Okay, I've finished. Where was I? Oh, yeah... Hoo. Ray.
Hubba hubba. Let's meet at the Canyon of
Insert sigh here.
Seriously, are they seeking to rev us through November? Not. Gonna. Happen. Today, in a softball blab session with Murdoch's morning money machine, Food Stamps Hal Steinbrenner says the Yankees are already working on next year's team! The Rose Bowl planners of Pasadena have nothing on us. Says the Lil' Boss:
“Winning the division for the first time since 2012, for one. I am proud of the team for many reasons, and we will most certainly be in the thick of things next year.’’
Insert fart here.
To be fair, Hal expresses disappointment at yet another dead October. He's gotten quite good at this. "We clearly failed in the endeavor. Nobody is denying that." Nope. He's a jolly good fellow, which nobody can deny.
You know how cosmologists aim their thingys into deep space and claim to detect remnant sounds of the Big Bang? I don't think they're picking up the cricket noises of creation. I think they're hearing the steady, low-level deterioration of the Yankee brand.
According to ESPN, our magical, "Next Man Up" 2019 Yankees finished third in MLB attendance, behind the Dodgers and Cardinals, with an average of 41,827 per game. Last year, they finished second (behind LA) at 42,998. It's a decrease of 3 percent. Overall, they drew 3.3 million this year, down about 180,000 from 2018.
Ten years ago, their last championship season, they came in second, with an average of 45,364 per game. It's a drop of 8 percent.
Over the long haul, we are witnessing the death of the Death Star.
Here's another one for the cracker barrel: The 2019 Yankees finished 6th in road attendance, behind the Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, Padres and Pirates. The Padres and Pirates? Go figure. Wasn't there a time in the '90s when John Sterling called them "the Beatles of baseball?" Now, they're the Grand Funk Railroad.
So, you ask, how did they do on TV? Not much better. According to this fascinating recent wrap-up in Forbes, viewership on YES - after peaking in 2018 - plummeted this season.
The New York Yankees might make the World Series, but games on YES Network didn’t gain as much interest as they did in 2018. Ratings were down 15% for the Bronx Bombers.
Wow. This was supposedly our season of magical, lovable no-names. Instead, the Mets could still win the IT IS HIGH tabloids back page race (to the left), and we're left to congratulate ourselves for being the toast of Vegas.
Let me repeat for the hard of hearing. Hoo. Ray.
OUR ONLY HOPE IS THAT SOMEONE OTHER THAN MR. DUQUE POINTS OUT ALL THESE DECLINES TO THE MOTHERFUCKER.
ReplyDeleteHE ACTED ONCE IN HIS QUEST TO GET A CHAMPIONSHIP FOR HIS FATHER BEFORE HE PASSED.
NOW HOW ABOUT ACTING FOR US ASSHOLES WHO LIVE AND DIE WITH THIS TEAM BEFORE WE FUCKING PASS.
FOLLOW YOUR FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS, IT ISN'T THAT HARD.
KEEP THE TALENT IN PLACE, AND ADD WHAT YOU NEED VIA FREE AGENCY TO PUT YOU OVER THE TOP.
STOP NICKEL AND DIMING, DICK!
DUMB MOTHERFUCKER.
(SORRY, I'M CRANKY TODAY).
No need for apologies, ALL-CAPS. I would only disagree in saying we are ALL pointing this out to our oblivious autocrat.
ReplyDeleteIf you'll notice, we are still first in the AL in all these categories, which will be plugged as a plus. And in fairness, I think SOME of the drop-off is due to how dull and one-dimensional baseball in general has become.
But the other side, that the Yankees don't reveal, is how they no doubt make up—and then some—for all of this sliding with higher prices for everything.
There is a limit to this, of course. People will only pay so much—especially if we have another recession—and HAL will have to get back to building a team again. But that could easily take another 5-10 years, and who knows if he'll succeed in it?
We're in for a long, bad spell, I fear. Though again, the Yanks probably have the same hope that half the teams in baseball do: everybody surges at the right time, and they win October. Once in 10-15 years.
As our Peerless Leader says: Hoo. Ray.
Of note on the ratings front for the postseason, below. The explanation for this is so easy, and the media isn't saying it. Houston and Washington are not draws for the vast majority of the country. Boston, LA, New York are where the viewership is, but Houston and Washington? Their fan base wasn't going to deliver big numbers.
ReplyDeleteAs for YES viewership down, how much is attributable to 1) not winning the Series for 10 years, and 2) viewers moving to MLB.com or another streaming service? Hal is degrading the brand and it will effect the ad revenue from YES, if it hasn't already. Genius.
"Fox said postseason games on Fox and FS1 averaged 7.84 million, a 12% increase from last year. Fox and FS1 had the American League Division and Championship Series, which has been the more-viewed of the two leagues in recent years.
"This year's World Series between the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros went seven games but finished as the third-least viewed.
"The Series averaged 13.91 million viewers, Nielsen said Thursday, down 1.3% from 14.1 million last year for Boston's five-game victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Hoss,
ReplyDeleteI think ALL CAPS meant someone in the Yankee org or a cocktail buddy on his yacht should point it out to Hal.
All,
I agree that some of the drop of is because the game got duller, and also with JM on people moving to other platforms. (I would add that choices for alternate entertainment keeps increasing as well.)
So where does this leave us for next year...
In Hal's press conference while mentioning that we have enough pitching (shoot me now) he spoke of Domingo German (Who, I believe is currently residing in Gitmo with a canvass bag over his head). Perhaps a deal is being made to move him to NY under cover of darkness and install him in the Jeffery Epstien High Security Suite.
He seems to feel he will be back. Maybe Cashman can give an interview where he says, "I'M SO GLAD WE KEPT GERMAN!!!" to a couple of female reporters and that could be that.
I gotta go so here is my
Happy Yankee Thought Number 11
Maybe we'll sign Cole. If we do, not only are we guaranteed a World Series Championship for the next seven years but he will be easiest rhyme since Sonny Gray.
Domingo German is a nightmare, only rhyming with Peabody and Sherman and the Munster patriarch Herman. See what I'm saying? Cole. Pole. Hole. Whole. Bowl. Mole. Foal. Shoal. Dole. Grassy Noll. It's endless!
Doug K.
This all makes sense.
ReplyDeleteEven I cannot stand watching a 12 minute at bat where, in the end, nothing happens. Another strikeout on the way to another golden sombrero.
And so we lose.
Skoal... Seoul... Goal... Breadroll... Flagpole... Piehole...
ReplyDeleteAureole, Creole, bunghole, and... Esther Rolle.
ReplyDeleteDoug K.
Esther Rolle. Mic drop, my babies.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention Whack A Mole.
ReplyDeleteBut Esther Rolle...my hat is doffed.
By the way, the Mets are hiring Carlos Beltran as manager. Or should I say, THE METS ARE HIRING CARLOS BELTRAN AS MANAGER!!!!
I'll bet he ends up being a good one. I would have liked him to be our bench coach.
ReplyDeleteDoug K.
ReplyDeleteJM,
Whack-A-Cole is totally a NY Post Headline waiting to happen.
Doug K.
CORN HOLE.
ReplyDeleteFerret Hole
ReplyDeleteGrassy Knoll
Hidden Toll
Fetid Mole
Rigid Pole
Body and Soul
But yes, nothing beats Whack-A-Mole
Some anagrams:
Reciter Log
Creole Girt
Creole Grit
Creole Trig
Elector Rig
Elect Rigor
Grocer Lite
Grocer Tile
Interesting, JM. And I will say this: YES is very badly done for the most part.
ReplyDeleteAll those endless repeats of "Center Stage" with Michael Kay? Women's college volleyball and field hockey?? The Nets???
There needs to be a lot more Yankees stuff, and it needs to be a lot better done. More classic games, better biographies of Yankee greats from the past...
But of course, the might cost money. Can't run a business spending money. Money is something you inherit from your daddy and then clutch to your breast for life's sake.
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