RickKarle's Blog

     I got to rolling my eyes today looking in on the Braves-Marlins game. A crowd (or should I say a group) of less than 600 watched the game at Dolphins Stadium in South Florida.  It got to be so bad that foul balls hit in the stands were not even picked up.  A few observations with the game in mind:

     This, my friend, is why the MLB regular season should not go past Labor Day. When was the last time you watched a big league game?  I bet is was not in the month of September. 600 fans in the Miami area watching a baseball game? I say we contact Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford to see if we can get that team to relocate. Just think- the team could play at historic Rickwood Field with the players wearing vintage 1950's uniforms. We could call the team the Vulcans, and local promoter Art Clarkson would take over the team's marketing.

    Some marketing ideas that could fill the seats of the nation's oldest ballpark?  How about Tommy Bowden "Can You Hear Me Now" night? The first thousand fans receive a Verizon Wireless cell phone.   "Nick Saban Night":  The first five-thousand fans to arrive at the game receive a free issue of Forbes Magazine.  "Birmingham Olympics 2012 Night": The first three thousand fans receive free tickets to the Men's Swim Competition to be held at Alabama Adventure... "Talladega Night": The first five-thousand fans to arrive at the game receive a quart of motor oil.  And "Gene Hallman Night": The first five-thousand fans receive a Hale Irwin putter cover from the Regions Charity Classic.

     Think of the locals we could bring back to play for the Vulcans.  Jake Peavey,  Andy Phillips, Jeff Brantley and friends.  So what if the talent wasn't up to snuff?  It's the ambiance is what would sell tickets.  Rickety old seats? Not a problem- football fans have been experiencing them for years at Legion Field.  Long waits at the concession stands? Again, not a problem- we've all been to the BJCC .  Poor lighting? Hey- we prove every day we don't need lightbulbs.  After all, we drive on Birmingham's highways.

    I kid of course- but really: If a Major League team is drawing less than 600 fans to a game, maybe it's time for that team to consider a move.  Would baseball thrive in Birmingham, Alabama? Of course- as long as they played it with a football.