I personally think it says a LOT when you have a local small town hero like Fernando Guerrero who can out sell at least five to one tickets over a Dionne Warwick and at least four other major acts known around the world.
I think it speaks volumes when you look at the images we've provided and see the absolute reality that there were less than 1,200 people in attendance and the final act has to ask everyone to please move out of the nose bleed seats and move down to the field and yet it still didn't seem to make much of an impact.
A promoter was paid $150,000.00 just to bring the acts to Salisbury for this event. However, we all knew early on that there was just no way this event could be any kind of success when they were selling tickets at $85.00 a piece.
What many also do not know is just how much money companies like Perdue and Pepsi put into sponsorship for this event. My hat is tipped to them for taking such massive risks and Salisbury News also learned when they dropped the ticket sale prices from $85.00 a seat to $35.00 a seat, Pepsi apparently made up the difference. At one point last week WBOC stated there had been some 3,000 seats pre sold, (could have fooled me). Perhaps that's just what THEY were told.
Then there was WBOC's backing of this event from the beginning. It wasn't long after the early promotions for the event that WBOC actually started pulling their billboard advertising for the event, pretty well knowing it wasn't going to be the success many had hoped for. Nevertheless, in the end they continued to move forward and push hard to help sell tickets.
In my honest opinion there were at least four factors to look at here.
1. WBOC failed to deliver in their promotions of this event.
2. Ticket prices were just too high and people had an immediate bad taste when they heard $85.00 per seat.
3. A poor line up of headliners for the event.
4. Other activities this weekend.
Now, considering WBOC has, (by far) the largest TV audience on the Eastern Shore, I doubt #1 is a major factor in all of this. When they did announce the $85.00 per ticket I immediately got calls saying, I can't afford to pay $340.00 for my family of four to go to this event. So I do believe original ticket sale prices had a LOT to do with this event flopping. It wasn't until the last few days before the event that WBOC announced ticket prices would drop to $35.00 each. By then, every one already made other plans and they completely screwed up on that one. As far as the headliners, come on now, Dionne Warwick. Clearwater REVISITED! Kenny Loggins. I think they could have picked quite a few better acts but the reality of it all is, they only had so much money and this is all they could afford. They would have been better off with one or two great country bands, (I can't stand country music) the Eastern Shore would have enjoyed. As far as other activities, there was Sunfest, (which I believe is FREE) and a 4 cylinder small car show in OC as well.
The United Way made a lot of errors with this event. They put all their eggs into one basket, hence Salisbury News never once promoting the event as well as many others. Yeah, I know the JT's out there will ride me for that statement but you know what, reality is reality. Salisbury News HAS been a part of promoting EVERY Fernando Guerrero Fight locally and each time the Civic Center was almost sold out, (up to 6,000 seats). So come after me all you like, it is what it is.
What I feel is unfortunate is the fact that events like Chicken Flop Live could have partnered up with others and they did not. I have been to several promotional events where WMDT was promoting one of their advertisers and they had several of their crew there to serve food. Guess what, NO ONE was there! Could television advertising be a thing of the past any more? The way I see it is, absolutely. I have said it numerous times, take away ALL of the other stuff like weather, sports and many other things and what's left, 4 minutes of local news. I should take that back, 2 minutes of Delaware news and 2 minutes of Maryland news.
People are getting discouraged and finding Blogs are the way to go any more. Some, (like our advertisers) are finding unbelievable rewards by advertising with us, knowing their reaching an even larger audience for far less money. Maybe if some of these groups like the United Way and others got their heads out of their rear ends and opened their eyes they'd come to realize what they ARE doing ISN'T working.
I purposely stayed away from ANY promotions on this, (similar to what I have done with Third Friday) for one sole purpose. I wanted to watch it either take off like wild fire or flop flat on its face. Well, if you look at the images above and or visited last weeks Third Friday event I think you'll agree, people need to be more open minded about how people are now NETWORKING and get into real time promotions. The image below is one taken from the Guerrero fight at the same location, Perdue Stadium. Need I say more.
No, I cannot take all the credit for ticket sales but just let me say this, I also can't take ANY credit for the ticket sales at Chicken Flop Live either.
I want to end with this. I truly believe what the United Way does for the Eastern Shore is fantastic and second to none. We can only hope they open their eyes the next go around and see what the future of promotions can bring. Pictures do NOT lie.
In closing. Fernando Guerrero has sold out many a stadium events, all of which you could get a general admission seat for $15.00. While Fernando is one of several fantastic fighters on the card, each event was exciting and well worth the money, no matter what seat you purchased. Maybe this should be factor #5 from above. Staying LOCAL seems to pay off. Never forgetting where you came from pays off. $85.00 a seat will never cut it and it takes a community to raise a child. (some will get that, some will not) Hopefully the United Way gets it.
