Learn to Cheer, Milwaukee!

[rickh150]

Over the past few years, I have been amazed at the sheer number of fans at Miller Park. For the smallest market in MLB, we have a very nice following. Now, after a great first half of the season, hopes are high and the fair weather fan is coming out to more and more games. Yet, what bothers me at some games is the lack of common baseball knowledge and cheering knowledge, in general. Although I'm no expert on the topic of baseball cheering etiquette, some common things happen over and over again that make me shake my head:

1. The Wave- Since when is the wave done when your team is behind? Or when there is a tense moment in a close game with runners on and a full count? The Wave is done when the home team is, first of all, winning. If the Brewers are losing by 4, why are we so happy? Second, the Wave should be done during a less tense portion of the game, preferably with a big lead. There are some times that fans actually want to watch the game, and maybe even stand and clap, instead of waiting for the Wave to come by.

2. Make Noise Sign- Whoever runs that sign at Miller Park should be educated. Never put the Make Noise sign on when our batter is down 0-2 in the count, or other useless times of the game. Baseball people are able to sense big moments in the game- runners on, 3-2 pitch of a tight game, or 2 strikes on a batter with 2 outs in the 7th or 8th of a close game. Get the crowd going with the Make Noise sign then, or with some clap sounds- preferably the slow clap- at KEY moments. The Brewers need to find someone in house who has a feel for the game to run the inning visual/sound effects.

3. Getting Up from your seat DURING THE INNING- Alright, if the other team is batting, it's borderline ok. But when Prince is up with a 3-1 count, and the kids and dad in front of you get up to get a hot dog, they are out of line. What is there, like 17 breaks between innings, and another 3 to 6 breaks for relief pitchers? Get your refreshments and use the bathrooms then. Show some courtesy.

 

Maybe I'm in the minority here with these opinions, but the Brewers should try to educate the fans on just how this thing baseball works. I know that there is a class at UWM on Brewers baseball, but not everyone or close to everyone will be there. Instead, have a baseball etiquette/ cheering message on the video board once a game. Hand out flyers on how to cheer and when to cheer.This is a community sport, and it should also be taught the whole community in some small way to our fan base that continues to grow.

[SeriesFinale]

Hand out flyers on how to cheer and when to cheer.

 

Should this have been in blue?

 

The fans have paid their money, that's all the Crew cares about provided they're not doing anything overly disruptive or dangerous. And what annoys some doesn't annoy all.

[jason21nl]

i hear you about the wave, when the Crew is losing, or batting, or its a very close game, the wave shouldn't be done. I hate the wave as it is, this just makes it worse. I also wish people stayed in their seat during the middle of the inning. If you need to go get something to eat, or bathroom or whatever, and you have to leave during the middle of the inning, please go when the other team is batting. When I get something to eat, I never come back during the inning, I'll wait til its over.

[Paul77]

I personally can't stand the wave, I just don't like it very much. When the Indians were playing here in April, fans didn't really know the players, perhaps didn't really care about the outcome of the game that much and the fans turned to the wave for entertainment. That was fine with me. I actually enjoyed doing the different variations of the wave those few games. Remember all the pub we got over the slow mo wave? It seems to me that since then Brewers fans are overusing the wave. Every game I go to me and my son have the same conversation about when the wave is appropriate.

 

Monday night people were trying to get it going in the 2nd inning. I feel the wave should only be considered is when the game is no longer "interesting", say a 10 run blow out loss. Anything close - no way. Pay attention and cheer your team on.

 

Also, on the same topic, I've noticed that lots of fans don't cheer when they should. I've come home a few times this year and said to my girlfriend "boy the crowd sucked tonight". I'm not talking about attendance wise, that's been great. I mean fans not cheering when the pitcher gets a sac bunt down, when a runner moves over with less than 2 out... I'm assuming that some of this is due to the fact that I'm sure some of these are "new fans" that are just getting on board the bandwagon. Other times, I've noticed that some people are almost golf clapping. A few weeks ago, a Brewer pitcher got a base hit and there were like 10 people sitting around me that were clapping in a "I'm trying to be polite and not wake anyone" kind of way.

 

It may be that I'm just so excited by the prospect of a winning (and more) season, I expect everyone else to be jumping up and down too, I don't know.

[pitchleague]

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I mean fans not cheering when the pitcher gets a sac bunt down, when a runner moves over with less than 2 out...

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maybe it's because they know the runner is not going to score anyways so why bother cheering.

 

Sorry, just had to say it. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Paul77]

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Sorry, just had to say it.

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It's okay, I made me laugh.

[jlau20]

Funny you should mention about the wave, a lady and a guy that from my estimation were somewhat wasted were trying to get the wave going on Wednesday in Section 107, right after Ball-four gave up the three-run blast, to my delight only the people around me did it and it kept dying off only one or two sections over, and one guy even yelled out "Sit down, you don't do the wave when you're losing."

 

Exactly.

[logan82]

I think the wave falls under getting out of your seat during the top or bottom half of an inning. You just shouldn't do it unless, like somebody else said, you are up by 10 runs. We had some old lady standing in the isle taking pictures of her grandchildren for half an inning last Sunday. I think it has alot to do with increased attendance.

 

EDIT: What I do when the wave happens at games is to "explain" to my son how the wave is more of a football thing and shouldn't be done at baseball games because it is rude to block another person's view of the field.

I would also say that it really bothers me when our own players get booed. Or other players because it makes us look like bad sports.

[billyhallfan]

the thing that bothers me most is turning the noise sign on when it is 0-2, it seems that is when it is turned on the most, or when they turn it on before that it is while the batter is still taking warm up swings and then the corud is quite by the time he steps into the box.

[Paul77]

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the thing that bothers me most is turning the noise sign on when it is 0-2, it seems that is when it is turned on the most, or when they turn it on before that it is while the batter is still taking warm up swings and then the corud is quite by the time he steps into the box.

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I agree and I hate that. The Brewers have come a loooooong way in terms of in game entertainment and such, but they are still so far behind some other teams. We used to go to other places and watch games and say, "why can't the Brewers do that".

 

There is a certain part of the crowd that likes the "artificial excitement" if you will (the walk up music, the lights, the scoreboard hype) and then the other half that hates it. It almost seems like the Brewers are trying to play both sides of the fence. They won't go all out on the "hype", which leaves some fans saying how lame it is that the Brewers can't do it right. And they won't do away with all of it, which leave other people saying "why have it at all.

 

Personally, I want my experience to be as exciting as possible. I like the music, the lights, the "make some noise". I like that they want us to be loud and what not, but they can never get it just right. A timing issue like BHF noted, is a perfect example.

 

I come away from almost game thinking that, while I had a great time (usually) at the park, Aleta Mercer and her staff keep coming up short.

[TracyThom]

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Also, on the same topic, I've noticed that lots of fans don't cheer when they should. I've come home a few times this year and said to my girlfriend "boy the crowd sucked tonight". I'm not talking about attendance wise, that's been great. I mean fans not cheering when the pitcher gets a sac bunt down, when a runner moves over with less than 2 out...

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To be honest, I've never seen that. I've been to 6 games this year, and the crowd has applauded every time a pitcher has sacrificed a guy over.

 

On the wave topic, the wave should never be started prior to the 5th inning. EVER.

[Paul77]

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To be honest, I've never seen that. I've been to 6 games this year, and the crowd has applauded every time a pitcher has sacrificed a guy over.

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I should clarify. It's not that no one is cheering, it's that a disproportional amount of fans don't seem to know whats going on. They only cheer after everyone else is cheering, and they don't seem to know why. And it's not a large % of people, just more so than I've noticed in the past.

 

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On the wave topic, the wave should never be started prior to the 5th inning. EVER.

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AGREED!

 

 

edited: Spelling

[jazzytrav]

As far as knowing when to cheer, as in the case of a sac bunt, it really doesn't bother me all that much. I'll cheer for it, and I can appreciate it, but if some one pays money for his ticket and he would rather just sit there with his arms crossed, then he has every right to do that. Now if that same guy jumps up to "boo" when things go bad...then I have a problem with him. Again though, he paid for his ticket and can use it for whatever legal purpose he so chooses.

 

The wave I'm mostly torn on because I grew up not having the opportunity to get to very many live sports events. I can understand the frustration when someone gets out of their seat in the middle of an inning (or even worse, right when the pitcher is winding up), but normally they stand there for awhile trying to inform others that they need to be let through, and basically it ends up just being a rude act.

 

But in the case of the wave, you miss a split second of baseball just to partake in something that can be kinda fun. And you really don't even need to miss that split second if you watch the game while you stand up and throw your arms in the air. I see it as a bonding thing really. In an obscure way it connects you with another Brewer fan that's clear across the park.

 

I completely agree on the programming thing though. They don't quite seem to understand where the important parts of the game are that could use a little fan-boosting. It doesn't usually bother me though because there are at least a few knowledgeable fans in every section that know when to start the slow-clap, etc. And often the fans around them will join in because they're simply looking to have a good time.

[billyhallfan]

i don't like the wave in general, but if the game isn't close, say the Brewers are up 8-1 in the 7th, I think the wave is fine. That being said, it is only ok, if they get the slow and fast one, but if it is a close game, no matter where in the game it is, it should not happen, everyone shold be watching the game, IMO.

[Weeks4MVP]

I think the thing that bothers me most is how they put the guess the attendance thing up in the top of the ninth inning. When the game is close and cordero is coming in the crowd should be getting pumped up instread of trying to guess how many people came to the game. Cordero has already started to warmup by the time his music kicks in.

[thablingster]

One of the things that frustrates me most is people refuse to stand up and cheer when we are trying to rally and will tell you to sit down if you try and stand up to cheer. Then, if the wave is coming around everyone has to stand up and go "woooo!" even if something meaningful is going on.