you watch those teams, you know you will be watching the next generation of MLB players, some of who will be superstars. The Northern League/AA can't even say they are/were leagues full of formerly OK MLB players. They are a bunch of never-weres..not even good enough for MLB. Katz is out to lunch with his price points.

[esquire]

Goldeyes games are definitely overpriced for what they are, i.e., basically one of the lowest levels of pro baseball in existence. Considering that most people are just going there to enjoy sitting in the sun and having some food and drinks, why not lower the prices a bit and make money at the concessions? There are usually tons of empty seats, why not make it more enticing for people to bring the family?

[bomberjet]

I don't really get the hate on for the Goldeyes and the ball park. There's a boat load of land available to re-developed already. The Goldeyes have their regulars and give out a lot of tickets to kids programs.

And as was mentioned, it never was like we're going to see future pros. That's never what the Goldeyes were or will be. It's mostly just a good time to get out with the family and enjoy the weather for people who enjoy baseball.

[lbnevs]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I don't really get the hate on for the Goldeyes and the ball park. There's a boat load of land available to re-developed already. The Goldeyes have their regulars and give out a lot of tickets to kids programs.

And as was mentioned, it never was like we're going to see future pros. That's never what the Goldeyes were or will be. It's mostly just a good time to get out with the family and enjoy the weather for people who enjoy baseball.

I gotta say, I love a ballpark where the concessions include samosa chaat.

[trueviking]

How much are tickets?

[blueandgoldguy]

It is a good ballpark. I think the only thing missing would be 300-500 bleacher seats in rightfield.

[thurmas]

the ballpark is fine but a new league and ownership are needed. a cheapskate like Katz over pricing tickets for a level of baseball that is just journeymen just doesnt cut the mustard anymore.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by trueviking

How much are tickets?

Here is a link to the prices and the seating plan.

https://www.goldeyes.com/tickets

If you buy in advance the lowest priced ticket is $15.50 and goes up to $18.50 on game day.