marketing genius

"I bet if we don't show the game on television, fans will be forced to buy up all the tickets and we will have a sell out." "good idea bro" "we are so cool"

A local radio station was giving away tickets to this week's preseason game against the Jaguars. The tickets were to be left at the station's front desk. The winner had to claim them Friday. I wanted to call in (but couldn't be bothered enough since it was about the Bucs). I wanted to tell them, if I won, I was going to come to the radio station and leave more tickets instead of taking theirs.

A Buccaneer preseason game against the Jaguars is so far off my radar screen that I am glad it is not on television. I just hope they don't think people care, especially on a Saturday night where the Rays are playing the Red Sox.

Now, as far as the state of the Buccaneers and blackouts, I blame Hillsborough County politicians. I blame the people who cut the stadium deal with the Glazers. They gave away the house to a trailer park slumlord ownership group. They gave away the stadium, the parking, the vending for Buccaneer games and any other event at the stadium (USF games, concerts, tractor pulls etc.) The deal should have included guidelines for ownership. Maybe something like, team payroll must be at least league average or they lose the rights to vending, parking and proceeds from other events. Or how about something tied to record. If the deal had forced the Glazers to show some sort of effort to field a competitive team, I think they would do just that.