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Support for Rams remains strong
Sports Columnist Bernie Miklasz
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/25/2009
The Rams are confronted by serious issues. The team has lost 16 consecutive games and 33 of the last 38, and a massive roster reconstruction is underway.
As crazy as it might sound, the Edward Jones Dome is among the oldest stadiums in the NFL. In the revenue-rich NFL, the Edward Jones Dome is no match for the Jerry Jones Dome in Dallas. And oh, yeah: The franchise is for sale, and an escape clause in the stadium lease could kick in after the 2014 season.
Given this toxic environment and the constant Sunday beatdowns, you'd think that the fan base would be completely demoralized by now. You'd think that Rams fans would've found something else to do with their football Sundays.
Remarkably, it hasn't happened. Sure, there's been an erosion of fan support; season-ticket sales dropped by about 15 percent for 2009 and more fans may bail as painful rebuilding continues.
But for a city that is so often and unfairly maligned as being a bad football town, St. Louis is hanging tough with the Rams. Even with an understandable dip in season-ticket sales, this fan base is displaying admirable resilience.
"We're seeing great passion from our fans this year," said Kevin Demoff, the Rams' chief operating officer. "I don't have any questions about our fan support. Our actual in-house attendance is up this season. Our TV ratings are holding steady. We're one of only eight NFL teams to have a double-digit improvement in TV ratings this season. The fans are staying with us during difficult times. Now it's up to us to put a winning team on the field and we're working hard to do that."
Demoff and staff are trying to limit the attrition with a more fan-friendly touch. They've enhanced the game-day experience at the dome. They've personally called season-ticket holders to check on things. They've initiated a "flex" plan for purchasing tickets. Led by co-owner Lucia Rodriguez, the Rams have stepped up their activity in community-charitable endeavors.
All of that is appreciated, but it can't overcome the chronic losing. And as long as the team is for sale, facing an uncertain future, some fans will be reluctant to buy in.
"As an organization the one thing you always want to offer is stability," Demoff said. "Whether it be coaching, the front office, or ownership."
But we aren't seeing crowds of 40,000 at The Ed.
Rams fans should be proud.
Sunday's game against the visiting Indianapolis Colts is a sellout, making it three sellouts in three home games this season. Yes, a few thousand Green Bay fans helped fill the dome. Same with Minnesota Vikings fans. And the Colts will have some followers at The Ed, too. But that's nothing to be ashamed of. It happens in other NFL cities.
Here's the bottom line: This is the Rams' 15th season in St. Louis, and this will be their 120th regular-season home game. And only six have been blacked on local television due to insufficient ticket sales at the 66,000-seat dome.
Since the start of the 2005 season, only Detroit (54) and Oakland (53) have lost more games than the Rams (51). But only three of 35 home games during this thankless stretch have drawn crowds smaller than 61,000. The smallest turnout was 52,051 against Atlanta on Dec. 2, 2007.
"Our fans have put up with bad football the last few years," Demoff said. "You have to be a truly good football town to support the kind of football we've played the last few seasons."
Demoff is right, and I'm not sure why any reasonable person would conclude that this is a weak football town.
Sure, the Rams often put a spectacular team on the field during the "Greatest Show" seasons, 1999 through 2004. The Rams went 64-32 in the regular season and won six postseason games (including a Super Bowl) during the era.
But overall, the Rams have had winning records only four times since moving here from Los Angeles in 1995. Minus the six-year "Greatest Show" run, the Rams are 41-93. But the fans filled the dome before "The Greatest Show" years, and they've mostly packed the dome after the curtain dropped on that dazzling show.
Combining the St. Louis Cardinals (1960-1987) and the Rams (1995-2009), the two St. Louis NFL teams have 191 wins and 327 losses, with 14 ties.
St. Louis NFL teams have qualified for the playoffs only eight times in 43 seasons.
That's a lot of exposure to lousy football.
And that's why I laugh at the notion of Los Angeles as an NFL mecca.
In the 1980s, the LA Rams made the playoffs seven times and twice competed in the NFC Championship Game. And for much of that decade, the Rams had a charismatic attraction in Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson.
I checked the attendance figures for each of the seven LA Rams playoff seasons. Playoff-bound Rams teams of the '80s drew crowds of 60,000 or more to only 24 of 56 regular-season home games. And they drew fewer than 50,000 in 14 of the 56 home games.
When Dickerson set the new NFL single-season rushing record at home late in the 1984 season, he did so in front of 49,348 fans and approximately 17,000 empty seats at Anaheim Stadium.
LA didn't support the winning Rams as well as St. Louis has supported the losing Rams. Potential buyers of the Rams should know that the franchise comes equipped with a surprisingly loyal fan base.
Sports Columnist Bernie Miklasz
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/25/2009
The Rams are confronted by serious issues. The team has lost 16 consecutive games and 33 of the last 38, and a massive roster reconstruction is underway.
As crazy as it might sound, the Edward Jones Dome is among the oldest stadiums in the NFL. In the revenue-rich NFL, the Edward Jones Dome is no match for the Jerry Jones Dome in Dallas. And oh, yeah: The franchise is for sale, and an escape clause in the stadium lease could kick in after the 2014 season.
Given this toxic environment and the constant Sunday beatdowns, you'd think that the fan base would be completely demoralized by now. You'd think that Rams fans would've found something else to do with their football Sundays.
Remarkably, it hasn't happened. Sure, there's been an erosion of fan support; season-ticket sales dropped by about 15 percent for 2009 and more fans may bail as painful rebuilding continues.
But for a city that is so often and unfairly maligned as being a bad football town, St. Louis is hanging tough with the Rams. Even with an understandable dip in season-ticket sales, this fan base is displaying admirable resilience.
"We're seeing great passion from our fans this year," said Kevin Demoff, the Rams' chief operating officer. "I don't have any questions about our fan support. Our actual in-house attendance is up this season. Our TV ratings are holding steady. We're one of only eight NFL teams to have a double-digit improvement in TV ratings this season. The fans are staying with us during difficult times. Now it's up to us to put a winning team on the field and we're working hard to do that."
Demoff and staff are trying to limit the attrition with a more fan-friendly touch. They've enhanced the game-day experience at the dome. They've personally called season-ticket holders to check on things. They've initiated a "flex" plan for purchasing tickets. Led by co-owner Lucia Rodriguez, the Rams have stepped up their activity in community-charitable endeavors.
All of that is appreciated, but it can't overcome the chronic losing. And as long as the team is for sale, facing an uncertain future, some fans will be reluctant to buy in.
"As an organization the one thing you always want to offer is stability," Demoff said. "Whether it be coaching, the front office, or ownership."
But we aren't seeing crowds of 40,000 at The Ed.
Rams fans should be proud.
Sunday's game against the visiting Indianapolis Colts is a sellout, making it three sellouts in three home games this season. Yes, a few thousand Green Bay fans helped fill the dome. Same with Minnesota Vikings fans. And the Colts will have some followers at The Ed, too. But that's nothing to be ashamed of. It happens in other NFL cities.
Here's the bottom line: This is the Rams' 15th season in St. Louis, and this will be their 120th regular-season home game. And only six have been blacked on local television due to insufficient ticket sales at the 66,000-seat dome.
Since the start of the 2005 season, only Detroit (54) and Oakland (53) have lost more games than the Rams (51). But only three of 35 home games during this thankless stretch have drawn crowds smaller than 61,000. The smallest turnout was 52,051 against Atlanta on Dec. 2, 2007.
"Our fans have put up with bad football the last few years," Demoff said. "You have to be a truly good football town to support the kind of football we've played the last few seasons."
Demoff is right, and I'm not sure why any reasonable person would conclude that this is a weak football town.
Sure, the Rams often put a spectacular team on the field during the "Greatest Show" seasons, 1999 through 2004. The Rams went 64-32 in the regular season and won six postseason games (including a Super Bowl) during the era.
But overall, the Rams have had winning records only four times since moving here from Los Angeles in 1995. Minus the six-year "Greatest Show" run, the Rams are 41-93. But the fans filled the dome before "The Greatest Show" years, and they've mostly packed the dome after the curtain dropped on that dazzling show.
Combining the St. Louis Cardinals (1960-1987) and the Rams (1995-2009), the two St. Louis NFL teams have 191 wins and 327 losses, with 14 ties.
St. Louis NFL teams have qualified for the playoffs only eight times in 43 seasons.
That's a lot of exposure to lousy football.
And that's why I laugh at the notion of Los Angeles as an NFL mecca.
In the 1980s, the LA Rams made the playoffs seven times and twice competed in the NFC Championship Game. And for much of that decade, the Rams had a charismatic attraction in Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson.
I checked the attendance figures for each of the seven LA Rams playoff seasons. Playoff-bound Rams teams of the '80s drew crowds of 60,000 or more to only 24 of 56 regular-season home games. And they drew fewer than 50,000 in 14 of the 56 home games.
When Dickerson set the new NFL single-season rushing record at home late in the 1984 season, he did so in front of 49,348 fans and approximately 17,000 empty seats at Anaheim Stadium.
LA didn't support the winning Rams as well as St. Louis has supported the losing Rams. Potential buyers of the Rams should know that the franchise comes equipped with a surprisingly loyal fan base.
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