Thoughts on New Stadium…
May 8, 2009
I checked my son out of school Thursday, and together we went to see the Royals play an afternoon game against the Mariners. Great day. The Royals won – six in a row (and counting). I’m happy and enthused by the Royals so far – please keep that in mind.
This was my first trip to the new stadium and I’ve been desiring to record my thoughts.
Overall – it’s pretty much what I expected – a stadium that primarily exudes a “family fun center” ethos. It’s not that I’m against family fun centers, or that I think they did a poor job executing a design, etc. It’s just that the new stadium embodies one of my frustrations with the Royals marketing branch for generations…
…They refuse to understand that baseball can sell itself.
If you market baseball in an authentic and honest way, the sport can sell itself – it’s that unique. It’s that beautiful. I have traveled to many stadiums, and other organizations seem to get that (take a trip to Texas and see how well baseball can sell itself in Arlington by going to one game at the Ballpark).
The Royals organization however (marketing) downplays baseball in favor of trying to create a day at an amusement park (your thrills will be catored to you – you do nothing and invest nothing). I’m not sure they even employ anyone with an understanding of and love of the game. If so, the “stadium” experience would feel a little more historical – a little less Party Deck, etc.
Here’s a brief list of my complaints (and suggestions) this year and throughout the years:
- Why call this a “stadium”? Stadiums are for football and concerts. Baseball is about “Parks” and “Fields”. We had the perfect opportunity to rename this place, “Kauffman Field”, “Kauffman Park”, or even “Kauffman Yards” – all of which evoke baseball. Not “Stadium”.
- Related to the above – why take the only good part of our park’s name (“Kauffman”) and reduce it to “the K”? Are we ashamed of the name Kauffman? Or is it just easier to say “K”? (I’m sure the Party Cove leftovers on the “Party Deck” approve). What about the logo for “the K”? Is it just me, or does it evoke images of an all-night convenience store? One must ask – who is the target of this marketing ploy? Who reduces one of the great baseball names in Kansas City to a “fun-filled” letter and thinks that is more likely to sell tickets?
- I am appalled when I go to a baseball game and am treated like I’m going to a youth group/Young Life event. I’ve always felt like the Royals organization is trying to shape the game into a kids’ club experience (let’s play the song “Another One Bites the Dust” when an opposing pitcher is taken out. Get it…get it???). The new stadium has ratchet up the youth group cheese element – a ton. Now between innings, our club leader/mc for the day travels around different sections asking fans to play silly games and do silly things. I couldn’t believe we didn’t see a fan stick as many marshmallows in their mouth as possible…that’s coming soon, I’m sure.
I love the Royals and want to love the game experience. Every time I go to a Royals game (at the K!!) I leave feeling more and more, however, like I don’t belong in this town and need to move to the east coast. (By the way, can you see Royals marketing men during a seventh inning stretch at Fenway? ”Why are they playing Sweet Caroline? Is the pitcher’s name Caroline? Why are the fans singing so wholeheartedly? There’s no bouncing ball and mascot telling them to?)
I want my son to love the Royals and I’m working on that (turns out, it’s not hard…he loves them). But to foster his love of baseball I’ll have to take him to Arlington (or just about any other baseball city – not Arizona…we have a lot in common with them…), and that makes me sad.
Well done. Depressing, but well done. Reminds me of other historically rich traditions that get reduced to helicopter candy drops, and the commodification of experiences….
I think alot of the turn towards child and party oriented marketing comes from two factors: 15 years of losing, and the success of the Chiefs.
There has always been some orientation to getting kids to have a good time-I used to love the cartoons on the old scoreboard when I was young, particularly the one where the dripping of the opposing pitcher’s sweat became a shower when the opposing starter was pulled.
When the team became pretty horrible to watch, the casual fans stopped coming. They turned to marketing the game in two ways- A great (and cheap if you go during the ’specials’) way to have a good time with your kids, as well as focusing their marketing on the OTHER team. “Come see the Yankees and their stars!” (or some other good team or great star-words cannot describe how much I hated this strategy)
They saw the success across the parking lot of the party atmosphere, and decided to tap into that as well.
They don’t seem to realize that a good team sells itself, and not all of us have ADD.
Hey, I like having more food choices etc, but I did not even get to walk around the whole stadium on Monday, as I did not get there early, had great seats and wanted to sit there and watch CyZack pitch.
I miss the organ and could definitely do without the between innings frivolity that is now being force fed to the fans. However I think it looks really good.
I don’t have enough context of what a baseball centric ball park should look like. Have not thoguht this through. It seems that certain bells and whistles can help one engage the game and others can detract. Good post!
Mike – I have fond memories also of the old scoreboard graphics. I’m sure you sympathize with me – It’s not that I’m against fun – part of the lure of baseball is the fun involved. For example, I love the ketchup, mustard, relish race – should be a staple at the park (when real people are running). The “Kiss Cam” is great fun. I’m all for a fun experience. (I also don’t mind Slugger…not my favorite, but – it’s good for the kids).
(I do mind a patronizing ethos that panders to the lowest common denominator).
What I really mind, however, is the burying of the game itself so that it gets lost in the fluff. You know as well as I do that baseball has its own culture that is amazingly attractive. It can sell itself. Other cities get this (go to
St. Louis – as much as it pains me to say). Our fond memories of the score board graphics were seamlessly interwoven with the game…they aided our love of what was happening on the field. I’m sorry – the new stadium has taken a family fun/party/bar ethos and made a stadium out of it. Fun is good. Stupid manipulation is another thing. Baseball sells itself!!
I don’t know who the marketing director is for the Royals, but without meeting him I guarantee I wouldn’t like him. We have nothing in common.
JP – go to a game at about any other ballpark and you’ll get an idea of how it can be (especially ball parks along the east coast…).
i haven’t been to a game at the new “k” yet – but the execution of the renovations is as predictable as a late season new york mets meltdown. everything you said is dead on jon, but alas, what did we expect. we are the same city that voted down a downtown ballpark (how cool would 34,000 people piling in to see zack and the boys on a thursday afternoon down by union station be?) in favor of the parking and toilet convenience of beautiful eastern jackson county. i also don’t see too many baseball games being played in front of a “wave” anymore – especially when the home team is down three runs.
the hope lies with little guys like palmer. i remember an excellent article in the new york times lamenting the state of pop music in the early 90’s – and the essayist hypothesized that in 10 years – those same kids who were slamming sugar ray CD’s into their discman, would eventually discover the clash, and ultimately form bands and make real music. this guy was just happy kids were listening to music.
while our park is little more than the midwest’s largest outdoor bar and batting cage – let us hope that the palmer bowles’ of the world enjoy the experience enough to notice the sweet swing of billy butler and the mechanics of our boy zack.
Couldn’t agree more. Good thoughts. I feel like they are going the way of the Wizards in creating that “family fun” atmosphere. And we all know what a headache wizards games are. I know scores of people that refuse to go to Wizards games due to the kid-focused aspect. Again it is all about marketing and fan bases. But the Royals are not in the same league with MLS and should be presented as a more serious franchise. Along with your thoughts, I am also frustrated with the lack of replay’s on close calls (yes, I know it is supposed to be a MLB rule, but quit using that excuse). Free hats and T-shirts, Bobbleheads, “Low Places” by Garth Brooks, and silly dancing games and showtunes. I mean, go to a T-bones game and you see little difference. Hop on over to Arrowhead see what a hardcore serious fan experience can be.