Posted by MH on August 01, 2002 at 12:36:27:
In Reply to: Re: The Penguins need a new arena posted by Pete on August 01, 2002 at 11:15:59:
> Thank for clarifying that your comments were made in jest. I am not used to the ;) language. Yes, the other 2 teams in town have new stadiums but so what? As far as the Buccos, they are still stinko. Folks (for the most part) attend the games when their team is winning, regardless of what the venue looks like.
This has been true in the past but today's sports landscape boasts a different economic perspective. The Buccos have a brand new shiny stadium. Did it help with attendance? Last season, certainly. This season, the fad has worn thin and many less are travelling to see a team comprised primarily of cast-offs and minor leaguers. The Pens are now headed in that direction since they don't have the $$$ to compete with the big market clubs. If things don't change in the NHL (read: the Collective Bargaining Agreement debate in 2004), the Pittsburgh Penguins will be as miserable as the Pittsburgh Pirates. And soon after, both will be but memories...
The Bucs have new revenue streams available to them with PNC Park. Have they used them wisely? No, hence the crappy season they are again experiencing. The Pens do NOT have many revenue streams stemming from Mellon Arena, hence the team trading away Jagr for a return similar to pennies on the dollar.
Sorry for the sports rambling, for those non-sports fans here...