Babb: Chiefs losing younger fans
 

Chiefs losing younger fans
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star

They were on the road before the sun was up, on the way to see a team fighting for more than victories.

It’s two hours before kickoff at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs’ final home game of 2009. Four young friends left Springfield at 4 a.m. on this day, two of the boys bundled in Cleveland Browns clothing. They gave up on the Chiefs years ago. The two wearing Chiefs jerseys are hanging on, but they’d give up their loyalty if the mood hit just right.

“I used to like them,” says 11-year-old Griffin Berry, wearing a No. 32 Chiefs jersey. “This is just something that was for sale.”

Young Griffin says it’s not easy being a Chiefs fan, all the losing trying to relate to a roster filled with unrecognizable players. Another friend in Kansas City colors, 11-year-old Tyler Tindle, says he actually prefers the Minnesota Vikings. Better players. Better record. If the Vikings were playing at Arrowhead today, Tyler admits, he wouldn’t be wearing red.

“There’s not any excitement,” Tyler says of the Chiefs.

The boys continue the debate in a cold parking lot, the signals growing that the Chiefs are fighting a losing battle. As Kansas City crowds lose interest, season-ticket holders vow to save their money, and home viewers look to see what else is on, there’s a forgotten section of a population growing fed up with the Chiefs: Young Chiefs fans, ages 6 to 12, are tomorrow’s nucleus. And many of them are turning to college sports or other NFL teams while the Chiefs pile one losing season on top of another.

With three consecutive losing seasons, playoffs hardly a consideration, and the team likely finishing its first season without a Pro Bowler since 1978, the years keep passing without the Chiefs holding up their end of a relationship with a tested fan base. As time passes, some youngsters are at an age in which they’ll establish lifelong allegiances to a team. If the franchise doesn’t correct its course soon, it’s in danger of losing an entire generation of Chiefs fans.

“When I was a kid, it was all about the Chiefs,” says Ted Roeland, who coaches the fifth-grade football team at the St. Ann School in Prairie Village. “But I can tell you right now that, of all the kids that we coach, you rarely see at practice a Chiefs T-shirt or Chiefs jersey.”

The worry is real enough that the Chiefs are investing time, energy and money in new ways to keep young fans interested. That’s not easy, and the competition is fierce. With the Internet, video games, frequently available NFL alternatives, and a fertile nest of college sports on both sides of State Line Road, today’s youth are exposed to enough ways to occupy their minds and feed their sports fixes that they have no patience to wait on the Chiefs.

It’s a battle the team cannot afford to lose. Most kids don’t spend their own money on tickets or merchandise, but they will in the future. The Chiefs don’t want local dollars going elsewhere and loyalties dissolving; after all, today’s 11-year-old is tomorrow’s season-ticket holder.

That’s why the team hired Mark Donovan, an Ivy League marketing man who has worked for the NFL league office and the Philadelphia Eagles, to try and find new ways to appeal to youngsters. He learned while with the league that a vast majority of young sports fans choose a favorite team from the ages of 6 to 10. At some point during those years, each youngster will come to a crossroads, decide to align with a team, and hang onto that team for as long as they follow sports.

That’s a tight window for any NFL franchise, but Donovan might never have faced a challenge like he’ll have in Kansas City. And the team’s vice president and chief operating officer, hired this past May, knows he doesn’t have the luxury of time.

“Yeah, I want to sell tickets,” Donovan says in his third-floor office at Chiefs headquarters, “and I want to generate ratings and everything else. But I want to create a connection with that fan that doesn’t change. The earlier I can do it, the better.”

That’s why Donovan doesn’t limit his research to focus groups and studies. He says he likes to keep an eye always on tomorrow, so he pays attention when his 7-year-old son, Luke, surfs the Internet. He observes when he visits with his son’s classmates or accompanies young Luke to a birthday party. He wants to know what gets the youngsters’ attention, but more he wants to know what keeps it and why.

Donovan sees everyone at Arrowhead and within the metro area as either a fan or a potential fan. He says he believes the fans, at least those who have reached adulthood, are locked in. For better or worse, they have made their decision and are Chiefs fans for the long haul.

“That fan base,” Donovan says, “we think we’re going to keep.”

But the other group, the potential fan, requires more work — especially now. The Chiefs have won nine games in the past three seasons, and they possess no superstar player, and those factors force Donovan to lead a business side of a franchise swimming against a strengthening current.

Donovan says the Chiefs’ outreach efforts hinge on points of contact, introductions to the team that, if nothing else, will pique a youngster’s interest. Perhaps it’ll be enough that he or she might want to someday attend a game someday or visit training camp, which will be held in St. Joseph beginning next summer.

Donovan’s plan is that that mild interest will gradually grow, fueled by more points of contact, and eventually that young fan will be interested enough to buy season tickets for his or her family. The youngsters from Springfield might not be the most devoted Chiefs fans, but that they’re heading into Arrowhead is working into Donovan’s plan.

One of the friends says his loyalty might have been challenged, but it could be reaffirmed.

“If they were better,” 10-year-old Quintin Gonzales says, “I’d like them a little bit more. I like exciting stuff.”

Donovan says plans are in order for a Chiefs “sports lab,” a display at Arrowhead that will open next August and be geared toward children, as well as discussions for a Web site and Chiefs television show aimed at youngsters.

“There are investments we are making today that are going to pay off down the road,” he says. “If we’re not doing that well on the field, it’s a stadium experience. I want to be able to say, ‘Hey, that was really cool. I got to see Bobby Bell’s uniform and his helmet and his bust and his Hall of Fame jacket. The Chiefs lost that day, but it was a great experience, and I’ll go back.’ ”

That’s Donovan’s hope, anyway. While those plans are made into reality, kids’ attention spans are a constant battleground. Roeland, the youth football coach, says that although he grew up watching the declining Chiefs of the 1970s and had little connection to the last ugly chapter in the team’s history, Kansas City’s return to respectability in the 1990s turned Roeland into a season-ticket holder and longtime fan.

But Roeland’s generation had no Internet, and satellite television didn’t offer a dozen NFL games each week. Today’s youngsters have those distractions, as well as stores that carry Chiefs merchandise, yes, but also the easier-to-move jerseys with Chargers, Cowboys and Steelers logos on them.

Kansas City’s youth has options, and that’s not good for the Chiefs.

“Everybody wants to be a part of a winner,” Roeland says.

Perhaps it is as simple as that, and once the Chiefs start winning again, whenever that might happen, the fans will be there like always. Maybe youngsters will grow into Chiefs fans because that’s the local pro team, or because their daddy and their daddy’s daddy was a Chiefs fan — whether the times were good, bad or depressing. That’s what the face of the franchise believes, anyway, whether it’s reality or wishful thinking.

“If you win ballgames,” quarterback Matt Cassel says, “a lot of that takes care of itself.”

Maybe he’s right. The Chiefs aren’t taking chances, though. Donovan says the team can’t afford to gamble with a generation that will determine the team’s financial future — but already has begun distancing itself.

“If we can win games,” Donovan says, “if we can have stars be successful, we’ll get more of those (fans), and we’ll activate our core even more. It’s reaching out to that bigger, broader audience.

“The successful teams in this league are the ones that are always thinking that way.”

Back in the Arrowhead parking lot, the four boys from Springfield are easing toward the stadium’s entrance. They’ll stop at a merchandise stand and at least look at the Chiefs stuff.

“I just like coming to the games,” says Griffin, one of the 11-year-olds.

If the Chiefs’ plan works, that at least gives them a chance. For now, that might be about the best they can hope for.

There are Browns fans in Springfield?

Also, I feel sorry for anyone trying to market this team right now. Talk about a tough sell.

You actually read that article?

I lost interest by the third sentence.

An article this long dedicated to an obvious side effect of piss poor play and consistent losing is simply a waste of space.

I skimmed it. Something about four boys from Springfield, a fifth grade football coach from Prairie Village, and a little bit on some guy that works at Arrowhead trying to sell tickets.

Shit, they're losing everybody. For years I lived and died (mostly died) with these bastards. Now they're a distant third in interest behind Mizzou and the Cardinals, both of whom actually WIN once in a while.

Seriously, why would anybody without a history with these useless ****s care about them?

Low times make you appreciate the high times so much more. I keep hearing about the Chiefs of the 90's. I want to watch this team develop into that and be able to say I never lost hope.

bring back marty

I would rep you for a courageous post but you helped a few others put me in red. So it wouldn't mean much :(

Babble did his part by chasing our starting running back out of town.

He is a d-bag in my book.

Uh...Go **** yourself.

How about we bring in a coach that knows how to win, not only in the regular season, but the postseason as well.

And you are a ****ing moron of such epic proportions that I can't begin to give your epic moronacy justice with words.

Wait, you're talking about LJ?

ROFL

classy as usual. uh..... right now i'm focused on building a football team

That might happen, Marty is coaching the East-West Shrine Bowl this year. Their is the added fact that Marty is very close to the Hunt family that Clark probably considers him as his " fail safe" HC option. IMO this actually might happen when the offseason hits with the rumored displeasure that Clark has with Haley as the catalyst.

Oh...**** me, that is too funny.

LMAO

Like you actually have the intellect to focus.

Oh Jesus.

LMAO

I always see the request to bring back Marty being similar to the bring back Gun group, ugh.

It's one of those things, the Hunt's want what seems like a competitive product. With that said Marty's presence alone will gain the general fanbase's interested.

Dude. See my sig. This guy is classic!

Do you honestly believe that Scott Pioli came to KC to essentially be a puppet?

Seriously.. I feel the same thing. And that was not a good time. Losing every time you have a chance to win it isn't what you want either!

It's one of those suggestion issues that Clark had with Herm and his staff.

Blabb sucks.

I am tired of reading articles about how much this team sucks. Especially bad ones like these. Kids these days are gonna float towards any team they think is cool, unless there is a fatherly/family tradition imbued into them to like the Chiefs.

In this world of one-second attention spans, nobody cares. Loyalty is a rare commodity.

I grew up in Southern California and picked the Chiefs in January of 1994, when I decided to become a NFL fan. I just picked them based on Marty's sideline antics, Montana's reputation and the upset over the Oilers.

I have no ties to the city but I'm sticking with them. I'm 90 percent sure that's because of this site and you guys (thanks?).

Carry on.

no worries. getting a point across to him is like teaching a kid with autism complex geometry

Oh, also, I'm glad that Elizabeth Weir is gone, but Babb seems to be filling her shoes nicely.

Suggestion issues?

And do you honestly believe that 10 and 11 year olds are going to stand up and take notice of a coach that might not have even been alive to know who he is?

Or teaching your dumb ass to use caps and punctuation.

No, but the 30 and up crowd will take their kids to the home games and will be very aware of the HC situation. The rehiring of Marty will impact ticket revenue in a positive manner.

LMAO @ "suggestion issues."

Meh, I will be a Chiefs fan no matter what. I may get pissed, disappointed and whatever other emotions my come with my team's current state. But, damn it I am a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs. I will stick with them through thick and thin. Maybe a lesson in there for the parents of these youngsters. Sometimes you have to go through the darkness to get to the light. Maybe you never get there but you don't give up. Quitters.

The correct marketing term the Chiefs want with the younger fan base is called the McDonalds effect. Its you sucker them in when they are young, they will be a life long customer. Its what McDonald's did with Ronald McDonald and Happy Meals. And that is your marketing lesson for today. :)

I hope that I am forgiven for no longer making an effort to see games. I have seen 3, and 2 preseason this year. I have learned that Sundays have things going on other than Chiefs football.

So the Chiefs need a cheesy clown and to hand out 99 cent toys at the door? :p

I'm a chiefs fan and got my nephew to
be a chiefs fan
Posted via Mobile Device

I wonder if things will ever be the same, although that's probably being pessimistic. I don't think the Carl Peterson way of doing things was right, but I always did think it wouldn't be as easy as just "having a couple bad years to accumulate draft picks." Sometimes it's hard to recapture the magic once it hits the bottom. I think it's possible, but right now you're facing that KU and Mizzou football are much more popular, and the most recognizable/marketable athletes in KC play for the Royals.

You've just allowed thousands of Chiefs fans to realize they didn't have to drop 1000's on football.

So its the 80's again expect replace KU and MU football with basketball.

This. I hope if/when I have kids that they learn some sense of loyalty from me if/when they decide to pick sports teams. I just got a brand-new Cassel jersey for Christmas and I plan on wearing it during the game today, win or lose. Yeah, it sucks, but I'm optomistic that Pioli (or if not him, someone else) will get it fixed.

I'm starting to think kcBRONCOhater is just a freaking demonpenz copy...no way what he is saying is serious...he's just trying to push buttons

The Chiefs can try all the marketing gimmicks they want, but it is pretty simple... winning is the ultimate cure all when it comes to building a fanbase.

Clark took the fanbase for granted, thinking he could spending the absolute minimum on player acquisition/talent and fans would still flock to the team, regardless of what the Chiefs record was because that is what the Chiefs fanbase has done the past 20 years.

Clark doesn't remember the '80s... and what transpired last Sunday should be the ultimate wake-up call for Clark that the fanbase is done with his half-assed attempts to field a competitive team.

let me know how it works out
this post just made the little baby Jesus cry...are you happy now?

Ironic post alert! Ironic post alert! Ironic post alert!

Develop into a team that never won anything, nor was a threat to win anything....

Jesus.

Clark is nutless, he isn't going to do shit but sit by and see what happens for the next 10 years. That has to be the most frustrating thing about this organization. You see other team's owners passionate about their team, flipping off opposing team's fan, calling out their own players. This little sh*t shows up every once a while with that little annoying grin and hair. F U you little clark, I wish you dad was alive and healthy.

Our Clown is on the sideline.....

It is not as bad as the late 70s and 80s when there was around 20 or 30 thousand people in the stands on average. I remember when you rarely saw a Chiefs fan around Wichita. Marty showed up and the stands were full again and Chiefs caps, shirts and bumper stickers were everywhere. It took quite a stretch of losing to return it to where it is, which is still better than it was in the 70s and 80s. As soon as they start winning the wagon will fill up again~

Here, ill save everyone 20 minutes:

Winners create fans

Losers generate no interest.
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lol, it took you 20 mins to read that?

Its not the 10-11 year olds I think about.It is the chief's fans in their 30's and 40's who were too young to remember SB4 that I feel for the most. Some of them have invested years and $$ in this team only to become this generations cub fans. What happened 40 years ago doesn't affect today's success or failure in any way but those that lived through it have seen the chiefs win. That is something fans younger than me have a hard time realizing is possible. Kudos to the fans too young to have seen hank's teams for hanging in there.

I can only aspire to make it to the 10th grade just like you someday....
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Thanks for the Kudos.


It is tough to be damned to a team like this :( (Thanks big brother and Dad).

Why?

So that Carl and Herman ****ing Edwards would still be here and we could get to watch mediocre ass clowns for the rest of our lives?

Clark Hunt acts just like his dad did in the 70's and 80's.

He doesn't care about the team.

The thing of it is it's not just that they won back then it's how they played and were perceived. KC was considered an innovative team ahead of their time. Beleive it or not they were somewhat of a national team pulling in fans with no ties to the area because they were good, exciting to watch and one of the most creative teams. Even during marty's best years you would have never heard them described that way.
At least you have an excuse my dad was a giants fan and brothers were browns fan and a raiders fan:rolleyes:
My brother the raiders fan got me into the afl but didn't try to force a team on me.So in reality it was a raiders fan who made me a chiefs fan:doh!:

Same here. . .also didn't read beyond half a page of the 4 posted thus far.

That is what I want, a team that bucks the trend on their way to a SB championship.

I'm not for that either and yeah Lamar was way to faithful to Carl. But at least Lamar seemed passionate about the team.

Interesting didn't know that maybe that where he gets it from.

And maybe, just maybe, Clark Hunt cares more than you dumbasses are giving him credit for.

Maybe, just maybe, his reaction and Carl's sudden "resignation" before the end of the season last year, and before his contract expired serves as evidence to support the idea that he cares.

Maybe, just maybe, hiring the most sought after GM candidate of the last 5 years, even if you believe, like me, that it was the wrong hire, serves as evidence that he cares.

Maybe just maybe, you, me, and everyone else here are all a bunch of dumbasses just talking out of our asses.

I don't think it was "sudden" at all, he announced it two years ago.

30 mil under the cap should tell you all you need to know.

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/30/...fs_309072.html

JFC.

Why do I even waste time on your useless ass.

Carl had a contract that expired at the end of this season, and his plan was to retire when that contract expired.

So shut the **** up you useless, lying sack of shit.

Stole the "Chefs" from Southpark.

Any ****ing fan that's been around knows that is far older than Southpark.

I meant a winning team, smartass. And, I'm hoping they don't bring back Marty, because I would like to see that winning continue into the playoffs.

I think he's a kid.

Your hate for Carl is ridiculous. He was planning to retire at the end of his contract and Clark decided to let him retire early with full pay. I see no problem with that.

Your stupidity is boundless.

Kudos.

Hold on... two of the kids gave up on the Chiefs and became Browns fans?


Ouch. Just ouch.

Yeah, let's bring back one and done in the playoffs.

Troll

Brilliant retort milk ...

Well, just maybe clark didn't do his due diligence in research and hired the biggest name out there. So, that maybe, just maybe the fan base could get excited from the patriots scraps and therefore recoup some money from the renovation cost as soon as possible. And maybe, just maybe a chief football discussion board is a place where you share your opinions and gain knowledge about our team. Like say for instance if you were not old enough to be a fan in the 70s and 80s and you learn something about that era. Maybe.

You guys call me a troll all the time and do this little silly thing with the rep stuff but the truth is that as far as I can tell by reading this site it's all about who you hate on past and present teams.

Do any of you like any of the players or coaches?

My son will turn 12 in a couple of weeks, and pretty much fits right in with this article. He was a huge Chiefs fan when he was younger, but not so much now. HOWEVER, having an offensive playmaker like Charles in the lineup has made a difference in his wanting to watch the Chiefs. He now sits with me the whole game again... something he didn't do the past couple of years.

Huge game for you today HATER. Your boy LJ is in the house.

Is he going to start?

I hope so.

Well, how do I say this, BYE. :D

I could care less. Charles is our RB. But I understand why you want him to start. You want LJ to out do Charles so you can throw smack around. :shake:

This is an area where the Superfans couldv'e made a difference..we did a reading challenge at a school, and the response was phenomenal.

actually this is a huge problem ... especially considering the patriots way is to basically tell everyone to "**** off and mind their own business"

that attitude is fine when you win.....


The chiefs should be sucking up to the fans right now, not being snobbish. They better turn it around pretty fast or it's gonna turn nasty.

haley gets one more year and if he's still screwing up next year people are going to demand his head.

Pioli gets 2 more years unless he sacrifices haley to buy a couple more ... then he's gone.

So, you're more of an LJ fan than you are a Chiefs fan.

I want the chefs to win today and for Charles to have a big day.

But I also want to see LJ run up the middle for 100 yards to prove that he still has the skills to be a starter and running him off over nothing was wrong.

Just by Charles running wild after that douche left shows that he was slow and over the hill.

Seriously, LJ averaged 2.7 ypc behind the same line as Charles's 5.2.

Plus Charles actually tries to pick up the blitz.


The truth is right in front of your face!

BTW, even if LJ runs for 100, it proves nothing. Hell, we had a backup almost break the rushing record against our pathetic D.