I was walking around the Verizon Center with Dick Patrick today and I asked one of the senior executives at the building about the Mystics attendance banners. And after some discussion we decided to take them down.
The only banners we should display revolve around winning a division or conference or league championship.
So to all of the folks who have emailed me your thoughts over the years about the attendance banners– as a heads up know they are no longer up in the rafters.
I hope we can put up some real championship banners based on team performance soon.
If you are unhappy about this change yell at me and only me.
Thanks…Go Mystics.
I also walked in and watched some of the Mystics practice today at the Verizon Center. The coach was drilling and running the team and prospects pretty hard which was great to see.
I hope to see you at some games here this summer.
What a nice write-up, many thanks for that. I book marked your great blog, so do not reduce posting and every one of the best for you personally. I am going to check out your web site soon.
Ted,
Thank you for the decision removing the attendance banners from the rafters, perhaps they can be displayed elsewhere in the Verizon Center. As a returning season ticket holder, it would be great to see you and Dr. Johnson at some of the Mystics season ticket holder events. The first event is Friday May 21st at 5 p.m. in the Dewers club. Go Mystics!
I wholeheartedly agree with the decision to take down the Mystics attendance banners. Having been to Caps, Wiz, and Mystics games, I will say I was always impressed by the fan support of Mystics teams that have almost always been bad. It seems to me that those banners were really a poorly thought out way to honor the FANS, not the team. In keeping with this, is there any chance to hang a jersey or a banner that is more straightforward? The Seattle Seahawks have retired the #12 jersey for this purpose. Perhaps the Mystics could honor their fans in a similar way.
The DC BasketCases blog has a great blog entry on the Mystics attendance banners. They agree with the reasons you gave for taking them down, but the blog entry also explains what the banners meant to Mystics fans, esp. those who were STHs from the beginning so they are not irrelevant. The banners were more to honor the fans who supported the team, even when it had a terrible record, when the league started. The DC Basketcases hope that the banners are not destroyed as they are part of WNBA history and have a great suggestion for what to do with at least one of them.
Great move Ted! Finally! Not only are the banners irrelevant, but another concern about the banners since their debut was always their size. Who thought it would be appropriate to make a non-achievement banner the same size as a division or conference championship banner? Off the court/ice achievements can be adequately honored with plaques, pictures, etc. on the concourse.
Thanks, and best wishes for continued success with the Mystics, Wizards and Capitals. Only 15 weeks until Caps training camp!! 2010-11 is our year!
Rock the Red!
Dave Reynolds
Caps season ticket holder
426,D,4-5
Ted,
Patrick Hruby with ESPN.com here. I wholeheartedly endorse your decision to remove the Mystics’ attendance banners. It will be a relief to take the Verizon Center off this list:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hruby/100301_lamest_team_banners
By the way, we chatted about hockey enforcers in your office a few years back for a piece I was working on. The piece ended up in the Best American Sportswriting Anthology. So … thanks again for your time.
Cheers,
Patrick
I think this is a great move, those banners were an embarrassment. I also think you should look into changing the Wizards’ colors and uniforms, something more classic, just like you did with the Capitals, who look great.
You can count on me bringing my 4 daughters to the Mystics game. Can we make a hard push for D-Wade this summer because my teenage daughters have a huge crush on him. They would pressure me to get season tickets if D-Wade becomes a Wizard
Hi Ted or Mr. Leonsis (not sure which to go by),
I e-mailed you earlier but didn’t know if it was the right address. Congrats on the Attendance Banners! Thank you so much for being the greatest owner in DC sports. I’ve grown up watching the Caps (my favorite player was Adam Oates). I just wanted to shoot you a quick e-mail, I don’t know if you actually read these e-mails or if a robot is answering some of them, but I thought I would take a chance.
I’m currently trying to get my masters in sustainable design, and helping LEED certify a building, and it got me to thinking if the Verizon center was ever going to decide to go completely green. I know it is very expensive but I’m sure the indoor air quality would be fantastic and the electric bills would be lower and save even more money in the long run (maybe to give Nick B and John Carlson 12 year contract extensions? =P)
Second, I know that you are now the Majority owner of teh Wizards, and I was hoping you’d bring back the red white and blues (please no globe trotter similarities). It got me to thinking of new names for the Wizards and the Mystics. We are the nations capitals We already have DC United, Capitals and Nationals. So I was wondering if I could just toss some names into the hat to maybe mull over for 3 seconds? Okay… Washington POWER. Washington JUSTICE. Washington GENERALS. Washington LEGEND. and Washington COLONIALS?
I personally like the Power and Justice. It feels like it fits.
Thanks for taking the time (hopefully) to read my comment/e-mail. Please consider the name and jersey change?
Sincerely,
Don
Good riddance – now let’s get a real banner up there! (And I really think the team as now constituted can do it.)
Thank you, Ted. This is a great achievement and shows the dedication of DC sports fans, but the rafters do seem better served by accolades and championships won on the ice/court. Thank you and when I move back to the area from California later this month I will make my way to a Mystics game.
an excellent decision. enough said.
FINALLY! Thank you!
Great move Ted! As much as D.C. has supported the Mystics, the same can be said about every team. We all know you’re gonna fill those rafters with Championship banners (Caps, Wiz and Mystics) soon!
I think this is the right message to send for all the teams. Can’t wait to see what you do next.
I know that they were for crowd attendance, but just seeing your post describe an “Attendance Award” aka reward for just showing up, I’m glad to see them go. Lets please leave behind the “Everyone gets a trophy mentality”. Way to go!
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Those banners were embarrassing, great decision in taking them down.
Change we can believe in!!
Hooray! Great job, Ted! Go Mystics!
Seriously, thank you so much Ted. Those banners were a mockery at best. I look forward to seeing what else you do with the place.
Now that’s change we can believe in
While I never articulated an opinion on this, I agree with the decision. remember, Jim Brown always tossed the ball to the ref after a touchdown, showing the other team, the endzone was commonplace for him.
No reason we can’t make the Phone Booth have the same atmosphere and tone for the Caps and bounceyball.
Thanks Ted. I trust you will be a great steward for the community going forward!
Good move Ted. Every time I brought a friend to their first Caps game, they’d inevitably notice the Mystics attendance banners and say something along the lines of “attendance champions? really??”
Thank you Ted! Every time I saw them, I could only think about the coach taking attendance before the games and then we get a banner because all our players show up for games. Yippee!
About time. Thank you.