Year: 2015

MLU institutes unique program to expand fan base

Chris McGlynn MLU, Ultimate

It is hard to make it as an expansion sports league in the United States, particularly with a sport with which much of the population is not very familiar. These new leagues are often willing to attempt some unique ideas that have never been previously tested. It is their way of searching for a competitive edge. Major League Ultimate (if you are unfamiliar, click here) is attempting to increase its fan base, so the league decided to buck convention and employ an original method to fill the stands. I was intrigued by the program MLU is implementing so I decided to take a look at it, weighing both the pros and cons.

Over the two seasons since MLU’s inception in 2012, the league average for attendance has been just over 1,000 fans per game. That’s not bad for a startup league but that number desperately needs to improve if the league has any real hopes of sustaining itself. They know that too which is why they are using a new fan promotion system. This program encourages already existing fans to bring new fans to the stadium with them by giving them a cut of the profit. The league via an email containing a fan code contacted each fan who came to a game last year in the MLU. If people distribute the fan code to their friends and family not only will it give those who use it a discount on the ticket price, it will also earn the fan whose code was used one dollar. There are bonuses in place as well for fans who bring large groups of people to the game using the fan code at increments of 20, 50 and 100 people.

This is an unprecedented system that has never appeared in a professional league previously. This gives a financial incentive to fans to make the crowd at games larger. It should interesting to see how effectively this program boosts attendance. This novel idea might seem a little like throwing money at a situation but in a way, it is simply rewarding the fans who have supported the league since the very beginning. It also shows that MLU is conscious of what makes it so great is its novelty as well as the inexpensive price of attendance. People also tend to jump at opportunities if they think they are getting a good deal on it so discounting ticket prices makes sense. This also makes the decision for fans who have attended games previously to return. The program will likely preserve the already existing fan base. I think it is likely that they did not necessarily have to worry about keeping current fans but it provides a nice security blanket with the money incentive.

However, this is not all good for the league to implement. I mentioned the concept already but it does seem like MLU is trying to buy fans a little bit. You can buy fans, but you cannot buy loyalty. It is unlikely that fans who come in through this program are coming solely for interest in the sport so if this is just a short-term plan, then it could pose issues for the league down the line. Additionally, this could alienate some current fans. I noted it acting as a security blanket but at the same time could drive them away if they believe the league is being driven too much by money. The other issue is that this system is completely untested. MLU is taking a risk in running a program without any certainty that it will work.

Overall though, the reward for the MLU greatly outweighs the risk. It seems like the likelihood is that this will retain existing fans and if it begins to work effectively than the league has discovered a way to boost its popularity. The concept that must make MLU optimistic is the idea that if new fans who come at a discounted price see Ultimate played at a high level, they will be hooked and want to continue coming back. For so many in America, Ultimate is a mostly unknown entity. This plan offers exposure. This type of system could be effective in some sports but what makes it ideal for MLU is that it is best suited for small, growing leagues. It will be intriguing to see to what degree this program works because I certainly think it will work. I also think this is the right step for the MLU to take. You have to wonder if an organization would ever consider adopting it on a larger scale. Right now, we will have to watch and see if the MLU can make it work first.

What is the Patriot way?

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL

Leave all your previous feelings toward this team at the door. Forget whether you are a fan of the team or you absolutely despise the organization. Do not be sympathetic for the players you like on the team or bitter to the ones you cannot stand. Just simply view this as a fan of football. Someone who loves the game and how it is played. Put yourself in that mindset. That is going to help as we take a look at one of the most successful franchises in sports history. The New England Patriots have been caught up in a major scandal that has rocked the NFL. I will review this as unbiasedly as I possibly can, presenting both sides of the story. This latest misstep begs the question for the league of where do you say it has been enough?

The Patriots have been around since 1960, but it is really the last 15 years that make them relevant. In 2000, New England drafted a quarterback out of Michigan by the name of Tom Brady. Brady was not considered much of a pro prospect in those days but very quickly, he proved that he absolutely had what it takes to compete at the highest level. The mastermind behind it all: Bill Belichick. These two have since gone on to become the winningest quarterback-coach tandem in NFL history with 117 regular season wins and now 20 postseason wins. The issue has been the various speed bumps that the organization as a whole has hit along the way.

Spygate came about in 2007 after the Patriots were caught taping signals used by the New York Jets. The incident involving the Super Bowl against the Rams is unimportant because after further probing the NFL found that the video of the walkthrough tape supposedly filmed by the Patriots film staff does not exist. To the 2007 issue, the whole issue was overblown and largely carried away by the media. However, the reality is that the Patriots were filming the Jets illegally, following a league memo informing teams that the practice was not to be practiced. Belichick said following the allegations that he misinterpreted the rule but either way it was clear that the Pats were looking for a loophole. It also does not help that the memo came only weeks before the incident. Belichick was punished though with a then-record $500,000 fine and a game suspension. The issue here for me here is not why they were filming the game signals, because the film was not used for that game, it is that the Patriots were filming at all. It was a violation of NFL rules, albeit a rather insignificant one.

Over the weekend, the Colts accused the Patriots of deflating game balls for the AFC Championship to the point where they were no longer of regulation size. The NFL announced last night that those allegations were in fact correct, and that of the twelve footballs each team has, the Patriots had eleven that did not meet standards. The other aspect is that it was deliberate as it was recorded that NFL official Walt Anderson checked every ball before the start of the game, more than two hours before kickoff, yet the balls were deflated by the time the game started. It would be possible to consider that some outside force tampered with the balls, such as the cold or such, but that would not explain why there was one ball still at regulation size. A deflated football can be kicked further and gripped better which would give the Patriots a clear advantage. What also needs to be noted it the Colts had different footballs they were using when their offense was on the field. However, it probably does not account for the fact that New England routed Indianapolis. If you want to maintain that the Patriots would never have had a passing touchdown or a converted field goal playing with regulation balls (which is extreme) the Pats still scored three rushing touchdowns, more than enough to beat Indy’s one score.

This newest smudge against the Patriots franchise is much larger than that of Spygate. The Pats might have just been looking for a competitive edge, but found it illegally. The bigger deal too is that this absolutely had an impact on the game being played, unlike Spygate. Several Baltimore Ravens’ players have voiced similar complaints regarding the footballs used in their Divisional round playoff game with the Pats. I would not be surprised to see that investigated as well. Once again, one of the premier franchises in the NFL will have an asterisk next to it. This time it seems a little more deserved. Spygate was overblown but what many are now calling deflategate has much more serious implications. The Pats will definitely be fined by the league, if it turns out that this was something orchestrated by more than just one individual, the league would have precedent to penalize the organization with a loss of draft picks.

As a football fan, you have to wonder why the Pats keep doing this to themselves. They clearly are a premier team in the league and do not need an unfair advantage to ensure a victory. According to FiveThirtyEight, the Patriots have actually won more games in the time since they stopped filming team’s signals. The reality is that New England has been the most dominant football franchise likely in league history with Brady and Belichick running the show. The problem these continual incidents pose is that it takes away from the motto of doing things “The Patriot Way,” a saying that Belichick has embodied in his time in New England. Sure, deflategate probably did not change the ultimate storyline of the game, but the Patriots cheated. It is as simple as that. I think only now does that phrased truly have any merit. I still view them as the best team in the AFC without a doubt this season but this definitely tarnishes everything that the Pats have spent so long building up. It is sad that this franchise now has another label to shake. The likelihood is that it was one person within the organization who took matters into his own hands but in reality that does not matter because it is a representation of the team as a whole. I sincerely hope that the Patriots are punished for this but then it can be forgotten. This is still a phenomenally talented team with the potential to beat any team on any day in any game. The Patriot Way has served this organization so well for the last decade and a half but it will take some image reconstruction for that saying to have the same meaning again.

Should Brodeur have retired?

Chris McGlynn Hockey, NHL ,

In December, Martin Brodeur made the decision to end rejoin the NHL only after a few short months. The Devils’ legend returned to the league, but not for his former team. This time, he donned a Saint Louis Blues’ uniform. Recently though, Brodeur asked the organization for some time off to mull his decision to come back. He has struggled mightily in his return putting up less than stellar numbers and in many ways ruining his image as a lifelong Devil. I decided to take a look at how much Brodeur’s play has dropped in his return and discuss if maybe the 42-year old would have been better off staying at home.

Brodeur absolutely ranks as one of the best, if not the best, net minder in NHL history. He only allowed 2.19 goals per game in his 20 years in New Jersey, which was the seventh best mark of all time. In playing just 7 games this year, Brodeur has allowed 17 goals and had his goals per game average jump to 2.24. That number is still phenomenal but it drops Marty 2 spots down the all-time list. Brodeur is saving 89.9 percent though which is not too far off from what he traditionally did in a Devils’ uniform. It has not affected his career average at all. The issue is that Brodeur’s declining play will likely continue to drop. He has played over 200 hundred more games played than any other goalie in history with 1266 appearances. That many games takes a toll on your body. It will continue to plague Brodeur as he continues to push himself. He might be the winningest goalie of all time but that is not the player the Blues have now. Brodeur is only 3-3 in games he has played the majority of the goalie minutes. The reality is that he is not getting any better and it is disappointing to see a legend of his caliber struggle.

Brodeur also looks wrong with a Blues’ logo emblazoned on his chest. For two full decades, Marty wore the Devils’ red and became the iconic centerpiece of their franchise. You cannot fault a guy for wanting to play longer but it is sure disappointing that the last image we will have of Brodeur will not be of him in New Jersey. He transformed in a legend at the Rock, earning four Vezina Trophy’s and winning five Eastern Conference championships and three Stanley Cups with the Devils. Brodeur joining the Blues does not negate nor replace any of that but it does somewhat tarnish his legacy, not as a hockey player but as a Devils’ legend. From now on, he will have NJ-STL written next to his name rather than just the NJ.

From the standpoint of the Blues as well, this just is not working. Saint Louis’ regular starter, Brian Elliot, is allowing only 1.86 goals against on average this season, the best mark in the NHL. Brodeur’s 2.87 goals against average represents a full goal per game more allowed when he is in net versus Elliot. That represents one of the largest drop offs of any team in the league. If you look at games where Brodeur has played the majority of the minutes he is only saving 89.3% of shots against him, 4 full points below Elliot’s number of 93.4% when he plays the majority of the minutes. The disparity has to make Saint Louis nervous about playing Brodeur in net. In many ways, starting him can easily be the difference between a win and a loss for the Blues.

Looking at the whole picture, it seems like Brodeur should have retired. I think he knows it too, which is why he is taking this time away from the team to reconsider everything that has gone on over the last six weeks. I think Brodeur is still a great player and one of the best goalies in NHL history but this decision to keep playing was absolutely a mistake. He hurt his image as a Devils’ great, does not give his new team a fair chance to compete on the level of the guy starting ahead of him and simply is not capable of playing as well as we have come to expect from Brodeur in the past. Marty made a great run but as it is for all great athletes, a time comes where it is time to walk off into the sunset.

NFL invents new way to discover talent

Chris McGlynn Football, Free Agency, NFL

Earlier this week the NFL announced a new addition to the offseason. The league has decided to add a combine that will evaluate veteran players who are free agents looking for a new team. The veteran combine would mirror that of the rookie one held for prospects entering the NFL draft. As far as I am aware, this was something the NFL had just decided to do on its own; there was not any outside pressure involved or fans calling for this to happen. I sincerely think this is an excellent idea that the NFL has proposed and I am looking forward to seeing how the whole process plays out.

This combine only makes too much sense. This gives the perfect opportunity for players aging player to show that they’ve still got it, injured stars to show that they have recovered or for younger, unheralded guys to demonstrate their new skill acquisition. For teams, it gives them some concrete numbers to work with, allowing them to make much better informed decisions. It is also a new negotiating tool for teams to look at when determining a player’s value. The NFL wins as well because not only is it giving its players a brand new opportunity, which should help with relations to the NFLPA. This will also become a largely commercial event where various companies will vie for the right to sponsor it and boost the popularity of the NFL Network, which is likely where this event will air on television. I see this being a great decision all the way around where it seems like everyone gets something out of it.

The structure of the event is not how you might expect it to be. The combine will not start until a week after free agency begins meaning that plenty of the top players will have already signed new contracts. That means the target group for this combine is the mid-level and low-level free agents who aren’t garnering tons of media attention. There are no invites to the combine either. Unlike, the rookie combine, you can simply sign up for the veteran one, for a $400 fee, but still anyone can theoretically sign up. This levels the playing field for a lot of unheard of free agents who might not be in line to receive an invite. It does not guarantee any of these players a contract but it could at least put them on teams’ radars. They could easily be cut only weeks later in favor of some young blood in the draft but at least they will have a chance to impress and stick. For some of these players, that is all they need.

I think this is a great innovation for the NFL. For crazed football fans, very much like myself, if becomes another event we can track and obsess over while we wait for football to return in August. It shows that the NFL is aware that it still has room to improve every aspect of the league. It does not solely focus on the gameplay. I am interested to see what players show up, dazzle the league on a new stage, and make a name for himself with blazing speed, unparalleled strength or freakish athleticism. All of those will be on display when the league brings together a collection of players who are being given another chance to prove themselves. These guys will not get too many chances after this one so be sure that they are going to everything they can to make this count. Now, we as the fans just get to sit back and wait for the sparks to fly and the fun to begin.

Championship Sunday picks

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL , , ,

The divisional round of the 2015 playoffs went just about according to plan. All of the top seeds coming off their byes won, except Denver. So now, we have a rematch of the first game of the season, this time with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. The other game features one quarterback trying to prove he is worth his high draft spot, the other is trying to cement his spot as the greatest quarterback in history. It is the final four in the NFL and now it is time to breakdown who is heading to Arizona and who is heading home.

Green Bay will travel to Seattle this weekend where Russell Wilson and the Seahawks will host Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in a grudge match. The Seahawks once again have home field advantage in this game as they did in Week 1 against the Pack. Seattle rolled through Green Bay that time around, thrashing the Packers 36-16. The Packs’ rushing attack sputtered against the Seahawks run defense back in September, managing a meager 80 yards on the ground on 21 attempts and Marshawn Lynch rumbled for 110 yards and 2 touchdowns in that match up. Seattle will once again look to win the battle in the trenches and force an apparently hobbled Aaron Rodgers to make all of the plays. One major hit to the Seahawks is the absence of Percy Harvin in this game. Seattle’s offense has adjusted and compensated since he has left but in that first meeting he accounted for 100 yards of offense and caught every pass thrown his way. He clearly gave the Packers some problems and he will not be able to pose any of those now from his couch in New Jersey. Another new factor is Packers’ rookie Devonte Adams arrival as a huge threat. His 7-catch 117-yard performance, which included a touchdown, will be something Pete Carroll and his staff factor into today’s game plan. This game also features likely the best passing offense in the league against arguably the best secondary in the NFL. The scary thing for the Packers is that the Seahawks’ defense has actually gotten better down the stretch of the season. Seattle hasn’t allowed more than 17 points to a team since Week 11 against Kansas City. When all is said and done though, I think the Packers will break that streak. Between Rodgers, Adams, Eddie Lacy, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, not to mention anyone of a number of role players, this offense can score. I would not be surprised to see Green Bay spread out the Seattle defense and then find their matchups to exploit. Wilson and Lynch will power this team for a while on the ground but in the end, a lack of a prominent passing game will be the Seahawks downfall. Packers hang on 27-24.

Meanwhile, Andrew Luck will be looking to show that last week was not a fluke and that he has officially arrived in the NFL if he can carry the Colts to their first Super Bowl appearance since 2009 against the future Hall of Famer in Tom Brady. If Brady wins, he will start the most Super Bowls by a player ever. Since 2004, this will mark the sixth time the Patriots meet the Colts in the playoffs. The rivalry is unparalleled to any other in the NFL as these two teams have so much hate for each other. Even if the Manning-Brady rivalry no longer exists between these two teams, Luck is more than up to the task of carrying on the legacy. You always think these games could go either way or that these two should be evenly matched but in reality, Brady has had Indy’s number. In his career, the former Michigan man is 12-4 against the Colts. These two teams played earlier this season and New England once again displayed their dominance over Indianapolis in a 42-20 romp. The key in that game was Jonas Gray’s 200 plus yards rushing and 4 touchdowns. Since that game, Gray has not carried the ball more than 12 carries or registered 65 yards in a game. Indianapolis was also unable to find any sort of ground game in that matchup. Indy struggled its way to 19 yards on 16 carries that night. However, the Colts managed 99 yards against a top-flight Denver defense last weekend. If Indy can find a way to get a rushing attack rolling, they could be scary and pose a real threat to New England. The reality is though that New England will not let that be possible. The strength of the Patriots defense is their secondary. Scoring early will mean that the option to run the ball will be almost out of the question for Indy. Luck is a great young quarterback but it is not enough to overcome New England’s multifaceted offense. Pats come away with a win in this one 34-24.

Those are my Super Bowl picks. Green Bay will clash with New England out in the desert two weeks from today in what should be an amazing battle of two great quarterbacks and offensive assets galore. Both of these games this weekend should be exciting but in the end, the two savvy, veteran signal callers will come out on top of the class of 2012’s finest. My players of the week: Randall Cobb for Green Bay and Brandon Browner for New England. Should be a great day of football. Let me know where I went wrong or if you think these games are going to end differently.