Silver Bullets

[NotAboutEgo]

Another thing I learned today at the women's baseball conference... Coors did not stop financially supporting the Silver Bullets because of the team's records. In fact, the very reason they pulled out of the deal was because of a lady who took her daughter to a Silver Bullets game who wrote a letter to Coors stating that she was against a beer company sponsoring her daughter's role models. This was heard by a women's baseball promoter, organizer, and advocate when she was in meetings with people from Coors. It's quite interesting how the real facts of some situations are covered up, and people create gossip and rumors about what happened when they have no clue.

[dw8man]

Not to be overly arguementative but that seems a little "urban legendish" to me or a real cop out on Coors. Do you think they would change the name of Coors field if my son sent them a letter and asked them too? It would be very noble but I find that hard to beleive.
If it is true, the sad part is by complaining the girl's 'role models' were disbanned and the most advertized woman's baseball team became extinct. Personnally, I would be rather hacked if that is what really happened.

[NotAboutEgo]

Not to be overly arguementative but that seems a little "urban legendish" to me or a real cop out on Coors. Do you think they would change the name of Coors field if my son sent them a letter and asked them too? It would be very noble but I find that hard to beleive.
If it is true, the sad part is by complaining the girl's 'role models' were disbanned and the most advertized woman's baseball team became extinct. Personnally, I would be rather hacked if that is what really happened.

Like I said, the info came from a woman at the conference who I've known since 2000. She has been involved with women's baseball for many, many years and has created a very successful girls' baseball organization that creates and provides opportunities for girls who want to play baseball in Canada and the U.S. She heard it first hand from people from Coors.

I don't think it's unrealistic. If it was the case, perhaps Coors thought this woman would stir the pot and would get others to protest. Someone who knows the full story would be able to shed more light on it.

[JeepingBaseball]

Doesnt surprise me actually. Everything has to be so damn politically correct these days, it's gone out of control if you ask me. One person cries foul and the whole world debates.

[Brian McKenna]

In fact, the very reason they pulled out of the deal was because of a lady who took her daughter to a Silver Bullets game who wrote a letter to Coors stating that she was against a beer company sponsoring her daughter's role models.

This story rings hollow for me on a couple of fronts:
1) A woman who was pious enough to write Coors about the influences on her little girl doesn't really sound like Coors' target market.
2) Coors and other companies in the so called vice industries have heard these complaints for decades, perhaps since the 19th century.
3) Coors stuck their necks out by supporting female athletics when few others did. There had to be some sort of pride in the Silver Bullets within the company and the headway they were helping to forge in recognizing the female athlete. I find it hard to believe a few degrogatory letters were more important than that.
4) And the big one for me: For every negative comment the company must have had exponentially more positive feedback from ballplayers, fans, mothers, fathers, men, women, sisters and brothers. It also didn't take a genius to recognize the social significance and upsurge of the respected female athlete despite the squeals of Imus and others. These positives on the scale had to outweigh the comments from a few highbrows.

I'm not an insider but seeing that Coors is a for-profit business, it's not a hard leap to understand that the Silver Bullets no longer fit into the company's overall marketing plan, probably for a variety of reasons and probably the most significant of which had to do with financial and administrative choices.

[bluezebra]

I umpired their games at Mavericks Stadium (Adelanto, CA) in 1994, 95, 96. The attendance was poor. Most spectators were the wives and girlfriends of the men's team they played, friends/relatives of the Silver Bullets players, and some who were actually interested in women's baseball.

In the first two games, the women used wood bats, and were beaten decisively. In the third, they used aluminum (as the men did), and whomped the men's team.

I was hoping that a women's pro league would make it, but I'm sure attendance at all their other games were also poorly attended.

Bob

[JeepingBaseball]

I would suspect that the games you speak of, 10 years ago, the idea of women in baseball wasnt widely advertised, thus creating poor attendence.

Things have changed in the last 10 years. Do I think we'll have 50 thousand fans at a stadium with no advertisement other than word of mouth of the players themselves in their own community? Of course not.

Women's beach volleyball is heavily advertised and attracts thousands and thousands of fans every year wherever they go. They even get their games telecasts.

[MSUlaxer27]

I would suspect that the games you speak of, 10 years ago, the idea of women in baseball wasnt widely advertised, thus creating poor attendence.

Things have changed in the last 10 years. Do I think we'll have 50 thousand fans at a stadium with no advertisement other than word of mouth of the players themselves in their own community? Of course not.

Women's beach volleyball is heavily advertised and attracts thousands and thousands of fans every year wherever they go. They even get their games telecasts.

Women's (and men's) beach volleyball players are some of the most fit and attractive athletes around. They also play basically in their underwear. Maybe this might have something to do with the large attendance and televised support? I'm not saying people are shallow, but people are shallow.

[JeepingBaseball]

I wouldnt entirely disagree with you. I can see why it's attractive, heck... I'll gladly go to the beach and stare at the topless guys myself. But at the same time, have you seen the prices to attend these games? It cant be all JUST on their looks.

[JeepingBaseball]

And if it's the case of "Sex Sells"... when it comes to women, it's true. Sexuality does have to play a role in the advertisement of some sort. Just like the AAGPBL had to play in short skirts. In 2007, you won't find today's women willing to wear those skirts while playing baseball. They will rather use the head of the person who dares to suggest to wear skirts as the newest baseball. Not that they will... it was a figure of speech.

However, if we had a professional league of our own today, a compromise of some sort would have to be reached between the sponsors, the league, and the players. I think for the bigger picture... it would be worth it. If done tastefully.

[captlid]

Aren't standard baseball pants tight enough? :D
Half of Yankee Stadium is filled with young gals who want to see Jeter's cute butt. Nothing wrong with that happening vice versa.

[JeepingBaseball]

I used to spend extra money to get as close to home plate as I could to see just how tight Mike Piazza pants were :p

[MSUlaxer27]

I wouldnt entirely disagree with you. I can see why it's attractive, heck... I'll gladly go to the beach and stare at the topless guys myself. But at the same time, have you seen the prices to attend these games? It cant be all JUST on their looks.

At the next AVP (pro beach volleyball) event in Dallas the tickets are $35 for courtside General Admission and $15 for grandstand general admission. According to their website they expect an attendance of 1,000,000 during this year's season. This also a league where the men's and women's divisions are unified (both men and women compete at the same events, like tennis) which was not always the case. I'm sure the women's matches outdraw the men's just like the Olympics.

Interesting note from wikipedia (so take it for what it's worth) to tie this back into the original post, when the first beach tourneys were held in the 70's they were sponsored by beer and cigarette companies (much like women's tennis used to be).

I find it hard to believe that as linked as beer and baseball are (Miller Park, Busch Stadium, Coors Field) that one woman (or even 100) writing a letter to Coors would cause them to pull out of sponsoring the Silver Bullets. It seems from the relevant information that the team folded because it was losing money and Coors stopped sponsoring because the team was not providing a good return on the Coors investment.

According to the SB's own website http://www.coloradosilverbullets.org/ Coors invested more than $8,000,000 in the years the Bullets existed.

As someone with fundraising experience, it is a maxim that you should not "count" on receiving the same funding (grants, sponsorships) from corporations or foundations every year. Just because an entity supports you once it is not true they will always support you. The fact that Coors gave the amount they did is nothing short of incredible.

I'm assuming that the Silver Bullets were a for profit entity. If they were a non profit entity (501 (c)(3) Coors may have supported them longer.

[NotAboutEgo]

At the next AVP (pro beach volleyball) event in Dallas the tickets are $35 for courtside General Admission and $15 for grandstand general admission. According to their website they expect an attendance of 1,000,000 during this year's season. This also a league where the men's and women's divisions are unified (both men and women compete at the same events, like tennis) which was not always the case. I'm sure the women's matches outdraw the men's just like the Olympics.

Interesting note from wikipedia (so take it for what it's worth) to tie this back into the original post, when the first beach tourneys were held in the 70's they were sponsored by beer and cigarette companies (much like women's tennis used to be).

I find it hard to believe that as linked as beer and baseball are (Miller Park, Busch Stadium, Coors Field) that one woman (or even 100) writing a letter to Coors would cause them to pull out of sponsoring the Silver Bullets. It seems from the relevant information that the team folded because it was losing money and Coors stopped sponsoring because the team was not providing a good return on the Coors investment.

According to the SB's own website http://www.coloradosilverbullets.org/ Coors invested more than $8,000,000 in the years the Bullets existed.

As someone with fundraising experience, it is a maxim that you should not "count" on receiving the same funding (grants, sponsorships) from corporations or foundations every year. Just because an entity supports you once it is not true they will always support you. The fact that Coors gave the amount they did is nothing short of incredible.

I'm assuming that the Silver Bullets were a for profit entity. If they were a non profit entity (501 (c)(3) Coors may have supported them longer.

I understand what you are saying about the beer and baseball link, but why aren't beach tourneys and tennis tourneys still sponsored by beer and cigarette companies today (if they aren't)? I'm sure it has to do with how society has shifted towards wanting to be healthier and special interest groups protesting against such advertising $$ coming from beer and cigarette companies. Why would it be so different for Coors?

All it takes is a few people to start protesting and creating groups to change things they don't like.