Wolves need some serious marketing help

I have to admit, I've lost all interest in the Timberwolves. I can't even remember the last time I actually paid to go to a game. The last game I went to, I had received free tickets from the Timberwolves promotions department.

If you've watched any of the pre-season games on TV, there's empty blue seats everywhere. Not like it was when Kevin Garnett was here, there wasn't an empty seat in the house.

I was reading Patrick Reusse's column in the Star Tribune today (click post title to read full article), and he believes the T-wolves need some serious marketing to go along with the new shooters that are part of a team that seems to be in a constant state of re-building.

They've done their best in the past couple years in the area of branding: re-designed jerseys, a re-designed logo (which looks awful) and a new Target Center court. They've done some new things in the ticketing department as well. Last season, according to Reusse's article, the T-wolves had an abysmal season ticket base of 5,000.

When Garnett played here, I remember it being almost impossible to get a seat in the lower seating bowl of the arena. The lower level at Target Center seats about 8,300 people (total capacity is just shy of 20,000). What's even worse, is the team expected to lose another 10 percent of that base from last season.

It may not be the team, however. People still are loving the Minnesota Wild on the other side of the river; even though the Wild's consecutive sellout streak at the Xcel Energy Center has come to an end. And, let's not forget all the hype about the Twins this year with Target Field opening and the overall excitement that was re-generated for the Twins. An excitement, only to be squashed away in three games against the Yankees.

The T-Wolves started things off late last season when they decided to cut season ticket prices. I don't remember too much about that particular campaign, and I can't remember whether ticket prices were cut across the board, or just for new season ticket accounts. Even before that, the team has touted a season ticket up in the far reaches of the arena, that goes for about $300-some-odd a season.

And, apparently, it's worked. The Wolves, instead of losing another 10 percent of their season ticket base, have actually GAINED about 2,000 season ticket holders. Well, that helps, but for the most part still leaves the Target Center well below half-capacity.

If you have 7,000 season ticket holders (banking on the fact that they'd all show up for every game), and 3,000 unlucky fans decide to walk up to the ticket office ten minutes before the tip-off to snag a ticket, that's only 10,000 people. Which leaves the remaining 10,000 or so seats unoccupied.

Granted, the Wolves surprisingly had a decent pre-season. But, that's happened before. I remember getting so excited one year when the Wolves went 7-1 in the preseason. Hardly did anything after that, and to my recollection, didn't even win 35 games that season.

In seasons since Garnett's departure, it's felt very much like the expansion year of 1989 all over again. Only problem was, in 1989, people were so excited to have NBA basketball back in town after an almost 30-year absence, they didn't care how bad the team was.

Now, 22 years later, people do care, and they seem to be proving it by placing their allegiances elsewhere. Even Reusse commented that the one replica jersey he saw in the stands at the Target Center the other night was an Adrian Peterson Vikings jersey. But, if this Wolves team is really as good as it seems, or as Reusse postulates, then the Wolves need to get some serious marketing work done to make these lower ticket prices pay off.

Section 310

Today, I finally got back to Target Field for the game against the Mariners.
And finally, the Twins win a game that I attended!

If you're looking for a good seat for a Twins game, look no further than Section 310 (and 311). These two sections make up the "Our Family Section" at Target Field.

For $24.00, it's not a bad deal. The seats are a lot closer to home plate than they are to first base. And, you get a coupon for a free Twins Dog (a great hot dog choice at Target Field) and a regular soda.

Be aware: alcohol is not sold or permitted in these sections.

I do like the upper concourse at Target Field. It's really no wider (23 feet) than the claustrophobic ones at the Metrodome (or "the other place"), but keep in mind, the upper concourse at the Metrodome services about 34,000 people. The upper concourse at Target Field services about 11,000.

Around this area, it takes a little getting used to, as there is a walkway that serves as an auxiliary concourse for the 300 level. The upper concourse services both the Terrace level (200s) and the Upper level (300s). So, this little walkway makes it a bit easier for those in the 300s to get to their seats.

The view is great. You can see everything from up there. No wondering, "where is the ball?" You can clearly see every hit, and determine whether its fair or an out.

I was very pleased with the number of roaming vendors up in the 300s. At the other place, you were lucky if you saw a few. But, the bright yellow jackets from Delaware North (the Twins' concessionaire) were everywhere up there. A very nice change.

Today was the quickest game I have ever seen at Target Field, just a little over two hours. And, exiting the park was the easiest I have experienced in all the times I've been there.

I have learned by experience, do NOT exit the ballpark through Gate 6. Gate 6 is over on the left field side. You might think it's easier to get out there than traipse all the way through Target Field to get to the main entrance, Gate 34, over on the right field side. Believe me, traipse.

Gate 6 is where the light rail station is. There is a queue area there, that, if you don't take the light rail to Target Field, you'll be caught up in. And, your exit from Target Field will almost double.

From our section, we simply took the walkway until it stopped. Walked through the upper concourse to the escalators down by Section 302. We got out of there in probably less than ten minutes. Even ten minutes might be an overstatement.

I suppose one of the reasons it is so easy getting out of there is because all the gates open with turnstiles moved to the side, allowing everybody to flow out freely. Unlike the other place, there are no revolving doors forcing you to go out single-file.

Today was an interesting game also, as it was the three-year anniversary of the 35W bridge collapse. Flags were flying at half-staff today, per Gov. Pawlenty's declaration. I was somewhat surprised that there wasn't a moment of silence observed; either when the National Anthem was played, or in the seventh inning, when God Bless America was sung.

Ever since the tragedy, the Twins have always played at home on August 1. And, up until today, they have been night games. Usually, per the governor's declaration, a moment of silence is observed at 6:05pm, the exact minute of the collapse. With today's 1:10 start, I thought they might have made an exception. But they did not.

Here's what really bothers me. The Twins just came off of a road trip lasting several days. They came home last Friday for a three-game set against the Mariners. Now, they're going back on the road for 12 games.

I'm sorry, but around here, this is the time to show off outdoor baseball in Minnesota. The summer of 2010 is one of the best summers I can remember; and is a terrific argument to all those who thought we needed a roof on the place.

I suppose it could be possible that Major League Baseball is watching the Twins this year, to see how Target Field plays during a Minnesota summer. What do they have to compare it against? Minnesota ballgames have been played under a fabric sky for 28 years, what does MLB know about Minnesota summers?

Hopefully, the schedule will favor the Twins better in the summer, and we'll see more home games in the summer months.

One comment I made to my brother as we were leaving, "I think the Twins should play all 162 games here." That got a chuckle from a fan behind me.

Thanks for reading. Click "Section 310" for pictures from today's game.

Could Target Field be lonely?

I'm sorry it's been so long since I wrote.

I have been writing a lot of articles at allvoices.com ( http://www.allvoices.com/users/Lrasmussen )

I read an interesting article today about the Seattle Mariners and how their attendance is incredibly low this year for the first time since they opened their new ballpark in 1999.

Of course, they're in last place in the AL West. Seems that low attendance would follow suit.

With the Twins dismal performance as of late, and now that we are at the midway point of the season, could Target Field become a lonely place the second half of it's first season?

And then, throw in the Vikings and the apparent return of Brett Favre, that might pose even more trouble at the gates at Target Field. If the Twins aren't doing well, and September's colder air moves in, there might be a lot of empty seats at the ballpark those last few weeks.

I'm not sure the "honeymoon" period for Target Field is quite over, though. People might still be flocking to the ballpark, for the sake of seeing the ballpark. But, not too long from now, the ballpark will become less and less of a draw, and the bottom line will be putting a competitive team on the field.

It seems many newer ballparks in Major League Baseball eventually get to the half-full point. Ballparks in Detroit, Milwaukee, Texas and other cities have lots of empty seats to look at these days. Ballparks that were once big draws for fans, but now, not so much.

I'd hate to see that happen to Target Field; but the harsh reality is, it probably will and possibly sooner than later.