Farve mania remains a media creation

[MoLewisrocks]

I read on PFW this week that in a stunning turn of events for some the JETS at Miami game had not sold out.

However, apparently the press box at Dolphins stadium is another matter. Had to be reconfigured to accommodate the overweaning media interest. Also necessitated a shift of broadcast teams with the #1 tandem relocated from Foxboro to So. Florida. I always chuckle when sports mediots insist how they don't set or drive agendas, they just give us what we want...

From Mike Reiss' Football Notes:


"The veteran Miami Dolphins media relations chief simply couldn't accommodate the throng of reporters expected for today's season opener, so he ordered all the large chairs in the press box removed, replaced by smaller, banquet-style chairs to seat more members of the press.

This for a team that was 1-15 last season? Has the Bill Parcells Era really generated this much excitement?

Greene can't recall an opener that has generated such buzz in South Florida...and Greene isn't naïve enough to overlook the reason why. While he believes optimism has been building in the area since Parcells was named executive vice president of football operations - and he's correct about that - he also realizes that today's media frenzy is centered around one of the game's iconic figures, Brett Favre.

What else could turn a season-opening game between the Dolphins and Jets - teams that combined for five wins last year - into a must-see event?

Greene said reporters he hasn't seen in Miami in 10 years are scheduled to be in attendance, mainly to capture Favre's new beginning with the Jets. It will be all-Favre-all-the-time, which was what much of July and August seemed like..."

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/articles/2008/09/07/packing_em_in_for_opener/

 

[borg]

Florida:
Miserable economy
Home values down 20-40%
1-15 team
Substantial ticket price increase
Huge stadium
Hurricane threatening all week
And the game is sold out...but others won't be

 

[JoePats]

Favre may well be a media creation but the fact that a Favre road game against a 1-15 team in an awful sports town that frequently doesn't sell out, didn't sell out it's first home game is not evidence of this.

 

[JMarr]

OK that's it--short of a season-ending injury, I wish complete, utter ill will and bad luck in spades to Farve. I live out west and an earlier post said the the Pats game would be shown in my market......only to check last night to see that CBS is showing the Dolphins and the 'newly invigorated' NJ Jets [and their instant playoff cred.] Time to break down for the Dish (or go slam a few amongst legions of Pats haters on a Sunday afternoon.

Good point about the media [see Bristol] always playing the "it's our duty to shine the spotlight" card when they are critisized for sensationalisim.

"Clemons, Clemons...."

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I guess reading comprehension is a lost art...

The point was the press box did and went to SRO and the network felt compelled to send their #1 broadcast team to cover this clash of titans...

 

[Rob0729]

Favre may well be a media creation but the fact that a Favre road game against a 1-15 team in an awful sports town that frequently doesn't sell out, didn't sell out it's first home game is not evidence of this.

Normally, I would agree with this, but there is an unusually large Jets fan base in the South Florida area. Historically, the Dolphins/Jets game in Miami sells well. Even when they played late in the year last year (December 2nd) with both teams sucking (Miami was still winless and the Jets were 2-9), they still sold over 71k tickets.

 

[JoePats]

I guess reading comprehension is a lost art...

The point was the press box did and went to SRO and the network felt compelled to send their #1 broadcast team to cover this clash of titans...

The Jets play in the #1 media market. Favre's debut is going to do a huge rating. There are no other games that stand out anyway. Nantz and Simms will rent homes in Foxboro they'll be here so much.

But your point was that it's a media creation because the game didn't sell out. If the game did sell out, what would have been your evidence that it's a media creation? There are several reasons the game didn't sell out, including a hurricane.

 

[JoePats]

Normally, I would agree with this, but there is an unusually large Jets fan base in the South Florida area. Historically, the Dolphins/Jets game in Miami sells well. Even when they played late in the year last year (December 2nd) with both teams sucking (Miami was still winless and the Jets were 2-9), they still sold over 71k tickets.

True but the capacity is 74,900, so that's not a sell-out either. I'm not sure if that's enough to trigger the blackout. I'm sure the hurricanes had a lot to do with it. People know they don't have to buy their tickets early on. How many seats do they still have for sale of this one?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

True but the capacity is 74,900, so that's not a sell-out either. I'm not sure if that's enough to trigger the blackout. I'm sure the hurricanes had a lot to do with it. People know they don't have to buy their tickets early on. How many seats do they still have for sale of this one?

I thought you needed a sellout to avoid a blackout.

 

[marty]

I guess reading comprehension is a lost art...

The point was the press box did and went to SRO and the network felt compelled to send their #1 broadcast team to cover this clash of titans...

Your point is well taken. Wishful thinking is also playing a big role here for the media. NY media in particular, are heavily invested IMO, in getting the Jets back into, or up to the level of more elite NFL teams. Between the Yankees and the Jests, this past year or two must be just killing them!!!!

 

[borg]

Ft Lauderdale Sun Sentinel says.....
"This afternoon's home opener is sold out."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/custom/business/sfl-flzdolphbizbox0907sbsep07,0,2409086.story

 

[JoePats]

I thought you needed a sellout to avoid a blackout.

Obviously I was referring to the amount (or percentage) of unsold seats.

 

[blackglass3]

Thank God for DirecTV. If I was stuck watching the two worst teams in an uncompetitive division on Opening Day, I would be p!ssed as hell.

Didn't the Commisioner used to work for the Jets? And now the Jets have a Hall Of Fame QB and national games the first two weeks of the season...hmmm. Funny how that works out.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Ft Lauderdale Sun Sentinel says.....
"This afternoon's home opener is sold out."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/custom/business/sfl-flzdolphbizbox0907sbsep07,0,2409086.story

They all sell out when the powers that be want/need them to. Thing is it wasn't selling out on it's own as of early this week. Miami claimed many of the available tickets were JETS returns. SD didn't sell out either - until a corporate entity bought up the remaining tickets.

But again you missed the point...

Media interest in this matchup far exceeds fan interest.

 

[TrueBeliever]

I think the economy and high airline ticket prices might have something to do with not selling out. From what I understand the Fiends usually get a lot of away fans at their games, but in this economy probably weren't as many NY fans making the trip.

But absolutely a big chunk of the Favre fascination is media agenda setting.