Guest Post from The Hammer
Another year, another change.
The Padres rolled out their new uniforms yesterday and the first thought that came to mind was… why? Again? Why? Fans always complain that they don’t want to buy players jerseys because they don’t stay long, well why would anyone want to buy Padres jerseys if they are just going to become outdated sooner rather than later.
I understand the bring back the brown crowd and it appears that the Padres tried to give them something to chew on by bringing back the swinging friar, but he’s blue.
At first glance it appears to be much more like a Dodgers logo than a Padres logo.
The new baseball logo has a vintage feel to it, but it also has a Dodgers feel, as you can see here.
Personally, I care much more about the product on the field, but when it looks like we have become the Dodgers south, I take personal offense. Ownership wonders why the fan base is fickle, but this new ownership doesn’t understand that the changes they make continue to frustrate the fan base. This team lacks identity.
I know the Padres aren’t the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Cubs, or any other storied franchise, but forcing things down the fans throats they don’t want (insert Enberg jab here) is not going to help. I know that some people out there will always just put a smile on and write something positive, but screw that. The Padres marketing department has been a mess since this new regime took over, from awkward promo days, to being overly controlling with players, finally to a branding program that has changed direction at every turn.
This organization needs to stop pouring energy and resources into petty things like uniform changes and buying minor league teams and start putting a quality product on the field. In San Francisco it’s Halloween all year around, it’s ugly, but the team and the fans own it. It is their identity and the Giants show the fans they care about winning.
When Moorad comes out and tells fans that he is going to run this like a business, I respect that, but as a fan, I hate it. Changing uniforms looks like a money grab, taking the revenue sharing money and not applying it to payroll looks like a money grab, and trying to have the TV deal front loaded looks like a money grab. Money money money money
I can’t blame Jed for leaving; this was always a stepping stone job for him, similar to how Moorad used Arizona as a stepping stone and will eventually do the same our beloved Padres. It’s a shame that as fans we have to deal with someone more concerned with turning a profit than winning games.
Personally, I’m not a fan of the changes because as much as marketing would like to tell me they are part of Padres history, the brown was the part that fans wanted back. If this ownership wants to look like the Dodgers south, that is their right as an ownership group. I’ll try not to take it personal, after all, it’s just business.
The Hammer
Larry Faria in Ocean Beach said:
ReplyDeleteI also don't begrudge Moorad for running the club like a business, but that's not the only angle. It's been said baseball is a game, a form of entertainment, a business AND a public trust. Moorad's emphasis on the business end is prudent, but the other three are just as important, and impact on the business end.
It's a game, but games must be competitive to draw the fans; it's a form of entertainment, but the team must perform in an entertaining manner to draw fans; and it's a public trust, so there must be a consistent set of traditions and symbols to draw and retain the fans' interest.
I understand that Moorad's group, while it has a multi-billion dollar net worth, can pay only the cash to buy the club with little extra to contribute to the team's competitiveness, and that Moores left the team with an oversized debt load for its small media market, but addressing only the business end has damaged the team in the other three areas.
As fans, we can only hope the farm is as loaded as people say it is, and the players will have a a major impact of the three areas Moorad has neglected.
Actually the padres were 1st blue 36 to 68. I am happy they went back to blue I hope they keep these unis
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