Bucs fans dropping tickets and not looking back

[cyberdude557]

SARASOTA - They could offer him free beer for life. A choice spot in stadium restroom lines. A parking space so close, he could watch Josh Freeman slip on his jock.

Wouldn't matter. Jim Hinck isn't buying.

Precisely the Bucs' worry.

"They could invite me to go have breakfast with Raheem Morris,'' said the Englewood resident, "it doesn't change my mind.''

No waffling with this guy. Hinck merely thinks the Bucs will be toast.

The planet's pecking order for perturbed persons goes something like this: No. 1, those directly affected by the BP oil spill.

No. 2, Tiger Woods, perusing his divorce settlement.

No. 3, Bucs season-ticket holders.

For several years now, they've been asked to pay premium prices for a product arguably not worth the investment of time required to watch it.

Don't worry, though, the Bucs feel your pain.

At the very least, they're prepared to fake it.

Actually, the franchise has taken steps to address the concern of fans walking the plank, money in tow, casting adrift their support for the team.

It's slashed prices to as low as $35 for an adult ticket, $25 for fans 16 and under. During training camp, the availability of players for pictures and autographs should be at an all-time high.

With the threat of blacked out games a real possibility, they're reaching out.

Just as Hinck is pulling back.

"I don't believe in what they're doing.''

It started right after last season, when the long-time Buc fan decided to forgo the tickets he's had since 1998 by ignoring his bill for 2011, close to $2,000.

The Bucs phoned Hinck, who said thanks but no thanks. They called again and again, even leaving messages at his work.

"I wasn't harassed,'' Hinck said, "but it's almost like a debt collector.''

Hinck stood firm. The Bucs persisted, this time, offering a face-to-face with the one person whose smudged fingerprints dominated year one of the team's master rebuilding plan.

Re-up, the Bucs told Hinck, and we'll arrange a Q&A with general manager Mark Dominik at the team's One Buc headquarters.

Q: "Yeah, Mark, how come the team hasn't spent more money on players?''

A: "No comment, but thanks for stopping by.''

"I thought it was an act of desperation,'' said Hinck, "where they're looking at all their data bases and saying, 'Here's a guy who's been paying us religiously year after year and we're going to lose him.'

"They wanted me to hear about the vision of what they're building there. Be on board with the beginning of this new whatever they're doing.

"I'm a Bucs fan, but it's terrible to see what's going on.''

Hinck's cynicism had a healthy head start. He hated, simply loathed, the manner in which Derrick Brooks was released.

"And with the high definition TVs today and the cost of going to the games,'' he said, "you go to a game, it's $8 for a soda.

"It's hard to watch them. It's not an NFL product. How do you watch that?''

Answers, anyone?

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100707/COLUMNIST/7071036/2110/SPORTS?p=1&tc=pg

[kapsta]

+1

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...

Whew - I'm glad I got that outta my system.

[cyberdude557]

You got to be a fool to not see what is really going on behind the curtain.

This ownership has been the cheapest in the league for the past 6 years. This will now be the 2nd straight year with the cheapest payroll. There are no pro-bowlers. The number of players that would start on a playoff team can be counted on a single hand. We got what is practically still a rookie QB who will be throwing to two rookie WRs with no veteran leadership being coached by guy who was clearly in over his head last year and an offensive coordinator that is using a dumbed-down Gruden offense.

The team is so bad that 6 wins would be considered "improvement." Yet the Glazers want fans to buy into the same product that that they themselves refuse to invest money in? They claim they are building through the draft and will spend money locking up core players. Does it look like they are locking up core players? Look at the Donald Penn situation!

AND we are all supposed to believe all this has nothing to do with their $1.6 billion dollar debt over in England and other failing businesses here??

Yeah....OK.

Cyber...  my only point is I really don't care...

I expect to be entertained on Sundays during football season.  I'm certain I will be (and yes, that includes being happy and pissed in a three hour period.)

[nybucsfan]

This guy is a loser! Fairweather fans be gone! Last years team was probably the worst bucs team in the last decade and i've never had so much fun watching every second of it. Some of you people don't know how good you have it to have your team right in town where you can watch every home game, if you choose. I'd give my left testy for a season ticket which I could actually use. So go ahead and cry and whine about the team not winning and drop your season tickets. Only proves you were never a real fan of the team, just the winning.

[RHBucsFan]

You got to be a fool to not see what is really going on behind the curtain.

This ownership has been the cheapest in the league for the past 6 years. This will now be the 2nd straight year with the cheapest payroll. There are no pro-bowlers. The number of players that would start on a playoff team can be counted on a single hand. We got what is practically still a rookie QB who will be throwing to two rookie WRs with no veteran leadership being coached by guy who was clearly in over his head last year and an offensive coordinator that is using a dumbed-down Gruden offense.

The team is so bad that 6 wins would be considered "improvement." Yet the Glazers want fans to buy into the same product that that they themselves refuse to invest money in? They claim they are building through the draft and will spend money locking up core players. Does it look like they are locking up core players? Look at the Donald Penn situation!

AND we are all supposed to believe all this has nothing to do with their $1.6 billion dollar debt over in England and other failing businesses here??

Yeah....OK.

+1.

Cyber, you can do what you want. I'd personally rather be "entertained" from my couch at home for free than continue to throw my money to a sinking ship. I look at return on investment with the good old entertainment budget. This isn't cutting it for me. I'd rather spend my money going to see a movie these days.

[1sparkybuc]

dud e, you don't have to jump off the bandwagon. My guess is you were never on it, maybe just running along side. The fans who lived through the early years will certainly stick with them now. They will continue to support and encourage this team. The "fans" who do nothing but attack and tear down, were never really fans at all.

Jeff Garcia no longer has a job opportunity in Tampa. Gruden is gone. Get over it.

[Feel Real Good]

There are no pro-bowlers. The number of players that would start on a playoff team can be counted on a single hand.

They're trying to fix that. The three guys most responsible don't work here anymore.

They claim they are building through the draft and will spend money locking up core players. Does it look like they are locking up core players? Look at the Donald Penn situation!

I thought you want Pro Bowl players. How many Pro Bowls has Penn been to? Make up your mind. Do you want Pro Bowl players or overpaid mediocre ones?

[calicojack]

Reminds me of the '80s...

[rgator13]

I agree completly with this guy. If the Glazers put forth effort to show me they care then I will pay my bounty to come see your team. If not then why should I pay my hard earned money in a ressesion so that you can say... "Even though we slashed payroll fans still came"

Dont give this orginization any feeling of acceptance or that you are ok with this. The only way the Glazers will get the message is if Ray Jay is empty...then they will have to spend some money to get fans back

Make them come to us we dont have to come to them

I spent my entire youth only seeing a Bucs game when they were away and when at home on Radio.

I got Redzone so either way if the game is on I can see them in the redzone... Thanks FiOS

[JC510]

Not a coincidence that he got his season tickets after the 1997 season and is jumping off now. He's not a fan, he's a front runner.

[MiltonMack21]

Tickets since 1998... thats all I needed to see.

[Feel Real Good]

I agree completly with this guy. If the Glazers put forth effort to show me they care then I will pay my bounty to come see your team. If not then why should I pay my hard earned money in a ressesion so that you can say... "Even though we slashed payroll fans still came"

Dont give this orginization any feeling of acceptance or that you are ok with this. The only way the Glazers will get the message is if Ray Jay is empty...then they will have to spend some money to get fans back

Make them come to us we dont have to come to them

Tampa fans want players they care about, and more likely than not, those are home grown players. They spent a ton of money on Keyshawn and the fans didn't like him. They spent a ton of money on Rice and the fans didn't like him. The Bucs were gunning for a 1st round bye in 2008 and were having trouble selling out games because the fans didn't give a crap about any of the players. They want the next Alstott, Lynch, and Brooks.

[calicojack]

How long have you all had your tickets?