What will it take to get you to come to PBS in 2012?

by n8dogg on Jan 23, 2012 9:17 PM EST

We are all well aware that most of the home games for our beloved Cincinnati Bengals did not sell out this year and fans cited a multitude of reasons for the 20,000+ empty seats for all but 2 of the 8 regular season games played at PBS. The economy, Mike Brown, and ticket prices were just a few of those reasons and each one presents a reasonable argument as to why fans stayed away in droves and a sea of green seats could be seen stretching across the upper level of PBS for most of the season.

Interstingly enough, this could be one of the most telling seasons of Mike Brown's reign over professional football in Cincinnati. The Kool-Aid is oh so sweet to taste right now as it seems like the Bengals are doing all the right things. Good drafts the last few years. An openness to work with the city with the recent development of the new practice and playing fields. Lowered ticket prices. All of these factors seem to be a shift in the traditional dysfunction of the Bengals. So, are we all fools falling for the trap to pour our hard earned money into the team only to eventually revert back to lowered expectations or are the times a changin' round here?

Personally, I am excited about the future of the Cincinnati Bengals and I think that most fans would agree that we have a great core of players and something good is happening. However, are the recent changes enough to get you to come out and support the team at the stadium? I have developed a tremendous passion for going to PBS and feel there is nothing better than being at the stadium to see everything unfold live, to hear the roar of the crowd and feel the energy of the stadium. Others will disagree and prefer to stay home to watch the game rather than pay for parking, battle traffic and deal with the drunken fans fighting amongst each other......and I completely understand that reasoning too. Some fans just prefer to watch the games from the comfort of their home. From the recent comments I have read on CJ it appears that there is hesitation from fans to jump completely on board and after the last 20 years I have to say that it is certainly warranted.

So I ask you Bengals nation......What will it take to get you to PBS in 2012? I'm sure I missed some other reasons in the poll so let's hear what you have to say.

Poll

What will it take to get you to buy tickets to future Bengals games?

I will never give Mike Brown any of my money as long as he is in office.

2 votes

Mike Brown hires a GM.

8 votes

Continued solid front office decisions and a good draft.

17 votes

Better fan relations.

4 votes

When the Bengals show consistent winning seasons.

7 votes

I would love to go but can't afford tickets.

17 votes

Other

6 votes

61 votes | Poll has closed

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Cincy Jungle's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Cincy Jungle's writers or editors.

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Comments

Great Post

I have season tickets but my main thing is the front office trying to keep this team competitive through free agency and draft. I know some people that get turned off by the stop gap free agency signings and failure to keep their own. They have a great young nucleus but have major holes that they need to address in my mind for them to have PBS sold out on a consistent basis. I’m getting tired of getting average players at a bargain price, hoping that they reach their potential. We have money to spend and in order to be a contender we are gonna need more elite players and they will be able to do that this year in free agency. History will tell you that we won’t make a splash in free agency but windows are only big for so long in the NFL, so you have to strike while the iron is hot!!!

by EPK1979 on Jan 23, 2012 10:03 PM EST reply actions

I agree

Mediocrity seems to have been the standard for Bengals. Losing JJo was the perfect example of failing to keep their own. There is a culture of winning that needs to be established. Once that culture takes shape, free agents will want to stay here and come here as well. Winning cures all and will fill PBS

by n8dogg on Jan 23, 2012 10:27 PM EST up reply actions

as long as

they keep making the kinds of decisions that they’ve made of late, I’ll be back, if not I won’t. I had seaseon tickets for twelve years and finally worked my waay down to the fifth row, so it was extremely hard for me to give them up, but I lost faith in the organization over those first six years, then they lured me back with Marv and Carson, so I re-upped. I will watch patiently over the summer and make a decision, read my sig line, if something like that happens, I’ll be a lifelong season ticket holder.

personally

I don’t want to see Marvin fired, I want him to be promoted to G.M. while handing the reigns over to Zimmer as head coach and hiring Jack Del Rio as Defensive Coordinator. Who Dey!!!

by joeb69 on Jan 9, 2012 8:18 PM EST replyactions 2 recs

by joeb69 on Jan 23, 2012 10:30 PM EST reply actions

This is why I think this one of the most important offseasons for MB

Many people want to wait and see the moves that are made and if this team will be aggressive in free agency and have a solid draft. He could make all the right moves or he could screw the whole thing up. This is the perfect opportunity to win back so many fans that clearly expressed their frustration by staying away.
Nice sig. btw.

by n8dogg on Jan 23, 2012 10:56 PM EST up reply actions

thank you

and yes, there will ba a lot of us watching what this team does or doesn’t do in the offseason.

personally

I don’t want to see Marvin fired, I want him to be promoted to G.M. while handing the reigns over to Zimmer as head coach and hiring Jack Del Rio as Defensive Coordinator. Who Dey!!!

by joeb69 on Jan 9, 2012 8:18 PM EST replyactions 2 recs

by joeb69 on Jan 23, 2012 11:10 PM EST up reply actions

would love to come, but i have school and work, and im from the west coast

by Touhue Cha on Jan 24, 2012 12:48 AM EST reply actions

What will it take to get you to come to PBS in 2012?

1) Better ticket PRICING (not lower prices). The seats that aren’t selling are the upper deck seats. They have some of the highest priced “cheap seats” in the NFL, but some of the lowest priced “good seats”. If you want to fill the stadium you have to make the “cheap seats” actually cheap, and raise the price on the best seats a little to compensate for the difference.

2) Move the stadium a few hours closer to where i live :-)

by ephram on Jan 24, 2012 7:29 AM EST reply actions

They already lowered the upper deck seating for next year, which I agree was a great move.

by EPK1979 on Jan 24, 2012 11:49 AM EST up reply actions

i totally agree

their different between their “cheap seats” and their “expensive seats” was the smallest difference in the whole NFL.

They have reasonably priced “expensive seats” that could even be a little higher, and still be in the bottom 25% in the NFL….but to have such pricy “cheap seats” has been an asinine pricing strategy that has resulted in empty seats.

by ephram on Jan 24, 2012 12:39 PM EST up reply actions

Honestly...it's really quite easy...

NO MORE MARVIN!
It has been time for him to go for awhile now! I’ve compiled a list of coaches that have been with one team for 10 years or more…it is so embarrassing it’ll make ya puke…23 all time in history! Only our franchise could allow a coach this bad/mediocre reign for a decade!
My brother and I have suffered through season tickets for 20 years since the Super Bowl and dropped them the very day a year ago we re-signed this “head coach” and will immediately sign back up the day he’s justly canned! (in 42 years :/ )
I hate to sound terrible but I felt some solidarity this year with the empty stadium…a reflection more on Marvin than MB (trust me he ain’t good either in my opinion) because we were selling out just fine until he held us hostage about his contract and the Pitt thing.
My family as spent a crap ton on tickets since 1990 passed from my father down to us and none will spend another dime on a Marvin regime….trust me he’ll let you all down…he has NEVER won a meaningful important game after 9 seasons…anybody think of one???

by stales711 on Jan 24, 2012 7:52 AM EST reply actions

Sorry no spaces between paragraphs...first post

by stales711 on Jan 24, 2012 9:14 AM EST up reply actions

Taking care of 2 babies

Don’t got time for that crap.lol

by EPK1979 on Jan 24, 2012 11:50 AM EST up reply actions

Though I don't feel as strongly about it...

I agree. Marvin would probably be an ok GM, but we need a head coach with some swagger. If I have to see him clap and say “Let’s go” as the team leaves the field after a turnover one more time I’m going to vomit.

by Bearcat_Fan on Jan 24, 2012 9:21 AM EST up reply actions

Just makes me sad...

Everyone is so optimistic…don’t get me wrong I love the “new” team as much as the next fanatic but you are really going to tell me this is a more talented team to be optimistic about than the ’05 and ’09 teams which Marvin then summarily drove into the ground.

I know he’ll never be allowed to speak it aloud, but Carson “retired” because of Marvin Lewis after 8 years, Mike Brown was an issue as of the ‘03 draft, In Marv We Trust’s inability to be an adequate winning head coach drives talent away

by stales711 on Jan 24, 2012 9:46 AM EST up reply actions

more talented than 2009?

absolutely. WAY more potential and overall talent.

2005?

probably, but it remains to be seen once the players currently on our offense hit their prime.

by dqniel on Jan 24, 2012 3:51 PM EST up reply actions

"WAY" more potential is simply not talent...and remains to be seen is also not what I said...

I’m just trying to temper everyone jumping off the ledge with excitement that Marviocre went 9-7 with the easiest schedule created by human beings in my lifetime

by stales711 on Jan 25, 2012 7:42 AM EST up reply actions

talent is innate

it doesn’t change. production, on the other hand, can change as talent remains the same and potential is reached through coaching and experience. you asked if it’s a more talented team to be optimistic(in other words, taking potential into mind) about. so yes, that is what you asked.

i think the team we had in 2011 had more talent, and more potential, than the 2009 team, and therefore is worth being more optimistic about. the 2009 squad achieved nearly the same record and had nearly the same production as the 2011 team while having a bunch of players in, or past, their prime rather than at the beginning of the learning curve as we do now.

whether or not the same can be said in comparison to the team in 2005 i’m not so sure, because we had pretty much the opposite of what we have now in terms of a strong defense and poor offense.

by dqniel on Jan 25, 2012 12:53 PM EST up reply actions

He also went 9-7 when everyone was predicting 4 or less wins.

You play the schedule you are given, and regardless, these are all professional players. I think he deserves more credit than you are giving him.

by Ben-GAL on Jan 26, 2012 9:33 AM EST up reply actions

-1

by Oregonbengalsfan on Jan 24, 2012 11:32 AM EST up reply actions

What would it take for fans overall?

Keep winning……it sounds simple, but when you break it down it really involves a lot of important decisions in the near future. This means continuing to draft well, keep good players here when possible (avoid situations like JJoe debacle) and continue the good PR they currently have with the fans (new fields announcement that came out yesterday). We are on the right track, but we’ve been down this road before, only to implode. We had all this positive PR going and then Pacman and Jerome are in the news on the same day for legal issues. It’s 1 step forward, 2 steps back. We need to get rid of a couple of those guys, keep our core that we have (both coaches and players) and the wins will come. I have faith, but still remember that I’ve had this feeling many, many times before to only end in disappointment.

"The next person you see that throws something, point em out! You don’t live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati!"
- Sam Wyche

by The Van Buren Boys on Jan 24, 2012 9:48 AM EST reply actions

Exactly...

I’m not at all worried about continuing to win…saying that’s what we even did this year is wrongheaded…no wins against any good teams and even a loss to Orton and his high school team

We have to start by realizing we are going to have the same coaching staff next year and the schedule will never be easier than what we went 9-7 with this year

The 2009 year people think was great…I see it as the biggest setback under MB. We were a 6-10 team that phenomenally went 10-6 and changed everything that should have happened including finally leaving Marv in the dust

by stales711 on Jan 24, 2012 10:01 AM EST up reply actions

I'll so GLADLY eat crow and offer myself up for a day of shame and humiliation...

to the board if we win 9 games or more again for a consecutive year …

But I’m not worried, that’s not how Marvin rolls

by stales711 on Jan 24, 2012 10:05 AM EST up reply actions

-1

But I’m not worried, that’s not how Marvin rolls

by Oregonbengalsfan on Jan 24, 2012 11:32 AM EST up reply actions

Nothing.

I enjoy going down and rooting on the Bengals. Yes, I want to win consistently, and I think we are building a solid foundation to do just that. But, I have gone every season, no matter what. Yes, I have been frustrated, I have ranted and raved, but I came to the conclusion, that this is the team I love, and the players deserve fans there. So, I have always gone, but NOW I think my patience is paying off, finally. We have the beginnings of a really good football team, I just hope we draft well AGAIN, and make some decent moves in FA. I will say that I think Marvin has had a lot to do with these changes, and I think the fans that boycotted MB, just may have gotten through to him a tad, so I don’t fault anyone for feeling they didn’t want to come and spend their money, I just wasn’t one of those people.

by Ben-GAL on Jan 24, 2012 10:47 AM EST reply actions

I would need them to relocate my living room to PBS, supply me with a gril to...

broil steaks and other fixings as well as provide seating and a big hi def so I can watch the action with really good coverage. In other words, I would not sit on the 50 yard line with free tickets. Way too much hassle and the home experience is just too good. I go maybe once a year early in the season when the weather is good and the tickets are free.

"If we always agree, one of us is not necessary"

by JUNGLEJOHN on Jan 24, 2012 2:42 PM EST reply actions

Nothing

I will not go there until they actually win a playoff game. Until then I am going to continue to believe that Mike Brown doesn’t have a friggin’ clue how to run a football team and Mediocre Marvin isn’t a very good coach when you need to win a playoff game.

Attention Mike Brown: One-and-done doesn’t cut it. You will see more empty seats next year if you don’t show the fans you’re trying to win the Super Bowl!