Bucs fans dropping tickets and not looking back

[JavaBuc]

You are comparing the Giants playoff game (sellout at double season ticket prices) to this year's disaster of a half empty stadium at discount prices?   Please.

[Pick6]

those expecting to watch the bucs from their couch this season will be sorely disappointed at least 4 times this year.  as for me, i'm looking forward to signs of improvement across the board and i love gamedays anyhow, and am on board for the full home schedule plus 2 road trips.  been through ugly seasons with the bucs before, haven't regretted it.  

you always wish your team was playing dynasty type football, but most teams do that only a few times in a fan's lifetime unless said fan is jumping on bandwagons.  even the current perennial contenders like indy, new england, philly, and san diego couldn't muster  .500 season if their life depended on it until they were lucky enough to draft a future hall of famer or two onto the roster to turn things around.  

it is almost impossible to make a logical prediction about the bucs' upcoming season given the huge number of variables from February 2009 to February 2010.  all we can do is watch it unfold.  i'll be watching from my usual seats

Bucs fans couldn't even fill up the stadium for a home playoff game in 2007. Disinterest in players, even when winning, has been going on for a while. It's bigger than just what happened in 2009.

the bolded part is a hugely underrated part of the problem.  the fans have not had a new long-term player the fans can latch onto in this century aside from perhaps simeon rice.  when the team is up and down, it wears on fans, especially when they don't have a couple of players they can really get behind like our drafted core from our contending years. piece by piece those guys left as their skills waned and fan interest went the same way even in winning seasons.  

that is why this year will be so much more important in hindsight than people feel it is now.  if even half of these rookies and second year guys meet expectations, everybody will revise their histories to say 2010 was the year they saw the bucs really bloom even if many bucs fans take a step back and only watch the highlights of this year's games on ESPN.   this is similar to how everyone the last time around wanted to tell you they were front and center watching sapp, dungy, and co forge a winner in 1996 and 97 when in fact they probably didn't commit until after those guys were superstars

[calicojack]

The 2007 playoffs were all hit by the economy.  The game in Tampa had the least available tickets of all the games on that weekend...

[MiltonMack21]

The 2007 playoffs were all hit by the economy.  The game in Tampa had the least available tickets of all the games on that weekend...

All the Giant fans found there way to Tampa to buy them up....

[Biggs3535]

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.

QFT.

Kinda hard to call this guy a fan, but is it really news that people (mostly bandwagon fans) are dropping their season tickets?

[RHBucsFan]

argue all you want, but fact is this guy on the original thread is IN THE MAJORITY. His feelings are shared by all of the fans dressed as empty seats in RayJay last year, and they will join him again this year.

Tampa is a town that wants to love the Bucs.

[FartMan]

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.

QFT.

Kinda hard to call this guy a fan, but is it really news that people (mostly bandwagon fans) are dropping their season tickets?

bandwagon fan is thrown around waaaay to casually.  A bandwagon fan would have no interest in the Bucs any more and would be routing for New Orleans this coming season.  A bandwagon fan is not somebody who complains about their sucky favorite team and would rather watch them at home then pay 200 bucks and watch them get embarrassed in their own stadium.  Either way... still a fan of the team... Any body posting on the PR board in July, I would not classify as a bandwagon fan.

People toss that word out and it's a bludgeoned meant to end the debate.   

[Biggs3535]

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.

QFT.

Kinda hard to call this guy a fan, but is it really news that people (mostly bandwagon fans) are dropping their season tickets?

bandwagon fan is thrown around waaaay to casually.  A bandwagon fan would have no interest in the Bucs any more and would be routing for New Orleans this coming season.  A bandwagon fan is not somebody who complains about their sucky favorite team and would rather watch them at home then pay 200 bucks and watch them get embarrassed in their own stadium. Either way... still a fan of the team... Any body posting on the PR board in July, I would not classify as a bandwagon fan.

People toss that word out and it's a bludgeoned meant to end the debate.   

I didn't realize the guy in the article posted here?

Anyway, I'm sure it's no coincidence that he first got his season tickets in 1998 and is wanting to get rid of them now.  That pretty much fits my definition of bandwagon.

[ryan24]

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.

I think there's a lot of truth to this....too much so IMHO.

[ryan24]

Alstott was forced out due to injury... nothing you can do about that, Any one who watched the end of '08 could see poor Brooks was a shell of his former self... I didn't have a problem with releasing him... maybe could have been done with more pomp and circumstance... but completely understandable.  Lynch hurts a bit, because in hindsight he had some gas left in the tank.

Players get old... I guess the average casual fan doesn't realize that, but letting players go who are hanging on past their usefulness has never bothered me... If Rice had gone to Denver and had 15 sacks, I bet there would be a lot more indignation.

The thing with Brooks was... he didn't go to another team... If people could have seen him go to New England and get cut before the season started... they may have seen he had nothing left to give...  It's really not fair to the current regime that people think of Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks and not the old man limping down the field in the '08 Raider game.  That is one of the few things I do not fault the current regime in doing.

You can explain the departures however to too many, it didn't matter. Their guys were let go and that was unacceptable.

[FartMan]

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.

QFT.

Kinda hard to call this guy a fan, but is it really news that people (mostly bandwagon fans) are dropping their season tickets?

bandwagon fan is thrown around waaaay to casually.  A bandwagon fan would have no interest in the Bucs any more and would be routing for New Orleans this coming season.  A bandwagon fan is not somebody who complains about their sucky favorite team and would rather watch them at home then pay 200 bucks and watch them get embarrassed in their own stadium. Either way... still a fan of the team... Any body posting on the PR board in July, I would not classify as a bandwagon fan.

People toss that word out and it's a bludgeoned meant to end the debate.  

I didn't realize the guy in the article posted here?

Anyway, I'm sure it's no coincidence that he first got his season tickets in 1998 and is wanting to get rid of them now.  That pretty much fits my definition of bandwagon.

That's a lot of speculation on your part.  I can't speak for the motives of the person in the article, I don't know the man... However, if he still considers himself a Bucs fan, but has decided just not to renew his season tickets... then he's not a bandwagon fan... enduring a Bucs loss on your big screen tv with your cheap beer and air conditioning, is slightly less nauseating  than shelling out hundreds of dollars to do it in 115 degree heat while be being taunted by opposing team fans, who have some how found them selves in the majority at RJS.

other than Caddy and maybe Ronde, do any of us really think any players care about this franchise?   if so, then why should fans have unquestioned blind faith for this franchise and it's leadership?   Does Raheem Morris and Mark Dominick inspire the faithful that much?    Almost every player on the team would prefer greener pastures, so why shouldn't the fans want that as well??  The ownership spends more time spinning bad news than BP Oil executives.    And the owners are more occupied with this tax deductions and PR for the charities, than the actual people filling the seats.   Im tired of spending $7,000 a year just to be treated like some stat on a spreadsheet.   yeah, I could swallow the pain a little more if we put out a 12-4 team every year, but this team is just beginning one of those non-competitive drouhgts like Cleveland, Seattle, Oakland, San Francisco, Buffalo etc      if were going to be one of those teams, then the ticket prices should be reflect that.  As a famous former Buccaneer once said on his website upon retirement......  I'm Done!

...

[Boid Fink]

Glazers suck.

[Biggs3535]

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.

QFT.

Kinda hard to call this guy a fan, but is it really news that people (mostly bandwagon fans) are dropping their season tickets?

bandwagon fan is thrown around waaaay to casually. �A bandwagon fan would have no interest in the Bucs any more and would be routing for New Orleans this coming season. �A bandwagon fan is not somebody who complains about their sucky favorite team and would rather watch them at home then pay 200 bucks and watch them get embarrassed in their own stadium. Either way... still a fan of the team... Any body posting on the PR board in July, I would not classify as a bandwagon fan.

People toss that word out and it's a bludgeoned meant to end the debate. �

I didn't realize the guy in the article posted here?

Anyway, I'm sure it's no coincidence that he first got his season tickets in 1998 and is wanting to get rid of them now. �That pretty much fits my definition of bandwagon.

That's a lot of speculation on your part. �I can't speak for the motives of the person in the article, I don't know the man... However, if he still considers himself a Bucs fan, but has decided just not to renew his season tickets... then he's not a bandwagon fan... enduring a Bucs loss on your big screen tv with your cheap beer and air conditioning, is slightly less nauseating �than shelling out hundreds of dollars to do it in 115 degree heat while be being taunted by opposing team fans, who have some how found them selves in the majority at RJS.

I'm not speculating about the time-line:


1997:  The Buccaneers go 10-6 to have their first winning season in 15+ years
1998:  This guy gets season tickets

2009:  The Buccaneers go 3-13
2010:  This guy doesn't want his tickets anymore


I'm sure that's purely coincidental...

[Feel Real Good]

I for one don't judge anyone for dumping season tickets. My only contention is that the owners should go make a bunch of moves to make fans happy that more than likely aren't going to do anything. Last year sucked and this year probably won't be a ton better, but if some of these new players can be the next Alstott, Lynch, and Brooks, the team will be set for another 8+ years.