Wizard Thoughts

I was born in Kansas City. I was raised in Kansas City. I am happy to say I choose to raise my family in Kansas City. I enjoy supporting this community as it has supported me through the years. From the the Brookside Art Fair to Hidden Glen Art Festival, Santa-Cali-Gon Days to Johnson County Old Settlers, I am there. I remember when the Royals were winners and Arrowhead was empty. I remember the faces that made KC what it is today.
So today I have decided to stand up and defend the faces of tomorrow; the players, the fans and the sponsers of the Kansas City Wizards. Why you may ask? The soccer community is being overlooked. You are the ones dedicating your time and resources to the Kansas City Wizards, working to build the impression that this is a successful franchise. Why do you do this game after game, event after event? Because you all believe. You believe in the game, and the values it teaches the youth that the other sports leagues have forgotten about.

To the Players
In Kansas City as you drive the I-435 loop you may have seen David Beckham looking down at you. Why? I thought he played for the LA Gallaxy. When did the Wizards pick him up, or did I drive through a transporter and end up on I-110. Ahhh, the smell of the ocean, the waves lapping at the shore line, damn, damn, damn, no that's the Kansas river and the smell of the west bottoms. This cannot be. That was David Beckham on that Billboard. It was not Jimmy "The Jaw" Conrad. I did not see Eddie "Top Scorer" Johnson there either. How about Michael "soon to be Rookie of the year" Harrington. No, I am sure I did not see them. Wow I wonder how it feels to be on your way to practice, and see David "I do not play for the Wizards" Beckham be the marketing face of your team. Eddie, I know you have a year left on your contract but the ownership/marketing department at Derby County would be showing you a hell of a lot more respect then you obviously get now.
To those Players that are involved in the non-commercial part of the community, those press releases coming out only a day or two before an event must make you feel good. If you want some free press a few weeks before an event just send me an E-mail and I will post it and forward the information on to other bloggers. After all, you are willing to spend your free time helping this community and many of us in this community want to help you.

To the Fans
To the Crusaders I would like to say thank you. Your hearts are in the right place. I know that the Wizards are not treating you like the Crusaders of old, but at least you have been resurrected. Hopefully the Wizards will let you be the franchise support group you were.

To the season ticket holders, enjoy your seats. Go out of the way to get to know those around you. Develop relationship, dare I say bonds, with those around you for you are about to spend a lot of time with them over the next few seasons.

To the Cauldron, Ahhh the Cauldron. Those that sit in the so called cheap seats,constantly complaining about the Wizards organization on BS, fan base. Yes the ones that make the atmosphere so great. No matter what the venue, you make the atmosphere electric. You have been told it is up to you to grow the section, yet they pay/comp the Argentineans to come to the game. And what do they give you? A table to promote yourself? They use photo of you on their website and in their press announcements and give you nothing but negatives. No Smoke, No Flares, No profanity. Yet they pay/comp the Argentineans to curse in spanish. WOW. Perhaps they would like to start translating for the rest of the fans just what "punta" is.

I read on Big Soccer ideas to enhance the fan experience, yet again it appears that you are consistently being told no. "No more money, no we cannot do this for you, no we cannot do that either. NO,NO ,NO." You all truly do "Bleed Blue" as your banner says. And I do not care what other supporter groups post about your numbers, you sound good with or without all the drums.

And to the Sponsors
Thank you all for showing your support for this team. Yet I challenge you to take it to the next level. Go beyond supporting the game day activities, support our players and their charities. Offer to assist the Wizards by sponsoring a developmental team. Go to a local soccer club in either Kansas or Missouri and sponsor a youth team. Go as far as making arrangements to take those teams to a game and ask the Wizards to allow those players to meet our local soccer heroes. Not just for five minutes, but long enough to allow these kids to feel as though they got to know a star. Heck, ask the Wizards to send a couple of players to their practice. Think of the effect of a positive role model on those kid. After all the Wizards players are much better role models for most kids today than our other "ballstars." Would the Wizards do that for those kids you sponsor? I would think so. After all, you sponsor the Wizards.

I apologize. I must try to end on a positive note.
Last week I did see a new billboard. It had an unidentified player, horizontal, kicking a ball. At least its not Beckham.

This has been,
Baines Breath

Thank You Mr. Pierron

Thank you Sam for that insightful bit of information. Posted on Down the Byline

I would like to point out that you do receive a salary from the FO. Now as anyone in corporate world knows, when you're at work you defend the company, yet when you're away you may speak your mind. You have done a fine job with both.

As for the coordination and decision making practices of the company you work for, I can honestly say that I and many others would have been selling the stock, for by now it would be dropping. If a President of a company is going down to the smoker's lounge to ask the water boys if he should build the new factory in Kansas or Missouri or whether we should invest in Columbia or America he would be gone. The stock holders would have voted him and his cronies out and a competent board would be in place by now. Yet On Goal LLC is not a publicly held company so we cannot, but we as season ticket holders can still be heard.

As for your fine explanation about the 10 dollar here 13 dollar there ticket. I know that 810 Zone was selling $8.10 tickets for 2 games. I was fortunate to be sitting at a bar on a Friday night and had Mrs. Heineman hand me a free ticket. Thank God I listen to Sports radio. I got to spend only 16 dollars and 20 cents to bring a friend to 3 games. Too bad I paid 45 dollars for those same 3 games as a season ticket holder.

As for La Porra you need to take that up with their figure head, after all he is the one telling others you all have been comping tickets to them. So please talk to him about the allegations.

Can we now discuss the season ticket holders holiday party at the American Royal Complex? Mr. Rob Hieneman (Owner), Greg Cotton (VP) and Mark Naster (Sales at the time) all explained the anticipated cost of season tickets and stated there would no longer be discount or comp tickets given out. We also had the pleasure of seeing an artistic rendering of the temporary stadium, a breakdown of how the season tickets would be handled by seniority and my favorite...a statement that was made over and over, "we have the cheapest ticket in town." Now granted, due to zoning and licensing issues, we are at Arrowhead, yet I have only found one of these statements that have come true the season ticket holders seniority list.

As for letting us purchase the 2008 jersey at cost for next season because of the poor coordination and decision making practice of your company, thanks for taking more of my money. When I first puchased a half season ticket package in 2001, I received a jersey for free. Now I am privileged to pay for half of a jersey when I am giving you money for a full season. Boy do I feel honored. Spend over twice as much, and get half the jersey for free.

Here is what is helping me decide whether to invest my entertainment dollars (group of season tickets) in your entertainment company or someone elses company.

1. OnGoal LLC has not been forthwith with the Season Ticket holder base.

2. OnGoal LLC has decided to charge full price for children even though we are still at Arrowhead this season. Out of all those wonderful things given to me for my group of season tickets, none of them are oriented towards children. So far we have only recieved 1 T-shirt for every season ticket holder and one media guide for all of us. Did we miss something?

3. These really burn me:
a.) After being told no discount on comp tickets discounted tickets have been sold for $8.10 and up.

b.) For 6 games handing out comp tickets to the same group. I might be able to understand 1-2 games But 6?

c.) Selling tickets to select groups or individuals for an unbelievable price (which I cannot bring myself to disclose in such an open forum), if I knew that this was a possibility I would have only bought 1 season ticket and purchased additional tickets (without a Zard card) in the parking lot before the game.

Sam,
Thank you for your service to the fans over the years. Your work with HASF helped save our team, to which I am very greatful. It is unfortunate that it appears HASF is dead. You and Greg did a lot to keep the team here and now you both deserve to work for the Wizards organization. I understand you having to walk the corporate lines.

I would like to thank Blogger for this opportunity. After all if it was not for Blogs and the sock puppets on Big Soccer we all would be walking the corporate line all the time. Thank you Constitution for our right to free speech.


And Mr. Hieneman the answer to question 7. Reynolds

This has been,
Baines Breath