Jan 26 2009
How Much Is Enough?
After a stunning debate in which I challenged the Fan-hood of my friends and myself in an instance of how much are you willing to take from your team, I found myself wondering “How much is enough?” The debate stems from the struggling Los Angeles Dodgers franchise.
Growing up in East Los Angeles, the lights of Dodger Stadium were always visable from my street, and we could always see the annual Fourth of July fireworks show. So naturally, the Dodgers were always etched into my blood no matter what they did.
Then, I decided to take up writting for a living and ofcourse with that, your own personal bias must be set aside if you hope to tell it like it is. When looking at teams, most people only see the players, which is natural, but really the team runs as a collective unit from the owner to parking attendants.
If one piece is not holding its own, the team will not have success and will fail on a level only a few franchises have ever hit. The Dodgers, for instance, have been a local team for over 50 years now and have seen good times and bad times.
Lately, the franchise has hit a bit of a snag that must be pointed out for the hopes of keeping up with the times, and that is spending wisely. The McCourt Family, which has taken over ownership of the team, has spent most of their time speaking about renovations to the Stadium then potential signings.
It’s not that a re-vamped stadium is a bad idea, but being frank with yourself, is it really what the team needs. Here in Los Angeles we expect our teams to win World Championships and any season that doesn’t end in one is a complete failure with no excuses.
The Dodgers have announced that they will spend the next 50 years totally renovating Dodger Stadium, but for what reason really? Shouldn’t the team worry about putting a winning team on the field instead of what the type of shopping experience you can have while there?
How much more can the fans take, you know the fans that have waited for a title since the Kirk Gibson home-run over 20 years ago? The Lakers are easily the top team in Los Angeles, with the Dodgers quite possibly falling behind the USC Trojans football program to third place.
It’s tough to see a team that is affraid to spend money on players, but adding a new restaurant to the stadium that still sells $7 beers. That’s not fan friendly, that is not even what fans care about. The fans want a winner, simply and plain.
If you live in Los Angeles, you know that the Dodgers set attendence records every year and that the team is making money. A player once said about the team: “This is the Dodgers, not the Kansas City Royals”, meaning why is the team so scared of spending money?
Los Angeles is the second biggest media market in the United States and is likely the best place to come and play baseball. Do not sign Guillermo Mota and expect fans to think you are doing everything possible to put a winning team on the field, Sorry, it’s just not going to happen.
J.M.Saucedo
J.M.Saucedo
