Thunderbolts draw 3,700 with regular season finale

[Thuderbolt]

Lakelands 44-23 win over osceola brought out the largest crowd of the season( 3,700 ), nice way to enter the playoffs. Nice to see some osceola fans too

[preeths]

That's very good news for Lakeland. The franchise has appeared to do things as well as possible. Well, outside the former GM, anyway.

[jimbo32712]

They are a rival team but my hats off to them...They do a good job cross promoting and getting involved in the community. Good thing people are taking notice and supporting them. Lakeland is a good place for a team. Right between Tampa and Orlando...But far enough away where they can get some local support. Their fanbase does not get dilluted among all the other sports like it can in Orlando and Tampa. They love their Football too..I think their High School team the Dreadnaughts in one of the National Champions last year or something.

[Thuderbolt]

yes they were. too bad I went to George Jenkins

[jimbo32712]

He created Publix...Which over the years since I moved here from California has won me over... I miss Safeway but Publix is a real good substitute. So George Jenkins may not be football but we all need groceries too!

[munky]

Lakelands 44-23 win over osceola brought out the largest crowd of the season( 3,700 ), nice way to enter the playoffs. Nice to see some osceola fans too

That number, 3,700, seems impressive. And it's no doubt the largest crowd on records, but when you take into consideration that the Lakeland Center Arena holds 8,000-8,500 people for football games, that's not even a 50% sell out.

And how many of those tickets were giveaways/trade outs? The previous GM loved to give away tickets in trade outs. I'm curious if Lakeland has turned a profit this year.

[Rowdy]

Actually, the Lakeland Center only holds 4100 in the bowl for football and another 400 in their corp. boxes. The way it is set up for football only gives them space for the bowl and floor boxes. Although an Osceola Fan, 3700 is impressive.
It was nice to see all those fans from Osceola in those two sections. Can't wait for the first round of Play-offs!
GO "O"!

[Thuderbolt]

yeah it looked pretty packed with 3700

[FeverPosse]

3700- That sounds pretty good to ya'll, but we are averaging about 5300 a game. So if that a record for ya, keep doing what your doing but hope to see get some more if poss.
I know that the more people there are at a game, it makes it louder and a whole lot funner for me- keep it up

[munky]

Actually, the Lakeland Center only holds 4100 in the bowl for football and another 400 in their corp. boxes. The way it is set up for football only gives them space for the bowl and floor boxes. Although an Osceola Fan, 3700 is impressive.
It was nice to see all those fans from Osceola in those two sections. Can't wait for the first round of Play-offs!
GO "O"!

That's funny when you consider the Lakeland Center's website says the seating for sports is around 6,500. Where are you coming up with your stats?

http://www.thelakelandcenter.com/h_evtinfo/seating_arena.asp

Doesn't matter to me, I haven't gone to a game and won't go to one because of the treatment of the business, radio stations, fans, etc who were there when they needed them last year, but this year Lakeland doesn't care.

[Thuderbolt]

Lakeland has never mistreated the fans. They are probobly the most fan friendly sports franchise around. I dont know about the radio stations, I dont really care though I have gone to every game in their history. all 14. And most all the sponsors from last year were back this year. The Lakeland orginization is doing a great job. And the Lakeland Center wouldnt hold 6,500 for a football game. IDK where the center figured that one. It might hold 5,000

[preeths]

That's funny when you consider the Lakeland Center's website says the seating for sports is around 6,500. Where are you coming up with your stats?

http://www.thelakelandcenter.com/h_evtinfo/seating_arena.asp

Doesn't matter to me, I haven't gone to a game and won't go to one because of the treatment of the business, radio stations, fans, etc who were there when they needed them last year, but this year Lakeland doesn't care.

Just guessing here, but like many arenas, they may lose seats with a hockey/football configuration.

[Rowdy]

Munky,

Not to dwell on this simple addittion problem... You are right Preeths, different configuration for different events.But the for NIFL football season they use upper bowl (4,196) and lower (468) for their corp. boxes, which equals out to 4,664. Once again, not a Lakeland fan, but I know their configuration. Either way, it was a great turn-out from a top 5 Ball club!

[jimbo32712]

Would be better off with a smaller arena anyhow...Imagine how cavernous the Greensboro Coliseum or the Savis Center must look even with good size NIFL crowds in them..Or even that dump up there in Cincinati..Even in Osceola where our arena holds like 8,300.. It is a bit big..We get some decent crowds in there but it still looks a little empty.

[thunderbolts1]

That's funny when you consider the Lakeland Center's website says the seating for sports is around 6,500. Where are you coming up with your stats?

http://www.thelakelandcenter.com/h_evtinfo/seating_arena.asp

Doesn't matter to me, I haven't gone to a game and won't go to one because of the treatment of the business, radio stations, fans, etc who were there when they needed them last year, but this year Lakeland doesn't care.


Munky,
After seeing how full the stadium was with 3,700, there is no possible way that there is room for 4,000 + more fans. Lakeland is doing a great job, keep it up. Finally made Bay News 9 this morning.

Lots of the same sponsors, and fans that were around last year are back for the 2nd year. Unfair to say that Lakeland doesn't care, they had to change a lot of things in the organization in order to perfect it and make it better. 99% of the fans say that what they are seeing from the ThunderBolts this year, far exceeds anything that was on the field last year. Just curious to know what the ThunderBolts have done to lose your interest in them?

[fwp]

I agree with thunderbolts1.

The Thunderbolts appear to be doing a LOT of things right. After struggling through their first season, they've found areas to focus on and it sounds like they've gone out of their way to make going to a T-bolts game a fun experience. I know in my dealings just trying to buy a shirt, I found the Lakeland office very helpful and wanting to make sure I was happy with my two shirts.

I'm sure there's more that they wish they could do, and probably things they'll do next year that they didn't this, but it's easy to see that they are working hard to run a first class organization. You have to remember that they worked around their other well publicized front office issue, as well. At this level that is no small hurdle, but in my opinion they've come out in magnificent fashion, so far.

munky, it sounds like you may have some personal issues from past dealings, but I hope you take the time to research things carefully and try to give your team another chance. Many cities would be very, very fortunate to have this group leading a team in their location.

[fwp]

I'm just so impressed with what the Thunderbolts organization has done over this last year, I wanted to post the link to this article that's from the OSC NIFL homepage. It starts out giving a little coverage to a former poster from last year's NIFL board, ThunderboltFran, and goes into some of the things that this ownership group has been doing to improve the experience in Lakeland. Very, very impressive stuff.

It also notes that the former GM actually bilked them out of quite a bit more than was originally reported. Lakeland indoor football fans are very fortunate.

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060705/NEWS/607050389/1002/SPORTS