Please help me here with our home crowds at games...

[finomenal]

Dropping the ticket prices should fill the seats. If it does not, there is a deeper problem. I don't think immigrant or latin community is the problem. The problem is price point for the product, if the goal is full stadium.

Lowering the ticket prices won't change anything. I had free tickets offered to me in the 100s (close the the field) for the Cincy game. I had no interest in going and no, I don't regret it just because they happened to pull out a win.

 

[finomenal]

Im just amazed that people would complain about the heat and they are not doing anything but sitting there. oh, ok, your cheering and standing up, but

CMON MAN!

plus night games are just as empty. its not that hot is it at night?

Expensive. Ok, but we are not the most expensive ticket in the league and not even close I do not think. Is the job market so bad down there? Cus sometimes I wonder.

My belief is that the people in that city are just miserable all the time or live a lifestyle of fishing, boating, beaches, babes, and bars.....or something along those lines.

Or any other lifestyle that includes something fun and exciting. Going to the stadium to watch the pathetic Dolphins doesn't fall under the fun & exciting category.

 

[FinsNCanes]

1. Economy in Florida sucks. Still a lot of unemployment.
2. Heat - People talk about the cold. It's easier to sit in the cold with others around you than roasting in the heat with other steaming people around you. In the cold you WANT to be active, not so much in Florida heat (don't forget that humidity).
3. Not worth it.
4. People who grow up here don't stay here unlike where you may find a lot of that in somewhere like the NE more. Easier to find someone who grew up in Boston or say Pitt than you would Florida. I'd be rich everytime I heard (you're the first native I've met, haha).
5. Yes, it's even hot at night. I used to sweat going outside to smoke a cigarette...at night.
6. Not exciting as a team. Mike Wallace can't even change that. They're also flat out pathetic at home 90% of the time. I don't understand why.
7. It's just a completely different culture compared to a lot of other teams you see with truly loyal fans. I can even tell the difference since I've recently moved out of Florida. A buddy of mine always say Florida is just transparent, no real defining culture or anything and I happen to agree.

 

[DuderinoN703]

1. Economy in Florida sucks. Still a lot of unemployment.
2. Heat - People talk about the cold. It's easier to sit in the cold with others around you than roasting in the heat with other steaming people around you. In the cold you WANT to be active, not so much in Florida heat (don't forget that humidity).
3. Not worth it.
4. People who grow up here don't stay here unlike where you may find a lot of that in somewhere like the NE more. Easier to find someone who grew up in Boston or say Pitt than you would Florida. I'd be rich everytime I heard (you're the first native I've met, haha).
5. Yes, it's even hot at night. I used to sweat going outside to smoke a cigarette...at night.
6. Not exciting as a team. Mike Wallace can't even change that. They're also flat out pathetic at home 90% of the time. I don't understand why.
7. It's just a completely different culture compared to a lot of other teams you see with truly loyal fans. I can even tell the difference since I've recently moved out of Florida. A buddy of mine always say Florida is just transparent, no real defining culture or anything and I happen to agree.

Are you in agreement that if the Dolphins win and are exciting, the fans fill pack the stadium?

 

[J. David Wannyheimer]

South Florida has a very high Latin population.

There is an element of truth to this, and it is not racist. There is time... and then there is latin time.

(For the record, I am hispanic)

 

[dolphindan]

I'm from NY and came down for the Thursday night game. And while I had a great time and I fulfilled a dream seeing the dolphins at home, the football culture is vastly different down in Miami as oppose to NY. We live breath and eat football up north. You can't swing a dead cat without seeing something jets or giants related. I was in south beach and outside of lids on Lincoln you couldn't find any dolphin merchandise. I don't know if it's the immigrant population that doesn't care or that there's other things to do like go to the beach. I just got the feeling football just isn't as important down there

 

[DuderinoN703]

I'm from NY and came down for the Thursday night game. And while I had a great time and I fulfilled a dream seeing the dolphins at home, the football culture is vastly different down in Miami as oppose to NY. We live breath and eat football up north. You can't swing a dead cat without seeing something jets or giants related. I was in south beach and outside of lids on Lincoln you couldn't find any dolphin merchandise. I don't know if it's the immigrant population that doesn't care or that there's other things to do like go to the beach. I just got the feeling football just isn't as important down there

Where would team gear be outside of LIDS and the malls?

 

[dolphindan]

I see miami heat gear everywhere. In ny you could find a giant shirt in a deli

---------- Post added at 07:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:34 PM ----------

Footlocker and new era had no dolphins shirts, kinda sad

 

[finomenal]

I see miami heat gear everywhere. In ny you could find a giant shirt in a deli

---------- Post added at 07:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:34 PM ----------

Footlocker and new era had no dolphins shirts, kinda sad

When the Dolphins were a respectable franchise, you could find Dolphins gear everywhere too. Even in gas stations.

 

[Gonzo]

Go to a game and figure it out. You out of towners are killing me with questioning us fans that are actually at games.... there are a ton of factors like waiting in lines, getting caught up talking to other fans, staff giving bad directions and thousands of other fans walking around that play a role in people not being back in their seats. Most of the time coming out the sun and going inside does increase your comfort level and you tend to linger.

The last game I was there, we had a big family sitting behind us with multiple kids. When they were in their seats, nobody was louder. Unfortunately, it was on the visitor side, which was right in the sun. Insanely hot, and I'm from Phoenix, but I even found myself lingering a bit longer than I normally would when inside grabbing a drink. They had to bring their kids in multiple times throughout the game. Everybody in that section was getting up to go in to get a break from it. Overall, it was a full section, but if you saw it at some points on the ole TV set, it looked empty. Hell, I have a picture of d-day and I in which the section looks completely empty, despite the fact that it wasn't.

There is a very good reason for wanting to put a canopy or whatever it is over the stadium. When we met with Garfinkel ("met," we were in an auditorium and were able to fire off questions at him. Funny guy.), he was very aware of the factors that kept people in the stadium rather than in their seats and aimed to address it. A good sign at least. I actually think they've invested too much in the interior of the stadium, and that started before Ross.

 

[HarryBagpipe]

There is an element of truth to this, and it is not racist. There is time... and then there is latin time.

(For the record, I am hispanic)

Absolutely. It's a cultural thing and Hispanics will readily admit it. When people wonder why heat games aren't filled at opening tipoff, I'm like uh it's miami.

 

[Daytona Fin]

I always go to the bathroom or grab a beer, while the game is going on. Takes about 5 minutes tops. No lines and they have the game on tv's everywhere. Never go at halftime or at the end of the 3rd quarter.

 

[djphinfan]

The last game I was there, we had a big family sitting behind us with multiple kids. When they were in their seats, nobody was louder. Unfortunately, it was on the visitor side, which was right in the sun. Insanely hot, and I'm from Phoenix, but I even found myself lingering a bit longer than I normally would when inside grabbing a drink. They had to bring their kids in multiple times throughout the game. Everybody in that section was getting up to go in to get a break from it. Overall, it was a full section, but if you saw it at some points on the ole TV set, it looked empty. Hell, I have a picture of d-day and I in which the section looks completely empty, despite the fact that it wasn't.

There is a very good reason for wanting to put a canopy or whatever it is over the stadium. When we met with Garfinkel ("met," we were in an auditorium and were able to fire off questions at him. Funny guy.), he was very aware of the factors that kept people in the stadium rather than in their seats and aimed to address it. A good sign at least. I actually think they've invested too much in the interior of the stadium, and that started before Ross.

could you talk more about what happened with this garfinkel Q & A??..

I'm a firm believer that the stadium itself is responsible for a lot of the depreciating culture for this franchise.

 

[Gonzo]

could you talk more about what happened with this garfinkel Q & A??..

I'm a firm believer that the stadium itself is responsible for a lot of the depreciating culture for this franchise.

That's about the biggest thing, unfortunately. He hasn't been on the job very long, so he mostly asked for a lot of input on stuff.

As for the stadium, I definitely think it has a lot to do with the appearance of empty seats, even in sellouts. Every time I've been there, there are tons of people inside the stadium. Part of it is the heat and part of it is how much awesome stuff there is inside. The ice bar is ALWAYS packed. The fantasy football area is also packed. They have live music in multiple areas DURING the game. They have crazy banquet areas dedicated to club level seats. I could go on forever.

Now, they have some cool stuff in other stadiums I've been too, but the ones that compare manage to incorporate them into the being fieldside, if that makes sense. Perfect example is the new Cowboys Stadium (which Garfinkel cited a few times when discussing this stuff). Other ones don't even bother as far as I know. One of my favorite venues is the Superdome in New Orleans. I honestly can't think of anything cool outside of the field. It has been a couple of years, so there may have been some updates, but the concessions were basic. Like, minor league hockey basic. There was absolutely no reason to linger. The field was the place to be.

I'm not saying that if everybody inside moved outside to the stands, it would be like Arrowhead; that will still require building a consistent winner and even better, a legitimate contender. However, it would certainly make a difference. I am glad that it is acknowledged though and I hope something comes of it.

 

[BlaznRoarn]

The whole idea that if its a better product people will attend is dumb. There are plenty of teams that have the same record as us and their stadiums look full (thinking browns). Its just sad to see an empty stadium at a night game. I am shocked at how loud it is with so few there.