From: sasbrb@rolypoly.unx.sas.com (Brendan Bailey)
Subject: Re: WLAF Ohio Glory 0-10????
    <1992Apr7.193722.2628@cbnews.cb.att.com> <1992Apr10.075001.1058@ifi.uio.no>
Organization: SAS Institute Inc.
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 14:59:10 GMT
Originator: sasbrb@rolypoly.unx.sas.com
X-Bytes: 3016

In article <1992Apr10.075001.1058@ifi.uio.no>, nicolaya@ifi.uio.no (Nicolay Fredrik Aslaksen) writes:
>
>In article <1992Apr7.193722.2628@cbnews.cb.att.com>, nrc@cbnews.cb.att.com (N. Richard Caldwell) writes:
>> From article <1992Apr06.173835.25344@demon.co.uk>, by coombes@tcom.stc.co.uk (Philip Coombes):
>> >
>> >
>> > Any ideas what the WLAF will do if Ohio follow Raleigh-Durham into 0-10
>> > obscurity ????
>>
>> I doubt that a team's record is as important as it's fan support in
>> determining whether a team stays.  I don't know how Raleigh-Durham did
>> in that respect but for the first two home games Ohio had 38,000 and
>> 31,000 fans, well above the North American average.
>
>  You are right about that. The (main) reason that Raleigh-Durham folded
>  was because of low attendance at games, and low support in general.
>  Part of the problem with Raleigh-Durham ,in my oppinion, was that
>  the team was supposed to get fans from 3 cityes, Raleigh, Durham and
>  Chapal Hill, and when things started to go bad only people from
>  Raleigh, where the home games were, went to the games.
>

   Well, why was there low attendance?  The league announced teams in
late 1990, which gave franchises only a few months to get their organizations
together.  The RDU franchise did not begin marketing the team until late
February or early March.  Marketing and advertising was vitally important to
get people out to see SPRING football.  No marketing/advertising, no people.
The season unfortunately began during the NCAA basketball tournament, which
for those who don't know this area, the whole region shuts down and cares
about nothing else.
   The Skydogs played at Carter-Finley stadium in Raleigh, the stadium for
NC State.  Unfortunately for the team, there could be no alcohol sales at the
stadium.  This was a big nail in the franchise coffin.  When the franchise
realized they could sell beer outside the stadium, they attempted the
infamous free beer giveaway, but only attracted, at most, 2000-4000 people.
The fact that it was about 50 degrees and raining is never mentioned.
   You also have to blame the pathetic play of the team.  Not only did they
lose, they lost bad and were rarely in any game.
   If I remember correctly, there were 17,000 at the first game, but
attendance fell like an anvil for each game thereafter, to only a few
thousand at each game.
   And this area really played up their chances at getting an NFL team.
Tell me another one.

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Brendan Bailey                         "The NFL is on record saying that if 
SAS Institute, Inc - QA/Graph           it adds 150 expansion teams or hell 
sasbrb@unx.sas.com                      freezes over -- whichever comes      
Go Heels! Go Hornets!                   first -- Raleigh will be awarded a
The NFL in Charlotte! Target: 1994!!!   franchise." - The Charlotte Observer
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