What Do They Owe the Fans?
Last night in Philly, the Pistons lost to the Sixers, 101-94. Rip, Tayshaun and ‘Sheed all sat out the fourth quarter for Detroit in a clear move by Flip Saunders to rest his core players (Rip missed the whole game with a sore hip).
From Flip’s perspective (and pretty much anybody else with an interest in the Pistons), it’s a smart move. His team has a playoff spot locked up and now Detroit’s just playing out the string, trying to get to the playoffs in one piece. But what about the fans? What about people who pay top dollar to see teams play?
So here’s the question: Do teams owe it to the fans to play their best players every night no matter what?
Personally, I’m actually kind of torn on this topic, because I obviously understand how disastrous it would be for the Pistons’ title hopes if Rip or Rasheed seriously hurt themselves in a relatively meaningless game. At the same time though, I can’t help but think about that great quote from Mike back in the day when someone asked him how he pushes himself every single night, no matter who he was playing. MJ basically said that he knows that there will always be people in the stands who, for whatever reason, will only have that one chance to see him play. He felt obligated to play to the best of his abilities every single night, no matter what, for that reason.
While I’m not saying that Rip, Rasheed or Tayshaun are on Mike’s level, I do think there’s a lot to be said for athletes performing for the people who basically pay their salaries.
April 10th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
yallallreadyknow says:
no.
and certainly nothing is owed to any philly fans…EVA
tell ‘em go suck on a cheesesteak and stop they bitchin
April 10th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
boogey banger says:
happened to me last week. When I bought my tix to see the Pacers at the beginning of the season I thought both teams would be in the playoff hunt. Indy just mailed in the game. So I’m out 2 and a half for a couple of good seats. I’m heated, but what if I broke the bank to take my fam. I see parents with 2 or 3 kids. Going to a pro game of any kind ain’t cheap. And now at the TD BankNorth garden city whatever they have the new and improved 7 hot dog. Seriously it’s out of control. There should be rules against teams who tank on purpose. I know the C’s did it last year and that’s the reason I didn’t go see them a bunch of times. But I wanted to see KG in green and in person. Somehow the NBA wonders why they’re losing fans. If I dropped 5-6 hundo to take my fam to a game only to see D leaguers ripin it up I wouldn’t go back.
April 10th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
yallallreadyknow says:
sorry for a booey banger
but dont nobody owe you anything
next time get cheaper tix from the scalper outside by parking lot C (old guy with the white hair)
April 10th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Celts Fan says:
The only fans a team owes anything to are the home fans. They owe it to those fans to be in the best possible position to win a ring. Each team goes about it differently, but that’s all they owe. The MJ quote is true, but that’s about effort WHILE ON THE COURT, and should be posted in front of Vince Carter’s locker before every game. Guys on the court owe it to the fans to bust their @$$, but teams DON’T owe it to fans to play everyone if they’re in a position where they don’t need to.
If you buy a late April ticket to catch the Pistons, it’s the equivalent of buying a week 17 NFL ticket to a team like the Colts or Patriots. You need to expect that they’ll have everything locked up and you may not get to see the stars. True fans of the game look at this as a great opportunity to get a look at guys getting major minutes that may not even usually get off the pine and see how good they really are/get a glimpse of the future (though I totally understand the fan who may only get a chance to go to one game being upset, but if that’s the case, try to buy a ticket to an earlier game where that won’t be an issue. If you buy tickets to late-season games, that’s a risk you take. There’s a reason the tickets only say team names!)
April 10th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Bobby stew says:
you can get a pack of 8 hot dogs for 99 cents, but the arena sells them for like 4.50 a dog. That’s the greatest hustle move ever.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Saba says:
Teams need to look out for their best interest, but its funny how the injuries ‘really’ hurt when the team is out of the playoff race….i wonder if Marion would play thru the injury he has now if he was still a sun, and same thing for shaq, would that hip still be troubling him?
April 10th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Brown says:
Saba, yes and yes.
Real fans know what’s up when the stars sit at the end of the regular season and casual fans don’t know the difference anyway. It’s a business and what matters is how much money is made at the end of the season, not just the regular season. Playoff money is where the team makes the most bread, so teams do whatever they have to do to get as much playoff dough as possible.
April 10th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
GEE...currently trying to learn the the triangle choke hold says:
I feel like they are ultimately giving the fans what they want. It be different if they were not going to make the playoffs. They are chilling now to give the fans what they want post-season. In a case like Miami I feel you def. should be playing all games because you at least owe the fans that much for a dismal season. Other wise playoff teams sitting their stars out for a couple of games is ok.
Yes they owe it to the fans, but more so the non-contenders than the contenders (season wise).
April 10th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Sam I Am says:
I like the statement Celts Fan made….I agree that u know that it does have a Team on the front not the Hamilton Pistons or the Boston Garnetts.
You kinda gotta be there when they suck, when they’re good and no matter who’s on the floor. A lot of the time it’s the experience of going.
I personally have made it a mission to visit every NBA arena in my lifetime.
You think I liked the Bobcats when they sucked 2 yrs ago, No. But I went cause of my trip. I live in DC and the Wiz haven’t always been good, lol I remember the Juwan Howard days. But you go cause the experience. I love the Wolves and when I fly out to Minny I’ll have to suffer thru it.
So you take the good with the bad. Sam I Am
April 10th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Jim says:
Celts Fan said just what I was thinking. If I went to a Spurs game (I would have cried last night, but you know) and they had seeding locked up, I would like to see the young guys. I don’t see that as getting ripped off. If I was going to see the Pacers and they did it, I might feel differently.
And about the families going, my quality time with my little boys is going out, putting on jerseys, them staying out late, and watching the game live. Last game I went to with my kids was over early, so we didn’t see Duncan and Manu for the 4th, but I didn’t feel like I was shorted. I don’t think seeing LeBron James or not should define how much fun your kids have. It should be spending time with pops doing something that’s cool as hell.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Celts fan is right. I think your team owes it to you to do whatever it takes to be in best shape for post season, including resting players.
Faking injuries and overall tanking for draft position is bull shit. And it hardly ever works!
April 10th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
yoda says:
i guess you can only be sure if you buy tickets for some western team. about 10 teams fights for playoff spot, so they wont play any kids. east is a different matter…
April 10th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Audition says:
I think (s)he’s a good writer & true student of the game and apparently so do a lot of others. But it seems like every post Celts Fan writes is an audition for Dime. Just hire the man already…No hate Celts Fan. I only said
(s)he because I don’t know. Can’t be too p.c. these days.
April 10th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
AY says:
The teams owe it to their fans to give them what they want. If your team sucks (knicks fans), stop going to their games and stop buying their merchandise. That’s the only way to make them understand that they need to improve. I really hate the “you need to stick with your team through the lean years or you’re not a real fan.” Know what, if everyone stuck with their team through the lean years, the team won’t see a reason to improve. Look at the warriors, if fans didn’t stop going at the end of the st. jean era, st. jean would still be running the show. The fans owe it to themselves to show up when your team does well (new orleans), and not show up when your team does poorly.
April 10th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
doc says:
Mike sat before during the last week for a long strech or 2.It dont matter.yall how you know what Philly fans deserve.Aint you from Europe or some shit like that.You always hating.If you came to Philly ya ass would probaly end up in a alleyway somewhere with ya dick in ya mouth.Watch ya teams over there play with their bums that wish they could have a spot in the D league. You fuckin American Ball Groupie.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
miamiVIS3 says:
I hate to down on anybody and i know it suks to spend money and not see a teams best players but I’ve mentioned it before I bought a 20 game heat ticket package and theyve rolled out a D-League roster for most of the year so if ur not seeing Rip and tayshaun in Philly I’m sorry I cant feel 4 u
April 10th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
John From Philly says:
Nice try with the topic. You think you can give David Aldridge from the Inquirer some credit for your topic idea? http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20080410_David_Aldridge___When_starters_sit__fans_have_a_right_to_gripe.html
April 11th, 2008 at 4:56 am
Dime Magazine says:
John -
We linked to Aldridge’s story twice in the post.
- PC
April 11th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Dannie says:
I think teams owe the fans the opportunity to enjoy the ultimate prize - a championship. So if that means having to watch the reserves out there because it is believed the resting your starters strategy helps improve the teams chances to win a ring then consider it delayed gratification. Sacrifice some enjoyment for the ultimate pleasure.
I think the MJ quote is a bit out of context. My interpretation is as a player - yes play as hard as possible every game you are on the court. But I think even MJ would agree that the goal is a ring and resting moderately hurt players and older veterans when playoff position is locked up contributes to that end goal.
I like this blog gotta come read it more now.
April 12th, 2008 at 3:24 am
skywarp says:
what of they get injured??.. teams owe there fan a championsip the most fans will understand 4 sure..
April 12th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Meica says:
Certainly you want to rest your key guys, but there’s an obligation to the fans to at least be competitive. I caught the Bucks/Celtics game in Milwaukee on Tuesday and while KG and Paul Pierce etc did sit for long stretches they played enough (and with passion and heart) where the game was still very entertaining and seeing KG was a blast.
I think football is a great example because the season is so short even if a team has wrapped up home-field or whatever they’ll still at least play their guys for a quarter or a half. plus, how often have we seen a team rest their stars right before the playoffs and they get rusty, loose their momentum, and unexpectedly lose in the first or second round? i think there’s something to be said about keeping players involved.