Dodgers Face $27 Million Revenue Loss Due To Empty Seats

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Maybe Dodger Dogs lack their usual appeal this year? Perhaps the beer temp isn't cold enough this season? Is the SoCal sun just too hot this summer? Is it feasible to assume the drastic drop in Dodger Stadium attendance this year is due to the brutal Bryan Stow beating on opening day?

Averaging approximately 8,000 fewer fans per home game this season, Dodger Stadium will likely lose $27 million in reduced ticket sales, concession and parking revenue for the 2011 season, reports LA Times.

In 2009 the Dodgers' revenue totaled $286 million. This year's decline in fan participation would amount to a 9.4% minimum drop in total annual revenue.

Average paid attendance at the 59 home games so far this year equals 36,731. Compared with its 2010 average, paid attendance has experienced a 7,902 (17.7%) dive.

The attendance downfall is an unfortunate blow to the already financially unstable team that filed for Chapter 11 in June 2011.

"When people don't go to the ballpark, the Dodgers lose ticket revenue but they also lose concessions revenue and ultimately sponsorship and advertising revenue" along with parking revenue, said Andrew Zimbalist, a sports economics professor at Smith College.

The $27 million in lost revenue would pay the combined salary's of three Dodgers players - Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Hiroki Kuroda.

Dodger fans, where are you this season?

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By Lauren Lloyd in News on August 8, 2011 11:00 AM

Comments [rss]

Bink Binkerson

Fuck pro sports, and fuck the politicians who happily shovel massive funds at them just to get a few free tickets.

bryan

Lauren Lloyd (the author) asks "Dodger fans, where are you this season?" SHAME ON YOU for asking. in case you haven't been paying attention, the LA Dodgers have finally been taken to task by their fanbase for being insanely GREEDY, even by professional sports standards. I applaud the fans for finding better things to do with their time & money.

This is how bad things are: my family has had season tickets since the Dodgers moved to LA (back before there even was a Dodger Stadium). 2 weeks ago my dad went up north to see the Dodgers vs Giants series and he came home raving about the experience, he even bought a lame "McCovey Cove" hat. I hate the Giants as much as the next guy (but not as much as at least a few drunken LA thugs), but facts are facts. SF is the defending champs. Their fans have a REASON to be excited (other than Kemp & Kershaw, what else do WE have? sorry, but $15 parking and $12 beers are BS). They also have a sweet ballpark and fans feel safe.

my proposed solution:1. SELL THE TEAM & STADIUM. preferably to a new owner/group with ties to LA & Dodger history. (idea: how much $$$ does Vin Skully have?!?!)

2. get to work rehabilitating the once proud franchise both on and off the field. clean up Dodger stadium WITHOUT pricing true fans out.

3. reach out to the community.sorry, but bobbleheads and backup catchers appearing at Big-O tires just ain't cutting it no more.

4. If you trade Kershaw, Kemp, or Ethier the fans will not forgive the franchise.

5. don't complain if the fans don't come back right away. this BOYCOTT might be just for this season, but it can very easily extend well into the future. The unreported story here is this: THE FANS HAVE HAD ENOUGH. We have supported this 2nd rate franchise for DECADES with nothing to show for it. unless you count those dumbass Manny dreadlock whigs.

***as for those LA sports fans that don't know yet: our city's best team right now is the LA KINGS. jump on the bandwagon now before it becomes too crowded. they are a young team with a high level of skill, and if they manage to win The Cup this season or in the next few years LA better be ready to celebrate. maybe by then the Dodgers will have their act together.***

David_Barron

Where are the fans? Some are staying home to pray for Bryan's recovery, Others, stayed away because 'antonio's' multi-million dollar taxpayer 'anti-gang' program won't guarantee their safety. Other's waiting for McCourt's plane to head for the East coast. And, tens of thousands of other's are broke, or homeless, because 'antonio' and the city council contributed to placing them on the unemployment list with their sky-rocketing taxes and fees, rising utility rates, increase trash fees, increased parking ticket's, and now the $300 million dollar down-payment loan to AEG's massive stadium project.

Now that times are tough, will 'antonio' be able to convince his politically connected billionaire supporters to participate in his "Shared Sacrifice" by having them lower the ticket prices for the loyal fans?

Dan Higgins

iI . a stowe, . . .

E

Sad to say but it haves nothing to do with Stow, us Dodger fans are fed up with McCourt and want him out of LA!

George Magdaleno

Staying home and listening to Vin Scully like all true Dodgers fans should.

Daniel O'Leary

I was there for opening day, and not planning on going back.

Parking was expensive, $12 for a beer, $7 for a hotdog, plus traffic to and from, all while feeling unsafe is not worth it as a fan. Nevermind the on the field product and all the politics, it's just shameful.

For $$10 a ticket I can go see the LA Galaxy and have a family friendly evening.

citizenrobot

Judging by the number of thuggish fellows still proudly flaunting their blue & white in my neighborhood, I don't think it's due to lack of interest or some kind of loyal boycotting thing but the fact that PEOPLE AIN'T GOT NO DAMN MONEY IN GENERAL RIGHT NOW. Even for the shittiest and cheapest of stadium tickets.

Javier

Dodger prices are so cheap on stubhub, you can literally get tickets to the game for under $5 bucks. So I wouldn't necessarily say "no people with no money" was the problem as much as "worthless leadership leads to a team not worth watching" and everyone does not want to reward bad behavior.