Below is a letter I sent to the Columbus Destroyers this evening via their website “Contact Us” form.
My wife and I attended a few Destroyers games last year, and decided to become season ticket holders this year. We enjoy many aspects of the games, but there has been one aspect that greatly bothers us: the nearly constant advertising during the games. From the 1800 Tequila Yellow Flag, to the Giant Eagle Get Go Zone, to the Janitorial Services Clean Sweep and the Germain Auto Group Game Balls, we feel less like fans and more like advertising targets. The level of sponsorship significantly detracts from our enjoyment of the game as it distracts us from the sport itself. I fully understand that Arena Football is a business, and as such needs to make money. As one of your customers, I have options choices: provide feedback to help improve the service, or take my money elsewhere. For now, I’m choosing the former approach. Please find ways to decrease the in-game sponsorship.
We were bothered by the frequency of in-game ads last year, but decided to give season tickets a shot when they offered a greatly reduced season ticket package. We have been tempted to buy something like this counter to keep track of all the audible advertisements during a game. It really is distracting to have the announcer say “There’s an 1800 Tequila Yellow Flag on the play!” and have the liquor logo appear on the big screen, rather than just say “Flag on the play”. When we watch other area sports (e.g. Blue Jacket’s hockey), the sponsor ship is saved for the breaks in the game. When we watch pro-football on TV, the sponsors are only mentioned during the commercial breaks, or when introducing the analysis commentators. I also understand that the sponsorship might reduce the price of my tickets (that, and there doesn’t seem to be much demand for them). But when the advertising invades my enjoyment of the product, it has gone too far. I like that Columbus has the Destroyers, and we have fun at the games. But it would be much more fun (and we’d be likely to spend more money!) if we weren’t so distracted by the ads.
Well, now we’ll see just how fan-centric the team really is.
Update 4/4/08: No response.
Yesterday was our 14th anniversary. It was a busy day, with each activity being a metaphor of the different priorities in our lives.
- We woke up next to each other. It was the perfect way to start the day. Priority: Us.
- I was in the middle of a week-long vacation, so I didn’t have to go to work. What’s even better was that I didn’t get a single phone call. Given the stress I’ve been feeling at work recently, this was a much needed break. Priority: Work to live, not live to work.
- Our daughter had a good friend sleep-over the night before. It was nice to see the kids playing together, inside and out. Priority: kids with well rounded relationships.
- Anne and I spent 90 minutes exercising at the local YMCA. Our exercise program has been a great benefit to both of us, and it is especially nice when we get a chance to do it together. Priority: our health and fitness.
- I had an optometrist appointment. It has been several years since I’ve had my vision checked, and I was over due. Priority: taking care of our selves.
- After I returned from the optometrist, I developed a nasty headache that was a combination of dilated pupils and caffeine withdrawal (I’d forgotten my daily half-pot). So I laid down to take a nap. Meanwhile, Anne did stuff around the house, and kept the kids out of my way. Priority: sharing responsibilities
- While I was recovering, the kids wanted to fly a kite at the school next door. Anne helped them find one from the basement, and set them loose. It was the first beautiful spring day, and kids from all over the neighborhood were drawn to the kite in the air. Priority: self-sufficient kids enjoying the outdoors.
- After lunch (together), I was feeling well enough to work on our half-bath remodeling project for a bit. Priority: taking care of our home.
- Our daughter’s friend left for home, and we took the kids to grandma’s for an overnight. The transition was seamless and wonderful. Priority: long-term relationships with grandparents.
- We had a little time to kill after dropping the kids off, so we browsed a bit at the mall before dinner. We dreamed a little about spending some money, but quickly realized that our life was full enough of stuff. What we need to do is to make more use of that stuff with the people who are important to us. Priority: shared vision for enhancing friendships.
- We ate dinner at one of our favorite Japanese restaurants. The food was fabulous. The meal was not rushed and we could take time enjoying each other’s company. Priority: time together, enjoying healthy, tasty food.
- After dinner we went to a Blue Jacket’s hockey game. The tickets had come to us free via a friend of Anne’s. We figured that thanks to various friends, we’ll have seen 8 hockey games this year, but only paid for one. We’ve seen most of the rest on TV. It’s been a fun year of nurturing our new hockey obsession. Priority: having fun together.
- After the game, we went to a restaurant in the Arena district for drinks and dessert. Again we spent time talking and enjoying food (and beer!). Priority: time together, enjoying not-so-health food.
- We went home. No more details will be forthcoming. Priority: spending the perfect day together.
It was a fabulous day. I’m glad I get to look forward to many more.
My 8 year old son and I had a conversation this evening about the easter bunny. We were taking some old easter baskets to my mother, and so the easter bunny concept was foremost on his mind. It went something like this:
Son: Dad, do you put out our easter baskets?
Me: Yup.
Son: I don’t think you do. Are you telling the truth?
Me: Yes, I’m telling you the truth. I put out your easter baskets.
Son: I don’t think you’re telling me the truth.
Me: What makes you say that?
Son: I remember an easter when mommy was sick, and there was chocolate and candy all around the house. I don’t think you would do that.
Me: Really?
Son: Yeah, and we didn’t have any of that stuff in the house the day before.
Me: We have a big house. You don’t think I could hide it somewhere?
Son: No, and you didn’t go shopping for it before hand.
Me: So who put all that candy out?
Son: The easter bunny
Me: Let me get this straight. You didn’t see me go shopping. You didn’t see the candy in the house. You don’t think I’m capable of hiding candy around the house. So that means I didn’t do it, and the easter bunny did?
Son: Yup.
Me: OK.
We continued to talk a bit about the easter bunny, and putting stuff in his room at night. I tried to convince him that he is such a sound sleeper that I could do almost anything in his room (”You couldn’t throw a football and break my window! I’d hear that!”), but he would hear none of it. I should have known this was a losing battle: this boy was convinced for years that he never slept at night–that he had simply closed his eyes for a moment, and then it was daylight!
Here’s an experiment to try:
- Sign up for Twitter, if you haven’t already. If you don’t have an e-mail you want to share with them, use a dodgeit.com account.
- Add a link to your blog (or a particular post) in a tweet.
- Go to step 1, using a different username and dodgeit.com account.
Do this 5-10 times to get your link onto the front page of http://www.s2n.com/pulse/twitter.com. See how many hits you get.
