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Award-winning columnist Tom Archdeacon — an old-school storyteller in a brand-new venue — writes about sports, the city, southwest Ohio and anything else that catches his fancy… or yours.Home > Blogs > Through the Arch > Archives > 2009 > July > 07
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
ESPN Poll: Bengals near bottom of 122 teams, Browns bad, Reds better
ESPN the Magazine just unveiled its annual rankings of all 122 franchises from the four major professional sports leagues — NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB — in terms of how they reward the fans who spend their hard-earned money, time and emotion on them.
Before we go any farther, let me tell you that the Cincinnati Bengals ranked just about at the bottom — 118th of 122 teams — and in one of the eight categories in the poll — fan relations — the Stripes were dead last.
The Cleveland Browns didn’t fare much better. They were 114th over all.
Best of Ohio’s pro teams was the Cleveland Cavaliers, who ended up fifth. And that was before Shaq joined the fold.
The Columbus Blue Jackets were 31st, the Cincinnati Reds were 36th and the Cleveland Indians were 67th
The Los Angeles Angels were rated No. 1 in the Ultimate Standings and the Los Angeles Clippers were last at 122.
More than 50,000 fans were polled and that data, along with some other statistical analysis, helped the ESPN folks rank the teams in everything from stadium experience, fan relations and affordability to ownership, coaching, players, title track and bang for the buck.
You can find the entire poll at: ESPN.COM/INSIDER, but some of the highlights of Ohio’s teams — both the category rankings and an excerpt of the ESPN take on each franchise — are included below.
CINCINNATI BENGALS:
2009 Standing: No. 118 Last Year’s Rank: 115 Title Track: 107 Ownership: 113 Coaching: 84 Players: 118 Fan Relations: 122 Affordability: 99 Stadium Experience: 100 Bang for the Buck: 106
“How do you post a septuple-triple (of the seven ESPN polls, seven rankings in the triple digits)? By having an owner who hasn’t won a single playoff game during his 18-year tenure. By being the lone team out of the league’s nine worst last season that hasn’t made any changes in management since. By being so cheap that you skimp on scouts and hold the dubious honor of being the northernmost NFL squad without an indoor practice facility. Most of all, you post a septuple-triple by being clueless.
CINCINNATI REDS:
2009 Standing: No. 36 Last Year’s Rank: 59 Title Track: 52 Ownership: 57 Coaching: 73 Players: 52 Fan Relations: 58 Affordability: 14 Stadium Experience: 60 Bang for the Buck: 28
“Reds fans are a patient group. How else do you explain a 23-place improvement overall and a 44-spot spike in Players ranking despite eight straight losing seasons? ‘They’re great fans, and Cincinnati is first and foremost a baseball town,’ says former Reds first baseman Sean Casey. ‘They still talk about the Big Red Machine, but they’re craving a new face for the franchise.’
“Top candidates? Popular homegrown players Jay Bruce and Joey Votto, who have more than made up for departed Ken Griffey Jr.
“The economic downturn has hit Ohio hard, and in response the Reds have brought back $5 seats to the Outer View Level. The team also unveiled a Baker’s Dozen promotion that gives a free Friday, Saturday or Sunday ticket with the purchase of 12 weekend tickets. Hot dogs and soda are available for $1 each at two concession stands, and value meals of a dog, soda, chips and a baseball card for the kiddies can be had for $5. Even in the toughest times, Reds fans still see value in a trip to the ballpark.”
CLEVELAND BROWNS:
2009 Standing: 114 Last Year’s Rank: 64 Title Track: 115 Ownership: 110 Coaching: 98 Players: 120 Fan Relations: 119 Affordability: 95 Stadium Experience: 98 Bang for the Buck: 53
“Cleveland’s position in the Standings has cratered like the Dow (down from 64 in 2008), and you don’t need Ben Bernanke to explain why. Last season opened with a healthy QB controversy laced with AFC North division hopes and ended without an offensive TD in the final six games and a cellar view of the Steel City decorating its other thumb.”
“ESPN quoted one guy from Dawg Pound Daily: ‘Randy Lerner rushed to hire a head coach [Eric Mangini] that no other team was even interested in interviewing, then let that coach pick his own GM. That does not inspire confidence.’”
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS:
2009 Standing: 5 Last Year’s Rank: 49 Title Track: 37 Ownership: 6 Coaching: 23 Players: 1 Fan Relations: 4 Affordability: 30 Stadium Experience: 14 Bang for the Buck: 15
“The Cavaliers’ spike in the Standings is thanks to the best regular-season record in the NBA and an even better effort to soften the burden on fans’ wallets. While the club could have very easily upped the freight to see the most popular player in the league in Delonte West (we kid because we love), the team actually lowered the average fan cost per game this season by 12%. Cap costs were slashed from $16.75 to $13.99, programs from $10 to free, and average tickets inched down from $56.10 to $55.95.
“Remarkably, out of every team in this year’s Standings, fans voted Cavalier players the most likeable. Why? Maybe it’s because of the time Daniel Gibson and J.J. Hickson spent bowling with 18 Cleveland ninth-graders at Corner Alley last November. Or that February day when King James himself showed up to Holy Cross Elementary School and taught 26 lucky sixth-graders his yoga routine as part of the club’s Fit as a Pro program.”
CLEVELAND INDIANS
2009 Standing: No. 67 Last Year’s Rank: 16 Title Track: 108 Ownership: 84 Coaching: 101 Players: 76 Fan Relations: 70 Affordability: 42 Stadium Experience: 38 Bang for the Buck: 40
“The Stadium Formerly Known as the Jake (recently given the Soviet-sounding handle Progressive Field) doesn’t need much help feeling the love: It has never ranked lower than 46 in Standings history. But the team knows practical promos help maintain that status. Take Scarf Day, for example. Fans were given free mufflers before the second home game of 2009, which helped ease the pain of 42-degree temps and later cut the chill of the worst April record in the AL
“…..On the less-popular side, skipper Eric Wedge refuses to meddle with a blundering bullpen, resulting in more blown saves (nine, through Memorial Day) than any team in the Junior Circuit. That’s not progressive thinking.”
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
2009 Standing: No. 31 Last Year’s Rank: 52 Title Track: 73 Ownership: 31 Coaching: 9 Players: 51 Fan Relations: 9 Affordability: 29 Stadium Experience: 9 Bang for the Buck: 64
“Gone but not forgotten is late (1923-2008) owner John H. McConnell. Inside the popular Nationwide Arena’s Front Street entrance and before you reach the 12-foot, 1,600-pound working cannon — it goes off every time the home team scores — is a memorial honoring the man who brought pro hockey to Ohio’s capital in 2000.
“Among the tributes?
“The first Jackets jersey (McConnell 01) and a photo of the founding father from his football days at Michigan State. Sure, Columbus is Buckeyes country, but the Spartans pic gets love because McConnell is wearing No. 61, just like four-time All-Star Rick Nash, the face of the franchise. That face is morphing though, thanks to magicianlike young goalie Steve Mason (the ROY winner with a league-leading 10 shutouts), center R.J. Umberger (the team’s first Ohio Stater skater) and D-man Mike Commodore.”
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