Stadium Remodeling, New Player Intros, And Wiener Dog Races. The New Cleveland Browns Experience

[tampadawgs]

Stadium remodeling, new player intros, and wiener dog races. The new Cleveland Browns experience

With Jimmy Haslam III busy cleaning up the mess at Pilot Flying J this offseason, C.E.O. Joe Banner has been the man front and center. While most of the focus has been on the moves he is making to repair a roster that won just five games last season, Banner and his team have also been busy repairing a game day experience that was antiquated, unexciting, and uninspiring.

"My primary goal is getting to know the people here", said Joe Banner the day he was introduced to the media. "I need to understand really quickly what it is about the game day experience that our fans like and don't like. That will then impact next year.”

Enter Kevin Griffin.

The Browns hired the nephew of two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin on May 8^th as the new Vice President of Fan Experience and Marketing. The Columbus native has been very busy behind the scenes.

What fans have seen from Griffin so far is a twitter account (@KevinGriffin425) which has been open to dialogue and ideas about to how the team should improve its experience. What fans will see very soon is that Griffin has been listening.

A source inside the Browns’ organization has informed ESPN Cleveland of a laundry list of changes in store for Browns fans. Some are major, some are minor, some are slightly bizarre, but all seem to be an improvement over the status quo.

Here are some of the things that will be changing around First Energy stadium this season.

Fan Night at First Energy Stadium will he held on August 3^rd this year and will allow fans to come and watch a Browns inter-squad scrimmage free of charge. This year, Family Night will include a laser show to accompany the fireworks fans are accustomed to seeing. This was previously announced with the training camp schedule.

The team has spent money to clear out BrownsTown, an area of the concourse which contained Heritage Hall, to make room for an inside pregame tailgate experience. The team has also scrapped the failed “Tailgate Terrance” outside the stadium.

Never heard of “Tailgate Terrance”? Don’t worry, not many people have. It was a small, unimaginative tailgate on the south side of the stadium for a few hours before games.

Instead, an improved tailgate will be moved into the former Brownstown area and expanded to include activities and events for all ages.

The move serves two purposes. First, it gets people into the stadium earlier so there will be larger crowds at the opening kickoff.

The second purpose is financial. As the source told me, “Every time a fan eats a hot dog or drinks a beer in the parking lot; it is a dollar the team doesn’t make.”

Griffin has openly said on twitter that the pre and in-game music will be upgraded and brought into the 21^st century. He queried the fans for newer, upbeat tunes that will keep the stadium rocking and still be fan friendly. So don’t expect Rolling Stones and The Who quite as often on the lakefront this year.

The most noticeable change will be the player introductions. Last year, the Browns hired the company that conducts the Baltimore Ravens’ intros and added two flame shooting towers mid season.

This year, they will have flames, pyrotechnics, and smoke when the Browns players are introduced. The team also decided it needed a pre-introduction hype video similar to what the

.

The Browns will also discontinue the use of their Backers Clubs to line the mouth of the tunnel.

Some people felt it was time for the Browns to get cheerleaders and those people will be disappointed. As both Jimmy Haslam and Joe Banner have said to the media, there will not be cheerleaders on the Browns’ sidelines.

What there will be, however, is a drum line. The goal of the organization is to make that drum line all female as somewhat of a compromise to those who wanted a skirt wearing spirit squad.

Fans should envision a newer, up-tempo drum line instead of the older, traditional marching band style from what I am told.

Perhaps the strangest of all changes coming to First Energy Stadium this season is also Kevin Griffin’s favorite: Wiener dog races. Griffin worked with the Seattle Seahawks and Sounders and these were a hit with the crowds in the great Northwest.

The source said that Griffin is, “all about this one”.

Here is how it works: One game a year the fastest wiener dogs in the Midwest will put their “speed” to the test. The dogs will line up at the 50 yard line and Chomps (the Browns mascot) will wave a green flag. The dogs will then awkwardly run towards the end zone. First dog to the Dawg pound wins.

It’s a pretty simple premise but the fans in Seattle certainly loved it.

The Browns are also planning a large tribute to Jim Brown during one halftime this season. The details on what this tribute will contain are being kept secret, but since the legend works within the organization again I expect it to be extravagant.

Since Brown did not attend his Ring of Honor ceremony, this tribute will serve as a make good.

Finally, the Browns plan on bringing back the best damn band in the land, The Ohio State Marching Band to perform at a halftime again this season.

 

[Zombo]

Nothing in that article would improve my game day experience unless the drum line girls gave out handjobs.

 

Score touchdowns.

 

Zombo

[Tim Couch Pulls Out]

Nothing in that article would improve my game day experience unless the drum line girls gave out handjobs.

 

Score touchdowns.

 

Zombo

It's not about you, Zombo.

 

It's not about any of us.

 

It's about the casual fan, not the diehard. This will bring more families and fans to the games and put more butts in the seats.

[Zombo]

It's not about you, Zombo.

 

It's not about any of us.

 

It's about the casual fan, not the diehard. This will bring more families and fans to the games and put more butts in the seats.

 

Am I still allowed to comment even though it is not about me?

 

Thanks for explaining that whole marketing angle ... I didn't get it when I read the article.

 

Zombo

[The Gipper]

It's not about you, Zombo.

 

It's not about any of us.

 

It's about the casual fan, not the diehard. This will bring more families and fans to the games and put more butts in the seats.

I am a casual fan in this respect: I only go to a game once every few years (even though I attend the tailgates)

A Weiner dog race WILL NOT entice me to go to a game.

A few things that might help:

A. Declare affirmatively that the Cleveland Browns name is in honor of Paul Brown and Jim Brown. Just tell the rest of the league that is the fact....and put some statues up for them outside the stadium. It won't help the game day experience....but it WILL in my opinion help the team's national image.

B. Yes, do something about all the dead time during TV timeouts. I know want to put wi-fi available in the whole stadium. That would help for some, not me. I don't do Fantasy football or twitter or all that crap.

C. Absolutely put in better scoreboards/videoboards. Yes, during those boring tv timeouts it would be good to see highlights from other ongoing NFL games. And, of course, better scoreboards would allow fans to have a better view of the replays of the Browns game.

D. I agree that cheerleaders are not necessary....when the game is over if I want to see T&A I can go to the strip club down the street.

E. The stadium will never charge a reasonable price for its food/beer, thus I will not buy it. Like I said, I will get my fill before the game. If I get really hungry I will sneak in a few candy bars.

Finally....for all his hubris/eccentricity/malevolence, Al Davis had it right: Just Win Baby

[The Gipper]

Perhaps to get a better track on things regarding this thread I should talk to a consultant:

 

My daughter has advised me that she is seriously considering to declare her major in college to be: Sports Management and Marketing. They do offer this as a major at her school (Trinity Univ, San Antonio TX). I thought: Cool! Maybe I will give her a project this summer and have her follow up on this subject: What can make the game day experience at Browns games better.

 

By the way....anyone with connections to get her an internship for like next summer would be appreciated.

[Browns149]

Just win and no one will care about ANY of this stuff

[sisky fringo]

i like the idea of an all female drum line...as long as they don't wear unisex band pants. and they need to be fairly cute.

 

growing up my folks owned 4 dashunds back to back, at least one was always around. awesome watchdogs, i love em.

the race might actually be enough to entice us to attend that particular game if we weren't already--it would be a conversation at least...but that's just us.

 

the rest is "meh".

[PoeticG]

Can they Please, Please, PLEASE fix the water problem in the stadium.... Every year we go there, the kids want water and the crap comes out looking like watered down chocolate milk= nasty. Clean up the water supply and It'll make the kids happier.

[nickers]

more Dumbanner bullshit...put a honest to goodness team on the field...the other shit is irrellevent

[Browns57]

First off let's take issue with the fact that this moronic marketing guy is getting advice from Twitter???? Great hire Browns. As a marketing professional who started in research this just pisses me off! Anybody who knows anything about marketing research knows you do research using a representative sample. Twitter users do not mirror the population. They are younger and more likely NOT to be people who can afford to attend Browns games.

 

I like that they are trying but they surely seem misguided in their efforts. The change in music for one is ridiculous as Cleveland is a rock n' roll town so all music played should be rock n' roll. If somebody wants pop, rap or some other kind of crap music cheer for the Bengals instead.

 

A drum line? Really? Likely the all female drum line will not be hot or scantily clad so who cares.

 

Pyrotechnics could be cool if they are used for scores and not just introductions.

 

So HMMMM, Hot Chicks, Pyrotechnics, and new music it is obvious their sample is shit.

 

I agree with others though with just WIN and that would be a good start.

 

IDIOTS!

[DieHardBrownsFan]

I want some nice looking sluts in barely any clothing strutting around. Then I can take my viagra and pound my pud in the nice restrooms at First Energy.

[Zombo]

My Browns Stadium has plastic beer bottles, piss troughs and AC/DC.

 

Alas, those are gone for good.

 

Just scors TDs.

 

That marketing plan works in 32 cities.

 

If you score TDs, you can replace Archie Griffin's nephew with a door knob and you will fill every seat and sell loads of shit.

 

It's the NFL. There's only 8 games. You don't need a marketing genius to fill seats like MLB, NBA etc. You need an exciting team.

 

Z

[Browns57]

My Browns Stadium has plastic beer bottles, piss troughs and AC/DC.

 

Alas, those are gone for good.

 

Just scors TDs.

 

That marketing plan works in 32 cities.

 

If you score TDs, you can replace Archie Griffin's nephew with a door knob and you will fill every seat and sell loads of shit.

 

It's the NFL. There's only 8 games. You don't need a marketing genius to fill seats like MLB, NBA etc. You need an exciting team.

 

Z

I am thinking they already hired a knob so they seem set there. My gameday experience has glass bottles for $3, AC/DC, Metallica, and any other awesome rock band, tons of TD's with accompanying explosions, fights on the field (but not in the stands), has great video boards and a kickass audio system, wi-fi service, better food, and even more touchdowns and explosions, oh and kids under 14 sit in a separate SAFE zone with their parents or guardians. And yes we won't get that either. so just score lots of TD's and win every game 52-0!

[ballpeen]

The whole things sounds pretty lame. Screw all the pomp....just win games. If they can't do that, then march out the naked women to make people quit thinking about the loss.

[calfoxwc]

All I need is the stadium to switch to Hebrew National Hotdogs, add freakin ROOT BEER, dammit,

 

and an anchovy option for pizza. And win games. Kick ass. That's all.

[cuwoohio]

Pretty much agree that the fluff doesn't really concern me at all. Definitely agree that the music should be tied to Cleveland and the scoreboards should be improved. Would also like to see attention paid to all of the past Browns greats throughout all of the concourses.

[slowburn]

Can they Please, Please, PLEASE fix the water problem in the stadium.... Every year we go there, the kids want water and the crap comes out looking like watered down chocolate milk= nasty. Clean up the water supply and It'll make the kids happier.

 

 

buy the brats a bottled water, cheapskate

[slowburn]

 

Pyrotechnics could be cool if they are used for scores and not just introductions.

 

 

 

Louisville lights off fireworks and shit after they score a TD. it's really cheesy during daylight hours. Night time pyro has a far greater effect

[hoorta]

My Browns Stadium has plastic beer bottles, piss troughs and AC/DC.

Alas, those are gone for good.

 

Just scors TDs.

 

That marketing plan works in 32 cities.

 

If you score TDs, you can replace Archie Griffin's nephew with a door knob and you will fill every seat and sell loads of shit.

It's the NFL. There's only 8 games. You don't need a marketing genius to fill seats like MLB, NBA etc. You need an exciting team.

 

Z

 

 

Amen Z. Wins= fans in seats. I don't know what planet Griffin lives on, but the reason fans won't EVER come inside the Stadium to Tailgate is simple math. You can buy a six pack + of Bud at the local carry out for what they charge for one beer inside. Or buy a whole package of dogs at Giant Eagle for the price of one inside. The only way that would ever fly is if they took a page out of the Kansas City Tailgate model. Tell the season ticket holders- you can buy a "Tailgate Pass" along with your season ticket. Unlimited food & beer before the game- and DON'T make it $1000 either.

 

BTW, you can still get a Bud- in an aluminum bottle no less- at Lucas Oil. Just tell the Refs not to make crap calls, and we promise not to throw them at you. Bottlegate was a long time ago.

[ballpeen]

 

 

buy the brats a bottled water, cheapskate

I was thinking the same thing. I generally don't like to drink plain tap water from anywhere. I like it to be flitered above and beyond what the water company provides.

[ballpeen]

 

 

Amen Z. Wins= fans in seats. I don't know what planet Griffin lives on, but the reason fans won't EVER come inside the Stadium to Tailgate is simple math. You can buy a six pack + of Bud at the local carry out for what they charge for one beer inside. Or buy a whole package of dogs at Giant Eagle for the price of one inside. The only way that would ever fly is if they took a page out of the Kansas City Tailgate model. Tell the season ticket holders- you can buy a "Tailgate Pass" along with your season ticket. Unlimited food & beer before the game- and DON'T make it $1000 either.

 

BTW, you can still get a Bud- in an aluminum bottle no less- at Lucas Oil. Just tell the Refs not to make crap calls, and we promise not to throw them at you. Bottlegate was a long time ago.

Actually, thats a pretty good idea Larry...the tailgate pass. They could do this on the north side patio and bar. It might not be unlimited...but shoot, I could see buying a pass they punch out allowing 2 dogs and 3 beers for say $10. They would make money on that. Run it from 11-12:30 to get people inside the stadium early.

[Dste Ace]

Well, after reading this and other related threads about "improving the game-day experience", I have come

to the sad conclusion that at some unknown point I have officially become an old fart; unhip, uncool, and

grouchy as hell.

 

I have Wi-Fi at home. If I'm at the stadium, I don't plan on having my face buried in a smart phone, obsessively

checking my emails, my fantasy updates, updating my facebook status, tweeting whatever random thought that

happens to be walking through my mind at the moment or any other such idiocy. BTW, recently saw Tom Petty--

I look around and there are people everywhere talking on their phones. Who the hell are you people talking to?

And how the hell can you hear them over the heavily amplified music?

 

My point is that when I pay ridiculous money to see a concert or a game, along with paying $20 to blood-sucking thieves

to park my fucking car, I'm there to watch the event. Improving the video screens is acceptable. If I'm at a game, my wife and friends

know beyond all doubt that if their phones ring, it most definitely will not be me. I'm there for one reason--to see an aggressive

Browns team kick hell out of somebody. If you need Wi-Fi and a warm seat in order to enjoy a football game you should probably

stay home and watch from your living room.

 

End of rant. Thank you.

 

P.S. I'm fine with slutty cheerleaders. Preferably of 'The Replacements' ilk. Wiener dogs are O.K., too.

[cuwoohio]

 

 

This would add to my enjoyment

 

[jrb12711]

First off let's take issue with the fact that this moronic marketing guy is getting advice from Twitter???? Great hire Browns. As a marketing professional who started in research this just pisses me off! Anybody who knows anything about marketing research knows you do research using a representative sample. Twitter users do not mirror the population. They are younger and more likely NOT to be people who can afford to attend Browns games.

 

I like that they are trying but they surely seem misguided in their efforts. The change in music for one is ridiculous as Cleveland is a rock n' roll town so all music played should be rock n' roll. If somebody wants pop, rap or some other kind of crap music cheer for the Bengals instead.

 

A drum line? Really? Likely the all female drum line will not be hot or scantily clad so who cares.

 

Pyrotechnics could be cool if they are used for scores and not just introductions.

 

So HMMMM, Hot Chicks, Pyrotechnics, and new music it is obvious their sample is shit.

 

I agree with others though with just WIN and that would be a good start.

 

IDIOTS!

 

How if you were a "marketing professional" not see the point of the Twitter poll? I mean hell you answered your own question.. All these activities appealed to young kids through young adults. This whole marketing effort is to get families to games, obviously. No grown man would care about pyro works or dogs. Twitter is just as good as anything else anymore to get demographic information.

[The Gipper]

 

 

Amen Z. Wins= fans in seats. I don't know what planet Griffin lives on, but the reason fans won't EVER come inside the Stadium to Tailgate is simple math. You can buy a six pack + of Bud at the local carry out for what they charge for one beer inside. Or buy a whole package of dogs at Giant Eagle for the price of one inside. The only way that would ever fly is if they took a page out of the Kansas City Tailgate model. Tell the season ticket holders- you can buy a "Tailgate Pass" along with your season ticket. Unlimited food & beer before the game- and DON'T make it $1000 either.

 

BTW, you can still get a Bud- in an aluminum bottle no less- at Lucas Oil. Just tell the Refs not to make crap calls, and we promise not to throw them at you. Bottlegate was a long time ago.

Who would ever want to buy and drink Budweiser beer anyway? At the tailgate you can bring some decent microbrew beer, like your Great Lakes or Hoppin' Frog. Or Guinness. Or if you don't tailgate, go to the Hard Rock for the brunch before the game....all you can eat for about the price of two stadium hot dogs. If you get hungry during the game then you didn't eat enough at the brunch.

[The Gipper]

 

How if you were a "marketing professional" not see the point of the Twitter poll? I mean hell you answered your own question.. All these activities appealed to young kids through young adults. This whole marketing effort is to get families to games, obviously. No grown man would care about pyro works or dogs. Twitter is just as good as anything else anymore to get demographic information.

I don't know why they would cater to bringing families to games.....or, actually, I do. If you bring your snot nosed brats, they will want you to buy them hot dogs, pop, souvenirs etc. etc. If just an adult male goes to a game they are far more likely to be like me: they will do their eating and drinking before the game at a tailgate. They ain't gonna buy no souvenirs because they will have already bought their gear at a far more discounted price than they sell them at in the stadium.

Men will spend money on their wives and kids that they won't spend on themselves. That is why I never brought my wife and kids (that and my wife hates football, my son doesn't care for team sports...he is into hiking and kayaking etc. My daughter might like it, but not enough to spend a day with her old man).

[The Gipper]

bleachereport list of best stadium experiences. For what that's worth:

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/728416-power-ranking-all-32-nfl-stadiums-by-gameday-experience

[The Gipper]

And here is another link....the Browns Stadium ranked 28th in "team atmosphere" among the 32 teams......but get this: the reason was because Browns Stadium is considered one of the most hostile toward opposing teams fans.

 

I would say that is that is a reason to rank the Browns stadium as low in team atmosphere then Hallefuckinglujah.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/specials/fansurvey/2008/stadium.html#browns

 

The top 4 "most hostile" fans:

 

1. Eagles

2. Raiders

3. Jets

4. Browns

[miktoxic]

 

How if you were a "marketing professional" not see the point of the Twitter poll? I mean hell you answered your own question.. All these activities appealed to young kids through young adults. This whole marketing effort is to get families to games, obviously. No grown man would care about pyro works or dogs. Twitter is just as good as anything else anymore to get demographic information.

 

twittering is for twats.

 

why not just go to starbucks on sunday while the game is being played and 'twit' away?

 

what a country of fags this has become.

 

thanks technology for bullshit like twitter and facebook. i like to keep updated on when kim kardashian takes it up the ass.