Post by John on May 12, 2006 13:49:15 GMT -4
Alert the media: Cardinals finally sold out, on rise
By Clark Judge
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Coming soon to a neighborhood in Phoenix: The Arizona Cardinals.
For the first time since moving from St. Louis, the Cardinals this year are accessible to everyone in their hometown -- and I mean everyone. The club last week announced it sold out of season tickets, which means the NFL's longest run of TV blackouts is over.
That's good news for the fans; bad news for the record books. Arizona last televised a home game on Sept. 24, 2000, and if you're keeping score at home, no one in the league was worse.
Of course, that sometimes could be said of what was happening on the field, which is why the team's announcement is significant.
It's a sign that people care about the club ... or the NFL ... it doesn't matter which. All that matters is that fans have taken a stand, and it's at the back of a line awaiting the 3,000 tickets the club will make available for individual contests. The point is that Phoenix is beginning to pay for games it once avoided, and that's a breakthrough.
A year ago the club's season-ticket total was roughly 34,000. I say "roughly," because the Cardinals stopped announcing the figure, and you would, too, if in 18 years your local market was blacked out for all but 12 games.
You can look it up. Seven of the 12 were against Dallas.
Now season-ticket sales have been cut off at roughly 57,000, with the Cards responding by introducing something the Valley of the Sun never experienced and seldom imagined. It's called a waiting list, and welcome to the NFL.
"Things are going very well," said Michael Bidwill, the team's vice president and general counsel. "There's a buzz about the team within the community."
So what happened? Well, a new stadium is what. Arizona is about to move from Sun Devil Stadium into a $450-million complex with a retractable roof and fully retractable grass field, and if you think that's extraordinary you have company. Business Week named Cardinals Stadium as one of the 10 most impressive sports venues in the world.
That's no accident.
When the club looked into its declining fan base it found two things that people didn't like: 1) The stadium, where it was hot and uncomfortable and where there was a dearth of restrooms, concession stands and cozy seats; and 2) the product on the field, with the Cards annually ticketed for last in their division.
So they built a magnificent stadium that will host Super Bowl XLII, improved their roster, and -- just like that -- people took an interest.
Sure, the stadium was the clincher. But the Cardinals helped themselves when they dove into the free-agent market to address their most glaring need and emerged with running back Edgerrin James. That spiked ticket sales. So did the April 29 draft of USC quarterback Matt Leinart, guard Deuce Lutui and tight end Leonard Pope, with Leinart considered a steal at the 10th position in the first round.
The addition of James was significant for two reasons. First, it demonstrated Arizona was serious about fixing the league's worst rushing attack. Second, it revealed the faith others had in the club; James was counseled by players like quarterback Kurt Warner and star receiver Larry Fitzgerald to choose the Cards over other suitors.
Now, tell me: When was the last time you heard anyone try to convince a Pro Bowl starter to play for the Arizona Cards? I thought so. People go to Arizona to play golf, not football, but that might be about to change.
The Cardinals are a better football team in a better stadium, and that combination has done something Jake Plummer, Aeneas Williams and Simeon Rice never could.
It's awakened a city.
The short-term impact of its roster moves is that Arizona might actually threaten the top of the NFC West as it was supposed to a year ago. But the long-term impact of a new stadium is that the revenues it generates ... and the fans it attracts ... should help the club keep and acquire talent for years, maybe decades.
"If you look at teams that have been to the Super Bowl or won championship games, they're all teams with new stadiums," said Bidwill. "Once you get the new stadium you have the revenues to compete."
Arizona has the new stadium, and it's about to acquire the new revenues. Now, let's see the Cardinals compete.
You can. Every Sunday. And it's about time.
By Clark Judge
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Coming soon to a neighborhood in Phoenix: The Arizona Cardinals.
For the first time since moving from St. Louis, the Cardinals this year are accessible to everyone in their hometown -- and I mean everyone. The club last week announced it sold out of season tickets, which means the NFL's longest run of TV blackouts is over.
That's good news for the fans; bad news for the record books. Arizona last televised a home game on Sept. 24, 2000, and if you're keeping score at home, no one in the league was worse.
Of course, that sometimes could be said of what was happening on the field, which is why the team's announcement is significant.
It's a sign that people care about the club ... or the NFL ... it doesn't matter which. All that matters is that fans have taken a stand, and it's at the back of a line awaiting the 3,000 tickets the club will make available for individual contests. The point is that Phoenix is beginning to pay for games it once avoided, and that's a breakthrough.
A year ago the club's season-ticket total was roughly 34,000. I say "roughly," because the Cardinals stopped announcing the figure, and you would, too, if in 18 years your local market was blacked out for all but 12 games.
You can look it up. Seven of the 12 were against Dallas.
Now season-ticket sales have been cut off at roughly 57,000, with the Cards responding by introducing something the Valley of the Sun never experienced and seldom imagined. It's called a waiting list, and welcome to the NFL.
"Things are going very well," said Michael Bidwill, the team's vice president and general counsel. "There's a buzz about the team within the community."
So what happened? Well, a new stadium is what. Arizona is about to move from Sun Devil Stadium into a $450-million complex with a retractable roof and fully retractable grass field, and if you think that's extraordinary you have company. Business Week named Cardinals Stadium as one of the 10 most impressive sports venues in the world.
That's no accident.
When the club looked into its declining fan base it found two things that people didn't like: 1) The stadium, where it was hot and uncomfortable and where there was a dearth of restrooms, concession stands and cozy seats; and 2) the product on the field, with the Cards annually ticketed for last in their division.
So they built a magnificent stadium that will host Super Bowl XLII, improved their roster, and -- just like that -- people took an interest.
Sure, the stadium was the clincher. But the Cardinals helped themselves when they dove into the free-agent market to address their most glaring need and emerged with running back Edgerrin James. That spiked ticket sales. So did the April 29 draft of USC quarterback Matt Leinart, guard Deuce Lutui and tight end Leonard Pope, with Leinart considered a steal at the 10th position in the first round.
The addition of James was significant for two reasons. First, it demonstrated Arizona was serious about fixing the league's worst rushing attack. Second, it revealed the faith others had in the club; James was counseled by players like quarterback Kurt Warner and star receiver Larry Fitzgerald to choose the Cards over other suitors.
Now, tell me: When was the last time you heard anyone try to convince a Pro Bowl starter to play for the Arizona Cards? I thought so. People go to Arizona to play golf, not football, but that might be about to change.
The Cardinals are a better football team in a better stadium, and that combination has done something Jake Plummer, Aeneas Williams and Simeon Rice never could.
It's awakened a city.
The short-term impact of its roster moves is that Arizona might actually threaten the top of the NFC West as it was supposed to a year ago. But the long-term impact of a new stadium is that the revenues it generates ... and the fans it attracts ... should help the club keep and acquire talent for years, maybe decades.
"If you look at teams that have been to the Super Bowl or won championship games, they're all teams with new stadiums," said Bidwill. "Once you get the new stadium you have the revenues to compete."
Arizona has the new stadium, and it's about to acquire the new revenues. Now, let's see the Cardinals compete.
You can. Every Sunday. And it's about time.