The Dreaded "A" Word

[Seltzer]

Apathy...

 

The general fan base is as close to it now IMO than anytime since 2001.  In talking with coworkers and a lot of my friends, a lot have already written the season off.

 

As bad as that is, some of them don't even seem to care at this point.  A lot have resigned themselves to the fact their fantasy teams are the only team that will bring them any enjoyment this year.

 

That is a lot worse situation for Richardson to be in than to have than the anger the people on this forum seem to have.  Anger can beget positive change, and it indicates a level of emotional involvement.

 

Apathy begets empty stadiums and lost fans.  That should concern Richardson and the Panthers organization the most.

 

A roster can be rebuilt quickly in today's NFL.  An apathetic fan base can take a lot longer to fix.

 

Look at Tampa & San Diego.  Apathetic fan bases leads to blackouts, rumors of teams moving, and yes even teams moving.  I feel confident the LA Rams & Cleveland Browns never thought their team would move.

 

You can't expect the general fan base for a team with less than 20 years of history in a high-transplant city to hang around forever when we haven't been above .500 in over 4 years.

 

1996, 2003, & 2005 gave this team a long leash with fans, and to be fair, this city and region has done it's part to support the team.  More than its part truth be told. 

 

I'm not a doom and gloom person and I will always support the Panthers but myself (and the people on this forum) only represent a small slice of the fanbase.

 

Throw in the nuts who like to call into talk radio and complain (and who will keep watching if only for that), and you're still only about 25%. 

 

That means the vast majority of the Panthers fanbase is barely engaged at this point.  That should be scary for us true fans who love the team, and want to see it not only do well, but do well and stay here in the Carolinas

 

 

 

 

 

[Mother Grabber]

no way the Panthers are going to move as long as JR is on life support, but he has lost the fans for another year.  We've seen the same team dragged out on the field for 10 years.  Doesn't take long to figure out that we have nothing...again.  Just when we thought we'd finally turned the corner, too.

[88 Bronco]

I don't follow hockey offseason moves. Are the Hurricanes going to be good?

[Jangler]

I'm pissed off. That's not apathy. But if the Panthers losing is the worst thing in my life right now, then it's not too bad.

[SgtJoo]

I don't follow hockey offseason moves. Are the Hurricanes going to be good?

 

I saw in the N&O they lost Pitkanen for the year...

[88 Bronco]

Maybe I'll just read a lot of books.

[CAPantherFan]

So sad....we've waited all offseason for training camp, endured training camp to get to pre season and endured pre season to get to the regular season and within two weeks the seasons over for us.  Sure we may win some games - heck maybe we make another run when it doesn't matter again...but most likely we'll be talking about next years draft sooner than later.  It seems so long ago when we were competitive and games mattered....

[Jangler]

New hobbies!

 

 

Maybe learn how to hand jive.

[Seltzer]

My point was not to imply the team moving, but I don't want to miss the long term ramifications of apathy either.  Anyone who wants to believe that apathy hasn't crept in/ isn't starting to with a lot of general fans is mistaken.

 

And apathy and on-the-field failure constitute an awful cycle.  Had the Cleveland Browns been doing well on the field, I don't think Art Modell moves the team.  It's been washed away in history now (pun intended), but Tom Benson was set on moving the Saints pre-Katrina.  Had it not been for the hurricane and the post-hurricane success, the Saints probably move.

 

I certainly don't think Richardson would ever sell the team, but I also don't know how the mind of a self-made billionaire with a transplanted heart who just lost one of sons thinks either, especially when he could make a profit on this investment that would make his grandchildren's grandchildren set for life.

 

The crux of what I wanted to say was that the goodwill brought on by the awesome playoff runs has been used up.  Getting upset with a Panthers fan who turns his back on the team now is misplaced. 

 

The team simply hasn't earned it.  I will still be around, but I cannot fault those who don't.

 

Richardson needs to make a bold statement after the season to win fans back.

 

And I will continue to pull for this team every week, but I do not see this season ending well.

 

I have had PSL's since 2006 (I bought as soon as I could afford), and I have spent thousands on this team.  I don't regret my investment, but mine is more emotional than anything.  I will be at BoA cheering next week.

 

But for people who don't have that level of emotional investment, I certainly understand why they would walk away.  Their return on investment in a purely objective sense has been terrible.

[Jangler]

I have several hats.

[88 Bronco]

He's going to have to make a lot of pie charts

[88 Bronco]

Not related to this post, but Frank Garcia is trashing Cam Newton on 610 bustin loose. Callin Cam a phony among other things...

At this point, I can't find much to defend about this team except the colors.

[Happy Panther]

Not related to this post, but Frank Garcia is trashing Cam Newton on 610 bustin loose. Callin Cam a phony among other things...

 

That sucks. Garcia is probably the reporter on that station I respect the most. And a former football player. He isn't one to really bash people. 

 

He must not like what Cam is doing at all.

 

I'm going to tune in

[SCP]

That sucks. Garcia is probably the reporter on that station I respect the most. And a former football player. He isn't one to really bash people.

He must not like what Cam is doing at all.

I'm going to tune in

He is doing a "truth hurts" show. It's been pretty good.