Patroons win again vs. NJ Express

[Patroons1]

Another good game, Patroons did not play their best but enough to beat NJ by less than 10. Best crowd of season and now that schedule is firmed back up, the trend should continue.

The games really have been exciting and far above the expectations set by Nostrajoker and other witch hunters, conspicuously absent as of late.

[psbf]

I'm glad that the Patroons are now 2-0, while I'm curious what the score was. Also, no turnout figures? I remember when everyone got on me because the Xplosion never released their numbers.

[preeths]

Best crowd of season? Both online papers with articles had estimates of 400 people. Even Coyne now sounds less than enthusiastic about this charade. You do know you're crowing about teams showing up and having uniforms, right? The CBA has fallen very far, very fast. Congrats on the narrow wins against teams with a fraction of the payroll Albany has.

[Bretlee]

Yeah, I bet there were around 400 people. The basketball was pretty good, and you can't beat a beer and a hot dog for 2 bucks. The only real problem was the referees were subpar. They had no idea how to keep the game flowing and stopped the action with way too many unneeded fouls. Otherwise it was a really good time.

[heatht]

Funny how the reporter from Jersey calls the Patroons a "semi-pro team"...lol:

I bet one Albany player's weekly salary is paid more than the entire Jersey Express pay for one game ($50 per player x 12 players = $600).

http://www.nj.com/morristown/jasonlockhart/index.ssf/2008/12/big_interleague_matchup_for_je.html

Big interleague re-match for Jersey Express
by Jason Lockhart
Thursday December 18, 2008, 10:21 PM
Jason Lockhart Express players go up for the rebound in the Dec. 13th matchup against the Hope Trailblazers.


It's the home game the Jersey Express has been waiting for since training camp.

On Saturday night, the fourth-year American Basketball Association franchise will square off at Drew University against a semi-pro team from the rival Continental Basketball Association for the first time at home.

The Albany Patroons already beat the Express 104-97 in Albany, N.Y., on Thursday.

Jersey Express president and co-owner Marsha Blount is hoping her promotional efforts will pay off with a big crowd for Saturday's 7 p.m. tip-off.

"This is exactly what Major League Baseball does with their inter-league play," Blount said. "This is truly an inter-league game and history in the making for us. We think a game like this will draw more people to come out and support us. "

Express forward Frank Corbett is eager to show fans how good the Express can be.

"I think it's a great challenge," Corbett said. "We're well prepared. A victory against this team will make the [ABA] league respect us."

Other Express players said they must take care of all the little things--running the zones, controlling the ball, and making free throws.

"Everybody feels confident about the [upcoming] game," said Duquan Everett, Express forward. "You have to be confident or else you shouldn't be playing at all."

Reynolds told his players during Wednesday night's practice that CBA teams are going to have good talent, and good size.

"We just have to be tough mentally," Reynolds said. "It's an area we have to get better in."

"Any basketball fan that knows the CBA knows about the quality of players," Blount said. "People want quality basketball."

[psbf]

Largest crowd? You had 332 more at your opener.

[Bretlee]

I'm not sure what the listed attendances for these games were, but there were definitely more people last night than on opening night.

[misenern]

So that 1,000 season tickets thing was just hot air?

I thought the Patroons would have trounced the Express.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

Best crowd of season? Both online papers with articles had estimates of 400 people. Even Coyne now sounds less than enthusiastic about this charade. You do know you're crowing about teams showing up and having uniforms, right? The CBA has fallen very far, very fast. Congrats on the narrow wins against teams with a fraction of the payroll Albany has.

I agree that Jim Coyne sounds less than enthusiastic about the season, as I stated in another thread (his Patroons best team in Albany comment). He often seems to wear his feelings on his collar for everyone to see.

So that 1,000 season tickets thing was just hot air?

I thought the Patroons would have trounced the Express.

I don't doubt the Patroons sold at least 1000 season tickets. However, I'll bet you dollars to donuts that most of those season tickets were part of sponsorship packages. That's the way the business works.

[preeths]

I don't doubt the Patroons sold at least 1000 season tickets. However, I'll bet you dollars to donuts that most of those season tickets were part of sponsorship packages. That's the way the business works.

And many of the rest came at a discount after the team launched its Save the Patroons campaign.

[panchess]

..the first week of the season has been catch-as-catch-can. Thursday night wasn't a scheduled night for the Patroons on the original schedule, and weeknights just before Christmas can be "messy." I missed Tuesday's game due to my daughter's Christmas concert.

I got there about 6-7 minutes late and they were doing intros. The 20 minute late thing in the paper was an exaggeration, but the few minutes late worked for me.

The games immediately after Christmas are normally big attendance nights for the Patroons. If they aren't this year (particularly as the 26th and 27th are Friday and Saturday night), that is a major problem.

Personally I am glad the Christmas night game was dropped. I thought it was a dumb idea anyway. The week between Christmas and New Year's, though, should be full of games. A lot more people are off and looking for things to do.

Melissa, the concession woman, told me business was pathetic.

As for Albany, I think the only thing that will work is a D-League franchise. The quality of play has to get back to the level of the people on the banners on the wall, or else fans won't come in big numbers.

[psbf]

Are you forgetting the PBL and possible rivalries with Rochester and Buffalo? I would think that should gain some interest in your fans.

[LightningMan]

Are you forgetting the PBL and possible rivalries with Rochester and Buffalo? I would think that should gain some interest in your fans.
I think that such a situation would be beneficial to the Patroons but I get the feeling that Patroons management at least considers the PBL to be an inferior league.

[panchess]

I don't believe current management has interest in the PBL, though this year's experience may be changing that view.

From a rivalry standpoint, Manchester and Vermont would be natural rivals for Albany as well. They are actually closer to Albany than Rochester and Buffalo. The current PBL footprint would work far better for Albany than the CBA has since the Patroons returned to the league.

Though the ABA teams aren't ideal, going to Jersey and NYC for road games is a lot cheaper for the Patroons than any current CBA team.

[misenern]

It's an impressive number, but 1,000 season tickets just doesn't make sense to me.

First off, there doesn't seem to be that much interest in Albany. If 400 or so is their best turnout this year, why would the buyers fork out the money for tickets that not a lot of people care about any more?

Even if it was corporations that bought the tickets, does it make sense that well over 60% are being unused? That number is probably closer to 80% if you included walk up in the attendance figures. I just don't see anyone buying that many tickets when there is just no demand. I think last year that the Rainmen had around 200 season ticket holders, but they averaged closer to 2,000 fans a game. That's like polar opposites.

It just seems weird to me. Hopefully someone can clarify for me.