Summer Concert Series Good or Bad?
by EminenceFront on Jun 26, 2009 7:26 PM EDT
19 comments
In 2008, the Rays went a well earned 8-0 in the Summer Concert Series. The concept was a great idea to get fans to the ballpark and it worked. Tremendously. Overall attendance was up in 2008 and with a new lineup of artists in this years edition, attendance is up again. But it isn't all good news when it comes to the Summer Concert Series helping the attendance.
Attendance is a funny thing. Take a look at an evaluation between 2008 and 2009 as of June 24th in both years: 
via i44.tinypic.com
Visually, you can see the Saturdays even without labels. It's much more up-and-down and radical when compared to 2008. Does some of this have to do with opponents? Yes. But again, it's not a great sign. It also seems that the Friday before Saturday Concerts and the Sunday afterward are significantly effected as opposed to regular Non-concert Saturday games.
via i41.tinypic.com
Compared to 2008, 2009 is drawing better and we are averaging more fans per game but what concerns me is that the average amount of fans on week days are actually lower. It is rather obvious that weekends will draw better but the addition of a Saturday concert is really hurting the week-day average. The scary part is Saturday Concert games are even hurting Friday games.
| Non-Concert Saturday Average | 31138 |
| Concert Saturday Average | 32422 |
| Friday Before Non-Concert Saturday | 22712 |
| Friday Before Concert Average | 18838 |
| Sunday After Non-Concert Saturday | 25406 |
| Sunday After Concert Average | 25001 |
The difference is significant. Saturday Concert games are actually negatively effecting Fridays beforehand as well as Sundays afterward Whereas regular Saturdays are better for Fridays and Sundays and only draw 1000 less than a Concert Saturday.
via i44.tinypic.com
Weekdays are again, lower than last year. On the whole, 2009 is higher on weekend games (concert and non-concert games together).
Are Saturday Concerts fun? Yes. Are they necessarily a good thing? Well, last year they were. Weekday games were not effected. However it seems as if people are now not going during the week in order to catch a concert. Maybe it's time to ditch the series? Maybe. It depends on how these numbers progress throughout the rest of this year. Hopefully they're better than now.
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very interesting data
I like the angle you took. I think once you factor in the cost of the concerts that it may not yield a positive return for the Rays. They’d probably make more by not having those concerts. On the other hand it may be wise to build a fan base, even while taking a loss now, and reap the rewards later.
by matthan on Jun 26, 2009 10:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Is it fair to draw such a conclusion after a grand total of two concerts?
RD over and out.
by ReasonableDoubt on Jun 27, 2009 10:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think this is an evaluation that is missing a huge factor totally non-related to the concerts
First of all SSS. There have been 3 non-concert weekend series. This series against the Marlins will be the third concert weekend series.
In the non-concert series we played
- The White Sox in the first weekend series of the year
- The Red Sox
- The Indians
In the concert series we played
- The Twins
- The Nats
- Tonight the Marlins which we don’t know full weekend attendance yet
Can anyone else see a reason why the first 3 series would have a higher average then the last 2? Let me give you a hint it has nothing to do with a concert
Kap-rilla???
by Sveet on Jun 27, 2009 10:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The concert data is based on all of last years concert dates as well as this year.
Same for Non-Concert data.
Sign lady must die.
by EminenceFront on Jun 27, 2009 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And you determined the concerts were a benefit last year.
RD over and out.
by ReasonableDoubt on Jun 27, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You're reading too much into that.
Everybody loves them and it generated attendance. It was a benefit. However, it may not be the best thing in the long run.
Sign lady must die.
by EminenceFront on Jun 27, 2009 2:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
On this note anyone want the wrist bands for tonight.....
Swav or Die
For the lulz
by SRQman on Jun 27, 2009 12:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, text me.
RD over and out.
by ReasonableDoubt on Jun 27, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Email me if other people want them he will bail
Swav or Die
For the lulz
by SRQman on Jun 27, 2009 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just get Trace Adkins to perform every night and it will sell out every night.
Swav or Die
For the lulz
by SRQman on Jun 27, 2009 3:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Unfortunately, this is true.
Sign lady must die.
by EminenceFront on Jun 27, 2009 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was the only person to leave....
The halls were empty as were the streets.
Swav or Die
For the lulz
by SRQman on Jun 27, 2009 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The only stat on concert night that I care about is
11-0. Wins and losses baby ! I think its 11. Keep em coming
by raysrule44 on Jun 28, 2009 11:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Two things from this...
First, I agree with ReasonableDoubt above that quality of opponent is a huge factor.
- Last year the Concert Series opponents were: BAL, HOU, FLA, HOU, KC, TOR, DET, BAL
- This year it is MIN, WAS, FLA
That’s a huge factor. I actually think that’s a job well done by the FO. Get people to these games, the others will bring their own.
The other thing is just displacement. If someone is planning on going to one game over the weekend, of course they’ll choose the concert game. So instead of spreading fan over three days they just concentrate them in one. I don’t have a huge problem with this. They’ve deemed Sunday the Family Fun Day for years as an attempt to concentrate young fans on that day.
by tallyray on Jun 29, 2009 10:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I acknoledged that opponent is a factor.
But still. People (especially the media) tend to forget the displacement and use it as an argument towards moving the team.
If we draw 18k on a Friday, the media goes bonkers.
Sign lady must die.
by EminenceFront on Jun 30, 2009 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
acknowledged*
Sign lady must die.
by EminenceFront on Jun 30, 2009 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think that displacement essentially goes to the core of your argument
If the fans were planning on going to a game anyway and just chose Saturday because of the concert then is it really worth it?
by matthan on Jul 1, 2009 8:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It isn't all displacement...
Displacement may be a factor in why Friday and Sunday are slightly lower, but I highly doubt the large increase on the concert days is made up for just displaced fans.
Even if displacement is a larger factor, there is some benefit in having a higher concentration of fans attend one game. The Rays can focus a lot more efforts on that one date instead of spreading it across more days.
I imagine the purpose of the concert series is to help bring people to games that would normally not attend. If that’s the case, I’d imagine they’ve been pretty successful.
by tallyray on Jul 1, 2009 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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