Pirates Fans to Stage In-game Walkout

[bball123h2]

HOT LINK ACTION

 

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Fans are being urged to wear green -- to represent ownership's lack of financial commitment to fielding a winning team -- and leave their seats after the third inning.

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Well, as bad as things were here, we can all agree that we're immensely better off than Pittsburgh. This is reminiscent of Detroit Lions fans for the past decade. Its a shame that the team with possibly the greatest ballpark in MLB is so consistently bad....

[brewtank34]

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That's too bad. We should get those pirates fans some tissue so they can dry their eyes. It would have been a much better story if this were about the Cubs fans.

 

Lets go Crew, beat those Cubs today.

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/pimp.gif

 

 

(Edit: eliminated seven of nine emoticons --1992casey)

[IslandsAC]

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It would have been a much better story if this were about the Cubs fans.

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Cubs fans would be too oblivious about their team to organize a walk-out. Too bad for Pittsburgh, I've always kind liked them, or at least respected them (except for when they sweep the Brewers in 4 game series). Oh well. I'm sure all the fans paying for tickets and then leaving during the game will really send management a message... don't they do that for every Dodger game?

[Brian the Automator]

Good for them.

 

Pittsburgh metro: 2,370,776

Milwaukee metro: 1,509,981

 

Pittsburgh payroll: $46,717,750

Milwaukee payroll: $57,568,333

 

With 1.5 times the population of Milwaukee, there's no excuse for being as bad as they are. I'm proud of their fans for organizing something to make a statement.

[DougJones43]

I'm proud of their fans for organizing something to make a statement.

 

I agree. If they actually pull it off, it should garner a lot of attention and be very embarassing for the entire front office. And the whole gesture seems to carry a lot more weight since it's going to be something intelligent and civilized (as opposed to booing, yelling, cursing, throwing stuff on the field, etc.).

 

It wasn't long ago that it seemed like the Brewers organization was going to be in need of something like this. We are very fortunate that Mark Attanasio bought the team when he did.

 

 

edit:

Brian, where did you come up with those payroll numbers? It looks like you're giving the Pirates too much credit, and the Brewers not enough.

 

Here is how ESPN lists the 2007 team salaries:

 Milwaukee Brewers $71,986,500 Pittsburgh Pirates $38,604,500 

[Bikeage77]

Didn't a team do this last year as well?

[1992casey]

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One emoticon is enough. I've edited the post above that did this.

[Loopee]

Cheers to Pittsburgh. My guess is this comes out way better than the one staged in Baltimore years ago.

[NeedMoreFans]

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Didn't a team do this last year as well?

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Detroit Lions fans did this last season, but it was pretty unsuccessful. I think it was an anti-Matt Millen thing, probably angry for drafting so many wide receivers.

[jjgott]

I never got "walkouts." Doesn't it defeat the purpose because the fans are still paying money for the tickets to go in and sit and watch the game for three innings? If you really wanted to stick it to the owners, wouldn't a better way be to not show up from the beginning?

 

Also, what if the Pirates score 10+ runs in those first three innings? If I were there, I think I would stick around and watch.

[Paul77]

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Milwaukee payroll: $57,568,333

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Seems low, I thought we were pushing $70 this year.

[Paul77]

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Also, what if the Pirates score 10+ runs in those first three innings? If I were there, I think I would stick around and watch.

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I was reading about this last week and I think the walk out is only supposed to last for one inning. They want everyone to leave their seats in the 3rd inning and pack the concourse then return in the 4th inning. I guess it's to symbolize what actual fed up fans might do.

[homer]

Anyone that wants to say the Brewers farm system improved only because they were drafting high every year need look no further than Pittsburgh to see that a high draft pick is no guarantee of success.

[jazzytrav]

I think it was an anti-Matt Millen thing, probably angry for drafting so many wide receivers.

 

Yeah, that worked well. Millen is still there and they drafted a wide receiver.

[bucks2281]

Good for Pirates fans. If we, as Brewer fans, had endured 67 win seasons in '05 and '06, we might be planning a walk-out on brewerfan.net as we speak. They should protest outside of PNC Park, ala the "Millen Man March" in Detroit.

[DHonks]

it's also interesting to note the quality players the Pirates have had recently.

 

Brian Giles, Jason Bay, Sean Casey, Jose Castillo, Aramis Ramirez, Jason Kendall (just signed to a bad contract), Jon Lieber, Esteban Loaiza, Oliver Perez, Jason Schmidt, Kris Bensen, etc

 

what has hurt the Pirates immensely is their lack of success thus far with first rounders. Bullington and Benschoeten come to mind

[DougJones43]

If you really wanted to stick it to the owners, wouldn't a better way be to not show up from the beginning?

 

That is also a good, longterm way to force a change, but I think the point witht the walkout is to do something that will draw attention to the dissatisfaction in a more quick and direct way. Think of it more as a publicity stunt, done by the fans.

 

Given the fact that there is a Sports Illustrated article about the scheduled walkout, I'd say the plan is working. There probably wouldn't be an SI article about low season-attendance figures in Pittsburgh.

[Paul77]

Also, the Pirates directed FSN not to show any fans leaving the seats or to mention the walkout in any way. I think I'll watch the pirates game today just out of curiosity.

[NeedMoreFans]

I would like to see fans show up to the stadium, but park themselves outside of the stadium...come, but don't enter the stadium.

[Brian the Automator]

Yeah, I don't know where the hell I got those payroll numbers from... Must have been from a previous season, my bad.

 

The 2007 numbers are even more appalling.

[pitchleague]

I thought the Royals did something like this a few years back. Maybe 2002-ish? Or was that their "good" year? I seem to recall it was against the Yankees, but I'm not sure.

[DHonks]

I personally dislike protests in nearly all forms. I agree that not showing up is the best way to send a message. Just like Brewers' fans showing up is a message for Mr. Attanasio to keep it up

[billyhallfan]

that is awesome, I remeber the O's fans doing this, but that hasn't changed anything, I imagine that if the Brewers kept losing and there wasn't any improvement over the last few years, I would walk out too.

[Cooper]

Well, that's enough for me to watch while I'm grilling out. Extra Innings is a good thing to have.

 

EDIT: Certainly not a lot of folks in green. Looks like folks are happy.

[dadofandrew]

It's a shame fans that do not understand the success cycle and think their problems will be solved by throwing money at a few mediocre FA's...haven't the Orioles proven this does not work?

 

Support your team and shut up. If you want to prove your a bandwagoneer, support this foolishness.