Liverpool to Come to Fenway, What About the Revolution?

 

By Zach Baru

Soccer will once again return to Fenway Park this summer, as Liverpool takes on AS Roma on July 25.  It is any New England soccer fan's dream to see a match at Fenway, but absent is the appearance of New England’s very own club, the Revolution, which are currently three games into their regular season. 

Even though Liverpool does have a Boston connection, a doubleheader with the hometown Revs would have made the occasion even more special for New England fans.  Not to mention, additional opportunities for Fenway Sports Group to cash in on the extra revenue from a second game.  From the Revolution’s standpoint, a game in front of potentially 37,000 fans would have been a great opportunity for the team to showcase their product.

There would have been a lot of great advantages to adding a doubleheader to the Liverpool game, but having such an event take place would certainly have its complications in order to become a reality.  Agreements would have to come from Fenway Sports Management and the Kraft Group, owners of the Revolution.  Additionally, approval would be needed from Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing for everything from field conditions to broadcasting.  The Fenway Park field would certainly be a concern to ensure a quality surface for a regular season game to be scheduled.

And as for the soccer game to be played at Fenway July 25, it will definitely be an exciting occasion for soccer fans everywhere.  But imagine if our Revs could be part of this event.  It would be a great way for the Red Sox to truly capitalize on an already special day for soccer in New England.  And furthermore, the Revolution would be able to reap the marketing benefits the Bruins enjoyed when they took over the ballpark for the 2010 NHL Winter Classic.

It may be a long-shot, but having the Revs play at Fenway would be a great opportunity for all sides.  Next year, let’s make it happen.

Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter @zbaru and reached at zachbaru@gmail.com.

Bruins' Account Executives in Mid-Season Form

By Zach Baru

Just because the Boston Bruins are sold out of season tickets does not by any means give the account executives reason to slack off.  That could not be further from the truth.  They are hard at work, making sure passionate Bruins season ticket holders and plan holders are taken care of 365 days a year.

With interest in the Bruins at the highest level in decades, the Bruins are making sure they do everything to keep their fans happy.  Package holders are given the personal touch they deserve, and more specifically, the attention the money they spend deserves.

As the season winds down, time approaches for a new season of renewals.  And soon after that, a window of opportunity for new plan holders.  Season tickets have been capped yet again this season, and providing first-class service is key to the Bruins to retain sales, and fans alike.

A small example of the personal touch executed by the Bruins this season came during the holidays.  Bruins holiday cards were sent out to plan holders, with a personal note from their account executive.  Is this going to make a plan holder renew every season for the rest of their life?  No, but it certainly plants the seed for the bond the Bruins are trying to create between the team and the fans.

These days it may be hard to find organizations that operate with principles like this, but it almost always are the successful ones that understand the concept.  We are fortunate enough to have a few of those right here in Boston.  And the Bruins are no exception, focusing on personal connections that translate into passionate fans.

Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter @zbaru and reached at zachbaru@gmail.com.

Slap Shots: Red Sox, Bruins, Celtics

By Zach Baru

Get ready, TD Garden, March Madness is right around the corner (East Regional, March 22-24).

A Green Monster in spring training?  How can you not like Jet Blue Park, the new Red Sox facility in Fort Myers.

It’s not a new Nickerson Field, but it’s New Balance Field.  The name of the 2013 facility that will give BU athletics an alternative to Nickerson.

Number of the week: 5,093 (UMass-Lowell hockey attendance February 10 vs. Merrimack).

Watching the Bruins on NBC Sports Network only reminds me of how much better NESN broadcasts are.

Welcome back to New England, American Hockey League All-Star Game, January 28 in Providence.

Arena football season is approaching, but until the AFL finds ownership in Boston, this major market will continue to be without a franchise.

What to watch for this summer: A possible exhibition match between Liverpool and AS Roma at Fenway.

It's getting a little embarrassing how many suites are left vacant at each Bruins home game.

As the NBA trade deadline nears, what direction will Danny Ainge decide to go with this team?

In tribute to Garry Brown.

Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter @zbaru and reached at zachbaru@gmail.com.

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Patriots' Legacy Not Affected By Super Bowl XLVI Loss

By Zach Baru

Many have speculated if Sunday’s Super Bowl XLVI loss to the New York Giants has changed the legacy of Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.  Any way you look at it, this is simply not true.

The franchise will continue to be looked at as a first-class organization in New England, as well as around the league.  As much as fans and media nationwide despise the success of the Patriots - the ownership, management and coaching staff are always praised upon.

The National Football League investigation referred to as “spygate” certainly hurt the Patriots’ image, but it did not destroy it.  This franchise continues to produce strong teams year after year, and in adverse circumstances.

As the Patriots continue to always be a factor in the NFL, their reputation as a successful and classy organization will continue.  Some comparisons being made to the Buffalo Bills are not even adequate, as the Patriots have consistently been considered a threat every year for most of the last ten years.

The respect for The Kraft family is what truly carries this franchise, as it should.  Their ability to lead this organization to the class that it has become has been an inspiration for the entire league.

The image of this franchise will remain unchanged from Sunday’s Super Bowl loss.   It still stands for everything it did over the past decade.  Sunday's game could have gone either way, and just being a "couple of plays short” doesn’t change the image of a dynasty still hungry for success.

Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter @zbaru and reached at zachbaru@gmail.com.

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Why Patriots-Giants Super Bowl XLVI Will Make TV Ratings Record

By Zach Baru

You do not need anyone to tell you Sunday's Super Bowl XLVI has all of the ingredients for ratings gold.    But will it top last year's ratings record of 111 million viewers when the Green Bay Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers?  All indications say yes.

It's pretty simple, two of the most recognizable figures in sports facing each other with two giant media markets.  It's the perfect formula for television ratings, and on Sunday, it will likely set the all-time record for the highest rated Super Bowl, and highest rated U.S. program of all-time.  Last year's game was more than just a worldwide television event, it was a game featuring two franchises with some of the most passionate followings in professional sports.

But when it comes to numbers, how well do the Packers and Steelers compare to the Patriots and Giants?  They don't.  The Patriots' average away attendance in 2011 was fifth in the league with 70,580.  And who was number one?  That's right, the New York Giants with 74,544.  The strong fan bases between the Patriots and the Giants, in addition to the massive media markets they represent, may very well be just enough to create the highest rated U.S. television program of all-time.

Will the fact that this game is so region-specific hurt the ratings potential?  No, because there is still enough of a west coast following for both of these teams.  This Super Bowl simply has no flaws for a potential television ratings record.  As fans across the country anticipate the big game, the NFL can be nothing but proud of what the outcome may be.

Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter @zbaru and reached at zachbaru@gmail.com.

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Bruins Not Up-Front With Thomas' Actions

By Zach Baru

The Boston Bruins may be focussing their attention on hockey-related business, however it's the business off the ice that has been stirring the most attention this week.  Tim Thomas' decision not to attend the Bruins' visit to the White House has dominated the Boston media, and shows no signs of slowing down soon.

As the Bruins organization lets this debate continue, members of the Boston media have started to question and speculate tension within the organization.  This would be the time for the Bruins to be up-front with the situation, but this is not happening.  Instead, the Bruins are letting the media and fans determine the direction of this debate, which at times completely gets off the topic of politics.

This here is the problem.  The spotlight is getting put on internal matters of the Bruins' organization, and it is surprising not to see more of a response by the organization themselves.  This debate is not going to end right away, especially in this town.

Although this is a unique situation, there are still some similarities between this and the season-ending media mess the Red Sox experienced in 2011.  The Red Sox took a back seat to the attention, and let the media dictate the outcome.  The Bruins should learn from the mistakes by the Red Sox, and be more up-front with an obviously sensitive issue.

Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter @zbaru and reached at zachbaru@gmail.com.

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Time Slot for Patriots and Tebow's Broncos Could Prevent Record

By Zach Baru

If you think the ratings for tonight's Patriots-Broncos playoff game are going to be of record-setting caliber, just imagine what they would be on a Sunday afternoon.  Traditionally, Saturday nights are not great nights for television ratings, which could possibly prevent any records from being set by tonight's playoff game.

The last time the Patriots faced the Broncos, the game recorded a 19.5 overnight rating, as 28.2 million people made it the highest rated game for CBS since 2007.  Add this to last weeks 42.4 million viewers  that watched Tim Tebow and the Broncos beat the Stealers, and this sets up the potential for record-breaking ratings for tonight's game.

The only problem is that tonight's game could produce better ratings had it been scheduled for tomorrow, in the 4:30 time-slot.  Late Sunday afternoon games generally do exceptionally well in the ratings.  The 4:15 and 4:30 start times produce better ratings than the earlier 1:00 time slot due to the added west coast audience that a later time brings in.  

Had this time been given for the Patriots-Broncos game, it is very possible that many records would be set.  Given the current time, this game will likely not reach its full ratings potential.  The NFL is very upfront, and focused on giving its games the opportunity to assume the maximum amount of exposure they can receive.  One such example in recent years is the way in which the NFL has handled its flex scheduling.

It is very possible that had the NFL been able to make a change in start time for tonight's Patriots-Broncos game, it would have done just that.  A disappointing effect of tonight's game time is the inability to truly measure what the appeal of Tebow brings to the ratings.  With so many potential marketing opportunities for the NFL involving Tebow, knowing exactly what he can bring to the ratings would be a great measurement for the league.  Instead, an unpopular time-slot will have to do.

Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter @zbaru and reached at zachbaru@gmail.com.

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