Ray Ratto is a moron

[HoosierCat]

So I come across this column by Ray Ratto over at CBS this morning, in which Ray joins in the general Mike Brown bashing and unleashes this howler:

So the Cincinnati Bengals offered a buy-one-get-one-free ticket deal for their Sunday win-and-pray-or-bust showdown with Baltimore. And the debate rages on about:

A) Who is responsible for this?

B ) Who will pay for it?

C) What happens if this continues?

D) What lessons can be learned?

...

B ) The taxpayers of Hamilton County will pay for it, since they have to buy the tickets that don't get sold as part of their deal with the Bengals when the stadium plan was devised. This is proof that citizens should never allow themselves to allow such a shameful hostage deal. If an NFL team cannot find money to do its own construction project, the owners deserve to perish, or be forced to sell. I mean, they're all essentially billionaires now anyway.

Ummm...no. Brown will be paying for them, or at least he has to cut a check for about $22 per ticket to the league because the other owners still need to get their cut of those free ticket "sales."

There was a clause in the lease that required the county to cover any shortfall in ticket sales up to 50,000 tickets -- so, for example, if the Bengals only sold 45,000 the county would have to buy the other 5,000 -- but that only covered the first 20 home games at PBS, which are long since past.

[COB]

Don't let facts get in the way of a column Ray Ratto wrote, very likely, by looking up some old Enquirer and or Doc columns and just paraphrasing the bile.

[HoosierCat]

I just find the current spurt of Brown-basing in the media silly. For heaven's sake, he just gave away thousands of free tickets, for which Reedy estimates he's going to have to cut about a $200,000 check to the NFL to cover the visitor's share of those free tickets. And the general response in the media is all about how much Mike sucks?

Other team cut prices and do promotions too. The Rams were selling $28 tickets to that game against the Bengals, and giving people a free hat and $10 worth of free food to boot. I'm going to bet that didn't generate any articles about how the Rams ownership sucks.

[Earendil]

I just find the current spurt of Brown-basing in the media silly. For heaven's sake, he just gave away thousands of free tickets, for which Reedy estimates he's going to have to cut about a $200,000 check to the NFL to cover the visitor's share of those free tickets. And the general response in the media is all about how much Mike sucks?

Other team cut prices and do promotions too. The Rams were selling $28 tickets to that game against the Bengals, and giving people a free hat and $10 worth of free food to boot. I'm going to bet that didn't generate any articles about how the Rams ownership sucks.

I forgot about the cut he would have to pay to the league for visitor's share of the tickets.

I don't say this often, but bravo Mr. Brown. Bravo...

[derekshank]

I encourage everyone to email Ray Ratto via the website demanding a published apology.

Journalists need to be held responsible for publishing lies.

[HoosierCat]

Here's my question: when does this kind of stuff start getting written about Randy Lerner and the Browns?

You can't turn around without running into someone complaining about the sweetheart stadium deal the Bengals got, but it isn't like Cleveland made out a whole lot better. The city is still lugging around something like $180 million in debt, which it has paid to refinance a couple times in the last several years. Clevelanders paid $33 million in extra taxes in the years leading up to its construction and are still paying a sin tax to pay for the stadium bonds (so far $66 million paid and counting). Lerner does pay $250k a year in rent...but the city pays $850k a year into the stadium capital fund (and that number goes up starting in 2020 while the rent never increases over 30 years). And of course under state law the "factory of sadness" is exempt from property taxes.

And what did that get them? A team that, once it loses to Pitt this weekend, will have gone 68-140 in the 13 years since it returned to the league and opened that stadium. For comparison purposes, during the 12 years of the "Lost Decade" (1991-2002) the Bengals went 55-137. (Add in another "average" year to equal the Browns' 13 years and you get 60-148.)

They got a team that's featured such (on) crack head coaches as Chris Palmer, Butch Davis and Eric Mangini. Their drafts are littered with monumental busts like Tim Couch and Gerard Warren. Their roster has featured idiots like The F**king Soldier and Donte "killed a pedestrian with his car" Stallworth.

In short, Cleveland got the Bungles North.

So...where are all the routine references to the team as "Clowns" or "Chungles" or anything like that on espn? Where is the routine disdain for and dismissal of the team? How come every year, the Browns are on the cusp? Why are years like this one labeled "disappointments" and not "business as usual in Cleveland"?

Oh well. I guess I ought to be grateful that the media is so eager to give the Bengals coaches the "no respect" card to play. Still...

[Spor_tees]

They should let the guy from Cincinnati that writes the MMA columns cover the NFL, he actually take the time to investigate what he writes.

[HoosierCat]

CBS finally added a correction.

[jjakq27]

Great post Hoos'. Excellent perspective on what is reality and what is perception. I have pros and cons for MB but its funny to read the recent articles from the national media about the game and ticket sales and the shots he's taking. Lots to complain about at times but at the same time it's the fifth time in nine seasons where they enter the last game with either a chance to make the playoffs with a win or have already wrapped up a playoff spot.

You can throw Art Modell and his family into the mix. While they did win a Super Bowl and are a very stable and popular franchise, I wonder how they were forced to sell the team a little over a decade after taking the deal in Baltimore that they needed to stay viable.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

So...where are all the routine references to the team as "Clowns" or "Chungles" or anything like that on espn? Where is the routine disdain for and dismissal of the team? How come every year, the Browns are on the cusp? Why are years like this one labeled "disappointments" and not "business as usual in Cleveland"?

My theory? Because Cleveland is such a complete sh*thole, and they got boned so hard by Modell, that they get a little bit of kid glove treatment. It would be kind of like making fun of a retarded kid. Pointing it out kind of makes you a d*ck.

Beyond that, I think it's because the way the Bengals do things are both unorthodox and (often) unsuccessful, as well as borne of nepotism. The Cleveland franchise seems to be at least *trying* to do things the conventional way, so the only thing you can say is that the choices they made didn't work (to my knowledge at least). It's different to run your operation with a host of people who have never done anything successful in the NFL before, most of whom are related to the owner.

Of course, some similarities could be made on the nepotism front - Lerner ain't exactly a self-made man either - but it's not like his old man was Paul Brown. That contrast has never helped Mike.

That said, this particular move by Mike Brown deserves to be praised (as you mentioned). In fact, I didn't hear anything from ownership in terms of lamenting the lack of fan support, since they probably understand the reasons behind it, none of which have anything to do with the 2011 season.

[ToddGack]

I just find the current spurt of Brown-basing in the media silly. For heaven's sake, he just gave away thousands of free tickets, for which Reedy estimates he's going to have to cut about a $200,000 check to the NFL to cover the visitor's share of those free tickets. And the general response in the media is all about how much Mike sucks?

Other team cut prices and do promotions too. The Rams were selling $28 tickets to that game against the Bengals, and giving people a free hat and $10 worth of free food to boot. I'm going to bet that didn't generate any articles about how the Rams ownership sucks.

You do know the reputation of Mike Brown, right?

[COB]

I just find the current spurt of Brown-basing in the media silly. For heaven's sake, he just gave away thousands of free tickets, for which Reedy estimates he's going to have to cut about a $200,000 check to the NFL to cover the visitor's share of those free tickets. And the general response in the media is all about how much Mike sucks?

Other team cut prices and do promotions too. The Rams were selling $28 tickets to that game against the Bengals, and giving people a free hat and $10 worth of free food to boot. I'm going to bet that didn't generate any articles about how the Rams ownership sucks.

You do know the reputation of Mike Brown, right?

Mike Brown, the guy who's team just made the playoffs for the third time in the last 7 seasons?

[BengalszoneBilly]

I just find the current spurt of Brown-basing in the media silly. For heaven's sake, he just gave away thousands of free tickets, for which Reedy estimates he's going to have to cut about a $200,000 check to the NFL to cover the visitor's share of those free tickets. And the general response in the media is all about how much Mike sucks?

Other team cut prices and do promotions too. The Rams were selling $28 tickets to that game against the Bengals, and giving people a free hat and $10 worth of free food to boot. I'm going to bet that didn't generate any articles about how the Rams ownership sucks.

You do know the reputation of Mike Brown, right?

Mike Brown, the guy who's team just made the playoffs for the third time in the last 7 seasons?

Actually it's the 3rd time since he assumed ownership after Paul Browns death 20 years ago. Not what I'd call a stellar record.

[HoosierCat]

I just find the current spurt of Brown-basing in the media silly. For heaven's sake, he just gave away thousands of free tickets, for which Reedy estimates he's going to have to cut about a $200,000 check to the NFL to cover the visitor's share of those free tickets. And the general response in the media is all about how much Mike sucks?

Other team cut prices and do promotions too. The Rams were selling $28 tickets to that game against the Bengals, and giving people a free hat and $10 worth of free food to boot. I'm going to bet that didn't generate any articles about how the Rams ownership sucks.

You do know the reputation of Mike Brown, right?

Welcome to BZ, Todd. And yes, I do know Mike's rep. That's the point. He does something completely out of character, something many of us have called on him to do...and he gets crapped on for it.

Offering a discount that's intended to help the fans and the team isn't something he ought to be getting bashed for.

[COB]

I just find the current spurt of Brown-basing in the media silly. For heaven's sake, he just gave away thousands of free tickets, for which Reedy estimates he's going to have to cut about a $200,000 check to the NFL to cover the visitor's share of those free tickets. And the general response in the media is all about how much Mike sucks?

Other team cut prices and do promotions too. The Rams were selling $28 tickets to that game against the Bengals, and giving people a free hat and $10 worth of free food to boot. I'm going to bet that didn't generate any articles about how the Rams ownership sucks.

You do know the reputation of Mike Brown, right?

Mike Brown, the guy who's team just made the playoffs for the third time in the last 7 seasons?

Actually it's the 3rd time since he assumed ownership after Paul Browns death 20 years ago. Not what I'd call a stellar record.

Agreed. But what if the last 7 years had gone like the the first 13 years?

I'm for giving the organization credit for their recent success, underwhelming though it may be. I'm just tired of everyone (national media mainly) taking shots at the Bengals, even though the Bengals are no longer the cellar dwelling basket case they were '91-2004.

Nothing I just said precludes me from making Lumina jokes and poking fun at Mike's fuddy duddyness.

[HoosierCat]

I'm for giving the organization credit for their recent success, underwhelming though it may be. I'm just tired of everyone (national media mainly) taking shots at the Bengals, even though the Bengals are no longer the cellar dwelling basket case they were '91-2004.

This. Now is all that matters.

Bring on Houston.

[jjakq27]

The Steelers were one of the worst franchises before 1972 but they aren't required to carry that baggage around. We still have a long way to go but let's look at the half-full glass and enjoy this week.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Must...not...feed...troll....

[derekshank]

You do know the reputation of Mike Brown, right?

Mike Brown, the guy who's team just made the playoffs for the third time in the last 7 seasons?

Mike Brown, Executive of the Year?

[Stripes]

He definitely deserves it. Who else has a comparable resume this year?

[ToddGack]

I just find the current spurt of Brown-basing in the media silly. For heaven's sake, he just gave away thousands of free tickets, for which Reedy estimates he's going to have to cut about a $200,000 check to the NFL to cover the visitor's share of those free tickets. And the general response in the media is all about how much Mike sucks?

Other team cut prices and do promotions too. The Rams were selling $28 tickets to that game against the Bengals, and giving people a free hat and $10 worth of free food to boot. I'm going to bet that didn't generate any articles about how the Rams ownership sucks.

You do know the reputation of Mike Brown, right?

Welcome to BZ, Todd. And yes, I do know Mike's rep. That's the point. He does something completely out of character, something many of us have called on him to do...and he gets crapped on for it.

Offering a discount that's intended to help the fans and the team isn't something he ought to be getting bashed for.

Those tickets weren't going to be bought either way so he might as well give them away for free and have them buy beer than be completely embarrassed with 10K or more empty seats.

[derekshank]

Those tickets weren't going to be bought either way so he might as well give them away for free and have them buy beer than be completely embarrassed with 10K or more empty seats.

Mike Brown had to pay the NFL $22+ for every ticket he gave away.

I'm guessing that the average fan spends less than $22 on concessions... so no, it's not a smart business move to give tickets away just because they didn't sell out. It was a nice gesture by Brown that cost him more than $200,000 out of pocket.

But nice try.

[ToddGack]

Those tickets weren't going to be bought either way so he might as well give them away for free and have them buy beer than be completely embarrassed with 10K or more empty seats.

Mike Brown had to pay the NFL $22+ for every ticket he gave away.

I'm guessing that the average fan spends less than $22 on concessions... so no, it's not a smart business move to give tickets away just because they didn't sell out. It was a nice gesture by Brown that cost him more than $200,000 out of pocket.

But nice try.

Great scientific evidence. My guess is that the NFL was probably a little irked Brown wasn't selling seats and having that many empty seats for a 'win and you're in' game wouldn't have looked good.

There hasn't been a decision made by Mike Brown that hasn't benefited his pocketbook in some way. There's a reason he lowered some ticket prices for 2012 and there's a reason why he offered free tickets yesterday. And it doesn't take much for one to spend $20 on concession at Paul Brown.

[derekshank]

And it doesn't take much for one to spend $20 on concession at Paul Brown.

Actually it's really easy. I always visit a bar near the stadium just before the game... drink a couple beers and grab something to eat.

I have never spend a dime at the game. And the people I have gone with have never spent more than $10.

By the way... are you really trying to make the argument that giving away $200,000 every week is a good business strategy?

[HoosierCat]

There hasn't been a decision made by Mike Brown that hasn't benefited his pocketbook in some way. There's a reason he lowered some ticket prices for 2012 and there's a reason why he offered free tickets yesterday. And it doesn't take much for one to spend $20 on concession at Paul Brown.

No one is arguing that Brown didn't make money in the ticket giveaway. But in NFL terms the amount was inconsequential. If they sold, say, 10,000 tickets at $65 per and gave away another 10,000, then after the Bengals sent in the check for the visitor's cut on 20,000 ducats, they still had around $200k.

The point is that they didn't have to do it. $200k is chicken feed to a guy who gets a $127 million (and rising) check from the league every year. And I doubt that whether the stadium would have "looked bad" with a lot of empty seats mattered one bit to Mike. He quite famously doesn't care a whit what anyone, up to and including the league, thinks.

The question of concessions is a bit trickier. IIRC Aramark has the concession contract at PBS and depending on the deal they get 35% - 50% of revenues. Still, Brown probably made a couple hundred grand extra there, too.