Can the Royals Draw 2,000,000 Fans?

On the field for the Kansas City Royals, things certainly look promising for 2009. Players like Alex Gordon, Zack Greinke, Billy Butler, Coco Crisp, Gil Meche, Joakim Soria, and Jose Guillen have Kansas City fans excited about the possibility that this team could challenge for its first division crown since 1985.

But away from the baseball field, times are tough due to a financial crisis that has crippled the U.S. economy. It's one of the most difficult economic periods in a generation. The newly-elected government is attempting to figure out how to stimulate the economy, and just today, President Obama promised to cut the U.S. defecit in half by the end of his first term. Any stimulus package isn't going to have a short-term effect, and it could be years before improvements are felt.

In the meantime, businesses continue to close their doors left-and-right, banks are still struggling to stay afloat, the unemployment rate could reach levels that haven't been seen in decades, and families are being forced to cut back on discretionary spending in order to simply pay the monthly bills and avoid foreclosure on their homes.

So, tell me, when the Royals start to win games like we're all hoping they will, are people still going to have the extra money needed to attend a Royals' game? And even if Kansas City remains in contention for the American League Central Division title in August or September, will Kauffman Stadium's seats once again be filled like they were in the glory days of the late 1970's and early 1980's? Those are difficult questions to ponder, with unclear, and potentially scary, answers.

Here are some amazing signs of the times. The other day, I heard one of the hosts on XM Radio's MLB Home Plate mention that there are apparently still tickets remaining for what he said are the first nine games of the season for the New York Yankees.

Normally, this might not seem like such a big deal. But New York, which regularly attracts sellout crowds to its games, is moving into a state-of-the-art, $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium this season. If ever a series of early-season games in the Bronx should be sold out, you'd think this would be it. But, apparently, not in this economy.

During the same conversation, the host suggested that it might not be long before Boston's MLB-record consecutive sellout streak at Fenway Park, which currently stands at 468 games, will come to an end due to the financial strain on U.S. citizens. If you follow the game of Major League Baseball, you know that's an astounding thought, especially for a team with two World Titles in the past five years.

So, when faced with possibilities like that, will a small-market organization like Kansas City be able to actually increase its attendance in the coming years?

A few weeks ago, also on XM, Royals general manager Dayton Moore was asked about attendance figures in relation to Kansas City's ability to increase its payroll. Moore said that, in order for the Royals to be able to increase their payroll to $80-85 million in any season, Kansas City would need between 2 million and 2.4 million fans to pass through the turnstiles at The K.

To put that in perspective, in their 40 years of existence, the Royals have had just 11 seasons in which they've drawn in excess of two million fans. The last time it happened was during the 1991 season, which capped a seven-year streak of two million or more through the gates. The largest total ever is the 2,477,700 who came out to watch the Royals during 1989. But, since 1995, the highest attendance figure for Kansas City is the 1,779,895 fans it drew during the 2003 season.

Last year, Kansas City's total attendance was 1,578,922, for an average of 19,493 per game. In order to reach the 2,000,000 figure, average attendance would have to jump more than 5,000 fans per game, to at least 24,691 per game. Can that honestly happen in this day and age?

According to an annual cost analysis study conducted by Team Marketing Report during April 2008, there were only five teams in Major League Baseball with a more affordable FCI, or Fan Cost Index*, than the Royals.

Yet, the same report said the following: "The Kansas City Royals, a regular at the bottom of the FCI, jumped up a few spots thanks to a 21.1 percent increase on tickets, going from $14.48 to $17.54. The Royals' FCI concurrently went up 22.5 percent to $151.16."

*The Fan Cost Index comprises the prices of two (2) adult average-price tickets, two (2) child average-price tickets, two (2) small draft beers, four (4) small soft drinks, four (4) regular-size hot dogs, parking for one (1) car, two (2) game programs, and two (2) least-expensive, adult-size adjustable caps.

So, it's true that the Royals remain a bargain in terms of the cost for a family to attend a game, and the thing about that report is that it didn't factor in such savings as Dodge Buck Night, and all-you-can-eat seats, or other promotions that Kansas City runs on a regular basis in order to increase attendance. But the fact of the matter is, with another hike in ticket prices set for 2009, can the average family really afford to attend more than a handful of games?

It's not fun to think what could happen to organizations like the Royals, or other teams located in smaller markets, if the economy continues on its downward spiral.

It's not a stretch of the imagination to think that more than one team could run into such financial difficulties that it is forced to shut down, or relocate. And it's certainly not beyond the realm of possibility that teams like Kansas City might have to drastically cut their payrolls, and return to a strict reliance on players who come up through their farm systems.

Many MLB teams have already taken steps to reduce payroll for 2009. In fact, Kansas City is one of a very select number of organizations who have actually increased payroll this season. The Royals are set to pay a team-record total of around $74 million to their players this season, which is a reported $4 million over the team's budget. In order to offset that cost, I'm guessing the front office is factoring in an attendance increase.

Optimism surrounding this year's team is at its highest point in recent memory, and these Royals should win lots of games. But the big question is whether Kansas City can once again reach that elusive total of 2 million fans.

I guess we won't know the answer to that question until it happens, but it sure would be nice to read about the two millionth fan passing through the turnstiles at Kauffman Stadium this season.

Kauffman Stadium Photo Credit: AllPosters.com

My Dislikes: Yanks, Red Sox, and Redbirds

This topic is almost sure to draw criticism from at least two of my younger brothers, who root for teams that I'm going to discuss in this post. But I'm really just fishing for some comments from readers in general, and a little increased activity on my site after months of being stagnant.

I'm wondering which team(s), or fans of a particular team, you most dislike, and why? Everyone is more than welcome to share their thoughts and opinions. Yes, even fans of the teams discussed in this post, or others. And, if you hate the Royals, for whatever reason, I'd sure love to know why.

For me, there are just three teams that stand out above the rest when it comes to a dislike for particular franchises, and surprisingly, none of them are in the American League Central (although the White Sox were close).

Among fans of small market teams, I think there's a natural tendency to dislike teams that have overwhelmingly large payrolls. Obviously, the New York Yankees top that list, with the Boston Red Sox a close second.

When Gil Meche signed as a free agent with the Royals in December of 2006, his five-year, $55 million contract equaled former Royal Mike Sweeney's deal for the largest in Kansas City's history. Zack Greinke's recent four-year, $38 million package now ranks as the second-largest in terms of overall dollar value. But those pale in comparison to what the Yankees have been able to do.

This offseason, New York signed C.C. Sabathia to a seven-year, $161 million deal, then added A.J. Burnett for five years and $82.5 million, and still had enough in the coiffers to ink Mark Teixeira to an eight-year contract for $180 million. And, keep in mind that Alex Rodriguez signed on the dotted line for 10 years and $275 million prior to the 2008 campaign. That's sick, and it's a primary reason behind my hatred of the Yankees, which happens to be my brother Brian's favorite team.

The Red Sox didn't make any major splashes in the free agent market this winter, and Boston owner John Henry has even been calling for a salary cap after the Yankees' recent spending spree. But, even with a lower projected payroll for 2009, Boston still ranked second in 2008 by distributing $147.1 million in salary to its players.

By contrast, Kansas City is getting set to increase its 2009 payroll to an all-time high of somewhere around $74 million -- yes, that's about half of what Boston spent last year, and a third of the $222.5 million the Yankees dealt out in 2008.

In my opinion, the ability to spend money like that creates an arrogance and an "East Coast is best" mentality that just oozes from fans of either of those two organizations. They often scoff at the notion that teams like Kansas City should even be able to be on the same field as their teams.

It's a cockiness and bully mentality that is fed by the fat wallets of their team owners, who have endless cash to spend thanks to lucrative television deals with YES (Yankees) and NESN (Red Sox), as well as top-grossing merchandise and licensing profits due to the enormous population located along the East Coast.

And it just drives me crazy, when listening to MLB Home Plate on XM Radio, to hear seemingly endless talk about either of those teams. Man, it'd sure be nice if I could hear something more than just the occasional brief mention of the Royals. I think, as much as anything, this stokes the hatred I feel for the Yankees and the Red Sox. Well, that, and the fact that Reggie Jackson acted like an ass when I asked him for an autograph at the College World Series a few years ago.

Granted, with 26 World Championships and a rich history -- wow, that word fits so well -- fans of the Bronx Bombers have obvious reasons to gloat. Red Sox Nation seems to always be competing with, but chasing, its rivals from New York. Sorry, Boston, but seven titles will always keep you in that chasing mode -- not that seven titles is anything to turn your nose up at.

With that in mind, though, and knowing that the Yankees are about to make their 2009 debut in a sparkling new $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium, it really makes you wonder if venerable old Fenway Park's days are numbered.

Okay, okay...enough about the East Coast. I think my disdain is quite evident.

For most Royals fans, you simply have to look across the state of Missouri to find another rather obvious choice -- those Deadbirds...er, Redbirds, of St. Louis. Even though they play in the National League, I think, more than any other team, I feel a sense of satisfaction when the Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals.

My brother Matt (NOT pictured...thank God) is a die-hard fan of the Cards -- even though I have a picture of him from elementary school wearing his Royals jacket -- and he will assuredly be e-mailing me after reading this post. We go back and forth all the time, although there is a prevailing brotherly respect to our debates, which probably wouldn't exist if either of us was talking smack about our teams to just any other fan.

Obviously, I love to bring up the 1985 World Series anytime Royals-Cardinals is discussed. Of course, he automatically claims that series should have an asterisk by it due to Don Denkinger's call during Game 6. But I always respond to that by saying that if the Cardinals really deserved that World Championship, then they should have been able to come back and be more competetive in Game 7. And we all know that Kansas City then went on to kick the crap out of St. Louis by a score of 11-0, and celebrated the organization's greatest triumph.

The thing that I really dislike about many Cardinals fans, though, is their sense of arrogance. I can deal with my brother's pride in the Cardinals, but if you talk to an everyday fan of the Redbirds, they'll probably claim that they're the best fans in baseball, and that they're also the most knowledgeable crowd in the game.

For the most part, I think those claims by St. Louis fans are in comparison to fans of the other team in the Show Me State, which is why it bugs me. Cardinals versus Cubs is probably always going to be more of a rivalry to fans in the Gateway City, but I think their second love is to hate the Royals.

So, I truly enjoyed it last year when the Royals went to St. Louis and swept all three games at Busch Stadium. God, it would have been so fun to have been wearing all of my Royals gear, and sitting among the throng of red-clad St. Louisans as the young Royals won by scores of 2-1, 3-2, and 4-1. Imagine how cool it would've been to have been waving a broom back and forth as Joakim Soria recorded his third save in three days to finish the sweep! And, of course, Kansas City won last year's series against the Cards, four games to two, so Matt owed me some beers in our annual friendly wager.

There is no arguing the fact that Cardinals fans are loyal, and Busch Stadium is almost always full. But would those fans keep coming out to the ballpark if they had had to suffer through what Royals fans have had to put up with for the past decade-and-a-half? I don't think so. In fact, I think Busch Stadium would be about as empty as Kauffman Stadium has been in recent years if the tables were turned.

St. Louis fans I run into (like this guy) always love to bring up the Royals' struggles over the past 15-20 years. I'm just waiting for the day when the Cardinals head into a similar tailspin that lasts at least a few years, so I can make a comment or two about the dwindling attendance at Cardinals games, and about how mismanaged that franchise is. Kansas City's change in ownership, and Allard Baird, gave Cardinals fans great joy and satisfaction for years and years.

I want to feel arrogant and cocky again. I want to be able to respond with confidence to comments made by fans on the East Coast or across the state. I'm hoping Dayton Moore and David Glass are successful in restoring that sense of pride in being a fan of the Kansas City Royals.

This Day-Night Thing With Bannister Is Odd

If you're a Kansas City Royals fan, and you've been reading Royals-related blogs this week, then you might have already read about right-handed pitcher Brian Bannister and his bizarre stat splits between his performances during day games, and those at night.

I believe it was initially pointed out in the reader comments section on Joe Posnanski's blog, and then written about by Rany Jazayerli on his Rany on the Royals site.

For those who haven't seen this yet, Brian Bannister's stats during day games and night games are as follows:

Bannister in the Daytime (2008): 4-0, 0.62 ERA, 29 IP, 12 hits, 3 R (2 ER), 0 HR (no extra-base hits), 7 BB, 18 SO, 1 CG, .126 BAA, .320 OPS, -10 OPS+, .156 BABIP

Bannister at Night (2008): 0-5, 8.13 ERA, 27.2 IP, 40 hits, 25 R (25 ER), 6 HR (14 extra-base hits), 7 BB, 16 SO, 0 CG, .325 BAA, .914 OPS, 147 OPS+, .337 BABIP

Well, Mr. Bannister pitched again last night for the Royals, and wouldn't you know, he lost. Bannister worked 6.1 innings against the Florida Marlins, allowing seven hits, six earned runs, and one home run, while walking two and striking out five.

The odd thing was, when the game started, it was still light outside, and Bannister was faring pretty well until that daylight faded. Through six innings, he had limited Florida to a pair of runs on just four hits. That was, until the seventh inning -- yes, when it was dark -- and the Marlins struck for four runs on three hits, including the decisive three-run blast by pinch-hitter Wes Helms.

And, the good news out of this? Bannister's next scheduled outing comes Thursday at Fenway Park against the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox and Daisuke Matsuzaka.

And, you're probably wondering, how is there any good news in that? Well, first pitch is slated for 12:35 p.m. CT.

Brian Bannister Photo Credit: Wilfredo Lee/AP