US vs Honduras: No Brainer
October 7th, 2009 . 12:35 pm . By: Buzz CarrickSeems to me FC Dallas should be hosting a USA/Honduras Watching party. Here’s the thing, there is no free broadcast of the crucial US qualifier down in Honduras this weekend. It’s only available closed circuit. That means a bar or restaurant can order it, or anyone with enough money I suppose. Unfortunately, at the time of writing this, there is no English broadcast of the game being offered by any restaurant or bar in Dallas. Also note, FC Dallas has no game this Saturday to conflict with the US game and there is nothing scheduled Saturday night at Pizza Hut Park. There is a game high school football game Friday night. So why is FCD not hosting a US watching party in the club at PHP? This seems like a total no brainer to me. Make fans happy, get your brand out there, maybe connect with the soccer snobs who look down on MLS but cheer for the US. Maybe connect with the normal sports fan who just might be aware of the US game. Heck play your cards right and just maybe get a news story or two out of it. To expensive to get the game at PHP? Then how about co-hosting at Lochran’s across the street? Heck the Irish Rover in southern Frisco, The Londoner in Addison, or Trinity Hall at Mockingbird Station would probably all be willing and able to pull it off on a Saturday. Are they really all so slammed on Saturday nights at 9? So someone please tell me why FCD isn’t doing this? I hope the answer isn’t “they didn’t think of it” although I think that would be better than finding out they were just uninterested or lazy. Edit: a season ticket holder emailed to say this subject was brought up at Tuesday night’s “Season Ticket Holder Advisory Meeting” and they were told FCD has “discussed it, are looking into it, and will be making a decision this week about whether they will do it or not.” 30 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment |
I’d kick in a fiver to watch it on the big screen. I’m sure they’d make it back in bar business. I’ll send an e-mail out to my rep and see what he says.
I guess it would have to be at least $15 on second thought, but I’d still pay.
It’s because the marketing team still sucks, probably worse than last year’s team. This is what you get when there are no soccer people running the show.
off the subject, but anyone seen the fcd video link on the front page of espndallas.com?
check it out, if even just to get some clicks to fcd related material.
I’d pay and drive the 65 miles. This makes sense, though, so no way it happens.
Email your rep! Let them know we want to watch!!
My ticket rep said FCD is working on it!! Let’s go USA!
My husband and I were planning on going to Lola’s, but we’ll go to PHP if they show the game. We were only going to Lola’s because of lack of other venues.
Yeah… FCD has yet to do anything… this is another reason I am not renewing my tickets… I would love to see this as a STH thing… e-mail all the STH, give them 5 guest passes… access to the stadium, allow people to bring lawn chairs or whatever… and have a picnic on the pitch… charge 10-20 a head if not STH… and bam… you got a party… as I think about it throw the game on the TV… promo the team… ask some of the players to be there… hire one security guy at the teams door… and your done … but what do I know about marketing… or promos… heck I know nothing about sales … I talked to one of the guys and they are working on it… but I know the FO (not sales) will do nothing… its not a concert…hahaha
Yeah, mine did too. Didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up, because it still might not happen.
I’ve emailed the link to this article to Kris so that he knows there’s definite interest in making this happen.
It was discussed at the STHAB meeting last night, as were the reasons for not doing anything about it sooner. I’m not sure how much I can say about it here though.
Buzz has clearly never been to Trinity Hall on a Saturday night.
Maybe the FO would make it possible to see the game and use one of the several Bonus game tickets the STHs still have in our possession for admission. Now, that would be a nice STH bonus!
Calm down people, the cost to offer this service according to the front office is $35,000 dollars. Otherwise, I am told they would absolutely host a watch party at FCD.
So assume you were in charge…do you actually think there is an ROI for investing this amount of money on a watch party?
whoops, I meant to say “at PHP” not at FCD!
They looked into this…found out is cost a whopping $35k for the English closed circuit coverage of UNMNT games, and that given the cost there was no way to justify the expense.
The numerous reasons they could not do something like this are pretty clear. Money. You gotta buy the game, pay staff to be there, power and other utilities etc. The chances of this making them money are 0, so the club won’t do it.
Wow, that’s high. I was under the impression it was more like 15k, which you could potentially recover.
I don’t think the number is anywhere near that high. Just think about that number for a second. What bar on Earth would be able to justify that? None.
My prediction: We’ll be drinking cold beers watching this one in the Stadium Club!
OK, so how about hosting the game on closed circuit as one of the unused “Bonus” games? Might get more STH to show up than a friendly against the St Mary’s Sisters of the Poor reserve team.
Are you sure about the cost? I heard the cost was $3,500.
me too. $35k is ridiculous. game should be at php if fo is smart. i think they’ll get this one right, according to rep
http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/...he-twin-cities/comment-page-1/
They are only charging $10 and supposedly the bar owner put down $1000 and only needs 100 people to break even… dont’ see how in the world it would be 35k, unless they are factoring any some funny-duddy numbers the FO seems to use sometimes…
35K?!, no way…
That’s like the people who believe the MLS fines FC Dallas 10K when a flare gets lit in the stadium.
I know it’s expensive, and the team would have to charge a cover, but it’s not 35K expensive. Come on…
FCD Twitter just announced FREE watching party!! BOOM!
I’m there!!
Well it seems it is done. FCD will host the game! Great job guys!
Just got the email… it’s on and it’s free!!!
Yeah, we’re on! Way to go FCD!!!
Time to re-edit, Buzz. I just got an email that they’re doing it
Good form by FCD for making this happen!
Is this only for STHs or can anyone come? And the free part, is that for anyone too?