I never pay more than $13 for a Rockets game, and I always sneak downstairs. As far as Astros games, it's hard to get into the baseball mood in the middle of April. Baseball's losing popularity, and the excitement of new ballparks wears out fast. Just ask Milwaukee fans. Hell, Cincinnati's new stadium won't be selling out next year, either. Baseball's in serious troubles, and the only way out is a salary cap.
Why have they abandoned the shuttles. Are they stupid. That is what I used to get to the games. Looks like I won't be going as often now.
Govenment grant money which was used to run the shuttles has run out. The Chronicle had stories about this last week.
I don't think a salary cap is that necessary, as 29 owners are acting smart with their money. What is needed is a more strict luxury tax, as well as a better revenue sharing system.
you're either not yet a parent or wanted by child services... if adults aren't bringing their kids to the games on a weeknight... where are the kids and who's watching them? do you think a "school night" means an early night for the kids and an off night for the parents? far from it. they're a pain in the ass for all involved -- you have to get homework done, get lunches made, get kids to bed at a reasonable hour... it's not about the kids not be able to go; it's about the parents not having the time to go. it's a certifiably legitimate excuse. as is that little skirmish in iraq, the fact the economy's in the crapper -- yeah, astro fans suck 'cause they're not being less discerning with available funds.
Doesn't anyone remember how terrible the Astros attendance was back in the last years of the Astrodome? I'm not saying the downward spiral has started for the new park, but it's inevitable that fans will stop going to Astros games once the luster of the park has worn off.
And that luster will be in about 3 years, once downtown isn't "new" anymore. The light rail system won't be used, after the 2004 All-Star game, no one will go to (reg. season) games, there's STILL nothing to see or do for more than an hour downtown (although it is still considerably better than years past). The only hope is the Arena. Houston tourism sucks. Why not move NASA downtown? Put them in the ole' Enron building, heh. Launch Rockets from one of the skyscrapers.
We just buy the $5 tickets and stand under the railroad tracks by the Pavilion in center. (That's where I caught my homerun ball. )If you don't wanna stand the whole game, the $5 seats are great seats even though some may not think they are.
METRO offered to let the Astros pick up the remainder of the cost, and the Astros sounded interested. But, the Astros apparently said METRO was spending/asking too much -- $.5-1mil. IMHO -- I agree to an extent. You want enough shuttles, but METRO seems to be going into overkill for such events. The rodeo had dozens of busses every night (after the first) that they didn't even use. It seems like you could strike some kind of arrangement, even if it means raising the shuttle prices slightly. I think it was a questionable use of the grant money anyway. The grant was for mass transit funds to reduce pollution. However, the shuttles used to alleviate a parking problem, and I don't think replacing cars with busses to travel 5 miles is going to help much. Imagine -- METRO using poor judgement?
