Vermont Frost Heaves 12/14/06

[ABA06er]

I was informed the Vermont Frost Heaves Radio Network does live radio broadcast online for the entire world on thier website , I didnt believe it but it's true every home game they have it , you can access it through the vermont frost heaves website at http://www.audiosportsonline.net/ABA/Teams/Vermont/Broadcast.htm

So I listned to the Rochester VS Vermont game live tonight and I was blown away it was FIRST CLASS COVERAGE from start to finish. The game was Amazing..... Rochester led 89-82 with 40 seconds left Vermont gets a steal hits a 3 pointer , Demone Stewart from Rochester Fouls on Accident on the inbounds pass causing the 3-d Rule making Vermonts next 3 point attempt worth 4 points, THEY HIT THE SHOTTTTTTTTTTTTT to tie the game , then won it 95-93 in Overtime.

I will admit I have been a overzealous on the ABA just to bust some poster balls on this site , but I have been 100% won over by the ABA after tonight, Vermont has a great thing going for them , words cant even describe how exciting that game was to listin to live as it was happening.

I CANT WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT VERMONT FORSTHEAVES HOME GAME !!!


ps. They even have great post game coverage

" oh my god , did you see that ? Brian Edwards from Rochester just shot a trash can 20 rows up in the stands , do you think its safe to say Rochester wanted this game badly ? "

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

Pretty much any team with an internet radio presence "does live radio broadcast online for the entire world on thier (sp) website" - at least in the minor leagues - so Vermont isn't unique in that respect.

Just curious, though...

How many ABA games have you attended this season (and in the past), and which games did you attend?

[rams80]

I was informed the Vermont Frost Heaves Radio Network does live radio broadcast online for the entire world on thier website , I didnt believe it but it's true every home game they have it , you can access it through the vermont frost heaves website at http://www.audiosportsonline.net/ABA/Teams/Vermont/Broadcast.htm

So I listned to the Rochester VS Vermont game live tonight and I was blown away it was FIRST CLASS COVERAGE from start to finish. The game was Amazing..... Rochester led 89-82 with 40 seconds left Vermont gets a steal hits a 3 pointer , Demone Stewart from Rochester Fouls on Accident on the inbounds pass causing the 3-d Rule making Vermonts next 3 point attempt worth 4 points, THEY HIT THE SHOTTTTTTTTTTTTT to tie the game , then won it 95-93 in Overtime.

I will admit I have been a overzealous on the ABA just to bust some poster balls on this site , but I have been 100% won over by the ABA after tonight, Vermont has a great thing going for them , words cant even describe how exciting that game was to listin to live as it was happening.

I CANT WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT VERMONT FORSTHEAVES HOME GAME !!!


ps. They even have great post game coverage

" oh my god , did you see that ? Brian Edwards from Rochester just shot a trash can 20 rows up in the stands , do you think its safe to say Rochester wanted this game badly ? "

You've always been 100% in the ABA's camp. It's just that you now aren't going after Alex Wolff for some illogical reasoning.

[TEN]

Does anybody know if the Frost Heaves do road games? I know that the USBL teams in Dodge City, Kansas and Oklahoma have broadcast all of their games home and road for the last six years.

I've always thought it was VERY important to broadcast all games. It builds your following when they can follow the team on the road and it is a three hour advertisement for your team.

[Fells]

Does anybody know if the Frost Heaves do road games? I know that the USBL teams in Dodge City, Kansas and Oklahoma have broadcast all of their games home and road for the last six years.

I've always thought it was VERY important to broadcast all games. It builds your following when they can follow the team on the road and it is a three hour advertisement for your team.

Yes, WSNO/WJOY out of Burlington and Montpelier do all of the Frost Heaves games. I always hate to give credit to a competing station, but the guys who do the broadcasts are very good. They do a great job of calling the game, setting the scene, and don't go too over the top for the Heaves. You can listen to the games I believe through the Frost Heaves website.

[AConcernedCitizen]

Getting the proper radio talent to broadcast the games can't be easy though. Does anyone know what the attendances are like for Vermont?

[The Sweeper]

The crowds have been bigger in Barre than they have been in Burlington. I've been to every game, so I do know. There could be a variety of reasons that the crowds in Burlington are smaller and I am not going to speculate as to why they are. I'd say that it's possible the crowds in Burlington average about 900 or so (large crowd opening night, small crowd for Rochester and a slighly bigger crowd for Newark-substitute for Brooklyn-than for Rochester). Barre, I would estimate draws near 1200. There are not many places left to sit once the game stats. Even with a snow storm on a thursday night (Chicago was a little late getting there on account of the storm) there had to be a good 1000 people there. Crowds in Barre line up at least a half hour before the doors open (I'm usually right up front). Crowds in Burlington are somewhat late arriving (I am up front as well). I make the drive from Brattleboro, which is a good 2 hours to Barre and 2 1/2 to Burlington.

[heavesrock]

http://www.printroom.com/ghome.asp?domain_name=crowleyvt&group_id=6
Go on youtube or google video and search Frost Heaves for videos.

[heavesrock]

Getting the proper radio talent to broadcast the games can't be easy though. Does anyone know what the attendances are like for Vermont?

Why not? Out of 623,000 there it would be easy to find broadcasting talent.

[AConcernedCitizen]

I personally believe that 1,000 crowds are sustainable as a business model, simply because there are so many other revenue streams to be accessed. If anyone here has run a business, you quickly understand that it is never the same 1,000 people at each game, you must factor in 1 in 4 will turn up and that includes one-off fans. Each of them buys merch, programs, and food (if you can share in that stream).

Further, once you can PROJECT 1,000 fans (or 800 to 1,200) per game, then you have the framework by which to build around.

Now, that's Sports Ownership 101.

Someone now inform me what percentage of ABA owners understand what I just wrote.

If it's 10% then I'm scared.

[TEN]

I don't think you can assume that most of the 1000 people at any given game don't come out every night. I've found out that 60 to 70 percent of your fan base come almost every night. They have season tickets, etc. The key is building on that 30 to 40 percent that don't come every night and try to even out the percentage...

I've always assumed that an ABA budget is pretty comparable to a USBL budget. If an ABA team can make it on a thousand fans a night (keep in mind that not all of them are paid) then you must be able to run an ABA team for substantially less than a USBL team.

I know that in the USBL, if you are only bringing in 1000 fans a night then sponsors aren't going to lining up at your door to spend money to advertise and sponsor year after year.

I've always reasoned that 1500 a night paid and $125 to $150 thousand in cash sponsorship can have you making money in the USBL....

[heavesrock]

Does anyone know what kind of crowds the BRooklyn Kings are drawing? The Heaves draw 1,000 or more paid(there are very few comps at Heaves, players families and Press) on pretty much all nights. The lowest they had was 900. I'm pretty confident they are breaking even or making money, as they have tons of sponsorships. Breakevens in the ABA run from about 3,000 in Rochester to only 330 in CApe Cod.

[jamesaba]

I personally believe that 1,000 crowds are sustainable as a business model, simply because there are so many other revenue streams to be accessed. If anyone here has run a business, you quickly understand that it is never the same 1,000 people at each game, you must factor in 1 in 4 will turn up and that includes one-off fans. Each of them buys merch, programs, and food (if you can share in that stream).

Further, once you can PROJECT 1,000 fans (or 800 to 1,200) per game, then you have the framework by which to build around.

Now, that's Sports Ownership 101.

Someone now inform me what percentage of ABA owners understand what I just wrote.

If it's 10% then I'm scared.

That's great that you have such a grasp on how to make an ABA team successful.

Have you ever done it? If so what team? Or are you just preaching? Its very easy to state what needs to be done but its much different to actually do it.

I think most ABA owners are sincerely trying to implement solid business tactics for example Darren Cioffi in Strong Island. But there are a lot of factors that effect the success ratio of a team. Things such as venue, overhead costs, access to cash reserves, marketing budget, staffing levels, market demographics, and competition from high school, college, and other pro sports.

I don't mean to take away from your post because everything you said was 100% right, but actually doing it successfully is a whole nother can of worms.

[TEN]

Brooklyn draws about 100 a game...They are losing money, but their owner has plenty of it...Brooklyn also has probably the least expense of any team in the USBL....They don't house players because they all live in the NYC area...their arena rent is very low...they don't pay players very much...they don't market....their major expense is travel to the midwest...

I would say they have 1/3 the budget of the midwest teams...

I compare the Frost Heaves to the teams in the USBL midwest: Dodge City, Oklahoma, Kansas, etc. They have to house players...pay them to get them to come to an out of the way place...spend money on marketing....etc...

although based on the Frost Heaves roster...You probably wouldn't have to pay the "big bucks " USBL speaking to get those guys to come play. They would be the guys that would probably be happy to be on a USBL roster and would probably go for 200 to 300 a week (or less)

Now the Razorsharks have some guys that were on the high end of the pay scale in the USBL (Laz Sims, etc)...

[heavesrock]

Well, for cheap players they sure are having a heck of a season, and even beat those expensive players from Rochester. I'm not going repeat the accompliments of the Heaves players on here as I have said them too many times and everyone is entitled to their opinion.