But according to the Marlins polling, winning isn't everything, and it isn't even the most important issue. Player attitude is 25 percent more important as a driver of fan interest than is victory,'' according to a summary. Henry has dismissed charges of team greed, saying the Marlins are losing money. In a new ballpark, unlike Pro Player Stadium, the Marlins would receive millions in new revenue from suites and club seats. One of the ways that the Padres dispelled suspicions of greed was opening the books to a mayoral committee that reviewed them and concurred that the team was losing money.
People are prone to be cynical.
Again, the polls suggested the tactic. New advertisements show each of the Marlins involved in charitable or volunteer efforts. The video clips, which are shown on the Jumbotron, as well as the games when they are on SportsChannel or WAMI, show the team's stars visiting hospitals, classrooms and little league diamonds. Our polls told us people weren't aware of these efforts.'' Other advertising, not yet developed, likely will offer the message that baseball, the most affordable of pro sports, is good for families. In all, the stadium campaign, with its public relations calculus, focus groups and sophisticated polling, could prove very expensive.