ucbandguy
Special Teams
Posts: 519
Joined: Oct 2013
Reputation: 21
I Root For: Cincinnati
Location:
|
RE: the 70s Reds were awesome
A lot of younger board members may not understand just how different the Reds were (compared to most baseball franchises) back in the 60's and 70's. They really worked at expanding their radio coverage area and being the "people's team". That was largely due to the Powell Crosley radio influence, with much of the groundwork going back to the 30's 40's and 50's. They wanted to expand their radio network as far as they could. That was the reason for the caravans each winter, taking team members for publicity sessions to WV, Tenn, Indiana, etc. And it worked, as fans planned their vacations around coming to Cincinnati for games. Before TV money became the big driver it is today, the Reds had some of the best attendance numbers in baseball. They were able to support a payroll that most other teams simply could not (unless they had a rich owner willing to lose money.)
Their biggest rival in this approach was St. Louis, and the teams stole ideas from each other regularly. I believe the Cincinnati and St. Louis had the largest radio networks in baseball at the time, both far larger than the average.
Much of the team building credit should go to GM Bob Howsam. Holding onto players like Bench, Perez, and Rose. Trading for Joe Morgan. A little bit of good luck was involved too.
But all good things seem to end sometime. And when the Reds crashed, they crashed hard.
|
|
09-12-2020 08:54 AM |
|
Bear Catlett
Hall of Famer
Posts: 12,982
Joined: Jan 2020
Reputation: 1547
I Root For: UC
Location:
|
RE: the 70s Reds were awesome
(09-12-2020 08:54 AM)ucbandguy Wrote: A lot of younger board members may not understand just how different the Reds were (compared to most baseball franchises) back in the 60's and 70's. They really worked at expanding their radio coverage area and being the "people's team". That was largely due to the Powell Crosley radio influence, with much of the groundwork going back to the 30's 40's and 50's. They wanted to expand their radio network as far as they could. That was the reason for the caravans each winter, taking team members for publicity sessions to WV, Tenn, Indiana, etc. And it worked, as fans planned their vacations around coming to Cincinnati for games. Before TV money became the big driver it is today, the Reds had some of the best attendance numbers in baseball. They were able to support a payroll that most other teams simply could not (unless they had a rich owner willing to lose money.)
Their biggest rival in this approach was St. Louis, and the teams stole ideas from each other regularly. I believe the Cincinnati and St. Louis had the largest radio networks in baseball at the time, both far larger than the average.
Much of the team building credit should go to GM Bob Howsam. Holding onto players like Bench, Perez, and Rose. Trading for Joe Morgan. A little bit of good luck was involved too.
But all good things seem to end sometime. And when the Reds crashed, they crashed hard.
Not to mention the no facial hair policy.
|
|
09-12-2020 10:02 AM |
|
bearcatmark
Moderator
Posts: 30,838
Joined: Dec 2006
Reputation: 806
I Root For: the Deliverator
Location:
|
RE: the 70s Reds were awesome
Pretty much everything on TV draws fewer eyeballs these days. Sports has held up better than most. Compare viewership of top networks sitcoms over the years and you'll see some real drops.
|
|
09-12-2020 11:07 AM |
|
Bearhawkeye
The King of Breakfast
Posts: 13,736
Joined: Mar 2004
Reputation: 588
I Root For: Zinzinnati
Location:
|
RE: the 70s Reds were awesome
(09-12-2020 11:07 AM)bearcatmark Wrote: Pretty much everything on TV draws fewer eyeballs these days. Sports has held up better than most. Compare viewership of top networks sitcoms over the years and you'll see some real drops.
But how much of top networks sitcoms ratings decline is due to exponentially increased options (including uncensored and commercial-free options)? Sure there's been some new sports competition but I'm not sure any have really made much of a dent with the possible exception of MMA. And that seems to have been largely offset by the decline in boxing. Just my impression of the situation.
|
|
09-12-2020 12:45 PM |
|
bearcatmark
Moderator
Posts: 30,838
Joined: Dec 2006
Reputation: 806
I Root For: the Deliverator
Location:
|
RE: the 70s Reds were awesome
(09-12-2020 12:45 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote: (09-12-2020 11:07 AM)bearcatmark Wrote: Pretty much everything on TV draws fewer eyeballs these days. Sports has held up better than most. Compare viewership of top networks sitcoms over the years and you'll see some real drops.
But how much of top networks sitcoms ratings decline is due to exponentially increased options (including uncensored and commercial-free options)? Sure there's been some new sports competition but I'm not sure any have really made much of a dent with the possible exception of MMA. And that seems to have been largely offset by the decline in boxing. Just my impression of the situation.
Increased options applies to sports as well. I love sports but I choose to watch a quality show from netflix or FX or whatever often on nights in the past where I'd have watched a game I had little real interest in. Sports undoubtedly has felt it less, but increased options definitely have caused ratings drops.
Sports wise I watch my teams as religiously as I always have (except the Cubs with no WGN broadcasts and less interest in baseball for me personally), but I watch a fraction of the games I used to watch where I have no rooting interest. It's not that I like the sports less it's that there are just more viewing options.
(This post was last modified: 09-12-2020 02:36 PM by bearcatmark.)
|
|
09-12-2020 02:33 PM |
|
RealDeal
Heisman
Posts: 7,633
Joined: Jul 2004
Reputation: 83
I Root For: UC
Location: Cincinnati
|
RE: the 70s Reds were awesome
(09-12-2020 02:33 PM)bearcatmark Wrote: Sports wise I watch my teams as religiously as I always have (except the Cubs with no WGN broadcasts and less interest in baseball for me personally), but I watch a fraction of the games I used to watch where I have no rooting interest. It's not that I like the sports less it's that there are just more viewing options.
+1 I rarely watch games that don't involve UC, the Reds, or FCC. There's so much content nowadays that it all kind of blurs together. Growing up (41 yrs old) there was so much less sports you really felt like you couldn't miss things like Sunday night baseball or the NBA on NBC name of the week
Sent from my SM-T720 using Tapatalk
|
|
09-12-2020 07:31 PM |
|
SuperFlyBCat
Banned
Posts: 49,583
Joined: Mar 2005
I Root For: America and UC
Location: Cincinnati
|
RE: the 70s Reds were awesome
(09-11-2020 01:19 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote: Most folks remember the Reds won the 1975 and 1976 World Series. Some may remember that the Reds swept the '76 series against the Yankees. Not many remember the Reds also played in the 1970 and 1972 series. The latter they lost to the A's in seven games. They came close to winning three world titles in the decade.
Joe Rudi, Sal Bando, Reggie Jackson, Bert Campanaris (spell check), Rollie, Catfish Hunter, Vida Blue, Gene Tenace etc.
|
|
09-13-2020 12:23 PM |
|
Bear Catlett
Hall of Famer
Posts: 12,982
Joined: Jan 2020
Reputation: 1547
I Root For: UC
Location:
|
RE: the 70s Reds were awesome
(09-13-2020 12:23 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote: (09-11-2020 01:19 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote: Most folks remember the Reds won the 1975 and 1976 World Series. Some may remember that the Reds swept the '76 series against the Yankees. Not many remember the Reds also played in the 1970 and 1972 series. The latter they lost to the A's in seven games. They came close to winning three world titles in the decade.
Joe Rudi, Sal Bando, Reggie Jackson, Bert Campanaris (spell check), Rollie, Catfish Hunter, Vida Blue, Gene Tenace etc.
Tricky A's...
Making poor Johnny Bench believe that they were going to intentionally walk him then quick pitching while he stood there with his thumb us his @$$.
I hated those guys.
|
|
09-13-2020 03:38 PM |
|