Minnesota Joins the World and Quickly Leaves
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Minnesota “Joins the World”. and Quickly Leaves THE MINNESOTA KICKS, 1975–81 Timothy D. Grundmeier The atmosphere was described as What makes the crowd’s size, “supercharged”; the scene, “pande- excitement, and composition even On Wednesday night, monium.” Following the fi nal whistle, more intriguing is the realization August 25, 1976, at Metro- thousands of jubilant supporters that soccer was unfamiliar to most politan Stadium in Bloomington, a stormed the fi eld, mobbing their Americans—certainly, Minnesotans— standing-room-only crowd of nearly heroes and celebrating the victory. at the time. Several attempts had 50,000 fans watched the Min- One player commented, “I’ve been been made to establish this global nesota Kicks defeat the San Jose carried off the fi eld before, but never game in the United States, but by Earthquakes, 3–1, to advance to the by such a tremendous, enthusiastic midcentury it remained largely un- championship game of the North crowd.” Moreover, a glance around known, except to some immigrant American Soccer League (NASL). the stadium revealed a much differ- groups. Then, beginning in 1968, or- The match—the Kicks’ fi nal home ent assemblage of fans than the usual ganizers of the newly formed NASL game of their inaugural Twin Cit- crowd at the baseball and football ies season—was signifi cant not games also hosted there. As many Color poster showing the team’s only because of the players on the women were cheering as men, and signature orange-and-blue (on white) fi eld but also the fans in the stands. the median age was not above 25.1 uniform colors 102 Minnesota History made the boldest attempt yet to many characteristics of this playoff Early on, the investors made a bring the world’s most popular sport crowd were also harbingers of a crucial decision that would greatly into the mainstream of American troubled future. One news paper affect the seasons to come: the team life. At its height between 1978 and article noted, “While the spirit was would host games at Metropolitan 1980, the league featured 24 teams undeniable . there also was a Stadium, home to Minnesota’s pro- spanning North America from Van- certain amount of ugliness in the fessional football and baseball teams, couver’s Whitecaps to the Tampa Bay massive rush to the fi eld. and fi - the Vikings and Twins. Owners of Rowdies, the Toronto Blizzard to the nally policemen went onto the fi eld, several other NASL franchises had San Diego Sockers.2 threw some fans back over the fence chosen smaller stadiums that were Despite signifi cant investments, they had climbed and threatened less expensive to rent than the larger the league was, for the most part, arrest.” 4 Such behavior was at fi rst arenas of professional teams.6 The a failure. It collapsed in 1984. excused as benign enthusiasm, but result was a self-fulfi lling prophecy: Average league attendance for one over the next six years the raucous low expectations yielded small num- season, even during peak years, was atmosphere deteriorated into unruli- bers of fans. In Minnesota, the deep never higher than 15,000 per game. ness, pushing away other fans. Then, pockets of Crocker and his associates Only two franchises ever averaged as the team’s performance on the provided the wherewithal to rent more than 30,000 fans per game pitch dipped, ticket prices escalated, Met Stadium, which could hold the in a single season. The fi rst was the and law enforcement suppressed the desired large crowds. New York Cosmos which, fueled by crowd’s excesses, the fans so crucial The task of drawing those crowds the city’s prestige and team owners’ to the Kicks’ initial success began to was given to Chuck Ruhr Advertising wealth, acquired some of the world’s lose interest. Many of the factors in of Minneapolis. In accepting the ac- most famous stars. The second was the Minnesota Kicks’ booming suc- count, the agency was well aware of the much lower-budget Minnesota cess also precipitated the club’s quick the diffi cult task ahead. “The biggest Kicks, located in a far smaller mar- demise. problem with these new clients was ket. Nevertheless, the Kicks broke that they didn’t really have anything the 30,000 mark twice and from tangible to sell,” Ruhr later said. 1976 to 1981 averaged more than As the NASL was beginning “They had a name, a logo, a franchise 23,000 spectators per game. In that to show signs of progress, . but they had no coach, no team, 1976 game against San Jose, they several corporate grocery men de- no big name star.” produced a new NASL record atten- cided to invest in a franchise for Moreover, they were dance of 49,572.3 Minnesota. Chief investor Jack making their way In many ways, the jubilant Crocker of SuperValu and his associ- into an area with August 25 playoff game illustrates ates announced their purchase of well-established the cultural phenomenon that the the Denver Dynamos in November professional teams. Kicks would become. The team was 1975. Certainly, they saw economic Given these chal- successful because it consciously opportunity in this venture, but lenges, Ruhr’s targeted young people, typically un- building a large fan base was the marketing efforts concerned with traditional sports, group’s primary concern. “We aren’t emphasized the attracting them with the sophistica- expecting to make money this year or excitement, so- tion and excitement of soccer—not next,” Crocker revealed to the press. phistication, and to mention inexpensive tickets. But “We’d rather put 20,000 people in universality of the stands this summer and lose soccer, often in $250,000 than have 5,000 and lose contrast to other A product of Minnesota higher educa- $50,000.” In the months that fol- sports. They also tion (B.A., Martin Luther College; lowed, the organization that would educated fans M.A., Minnesota State University— become the Minnesota Kicks worked about the game’s Mankato), Tim Grundmeier is a doctoral student in history at Baylor out a marketing strategy that ex- rules and history. University, Waco, Texas. ceeded Crocker’s expectations in both The theme for attendance and profi t.5 the fi rst season’s Fall 2012 103 ads said it all: “Minnesota, join the world. Join the world of soccer.” 7 Armed with this strategy, the Kicks’ front offi ce began to seek out prospective season-ticket buy- ers through personal contact at luncheons and other soccer-related events. Their efforts yielded some positive results. On April 20 the Minneapolis Tribune reported that the Kicks had beaten the Twins in season-ticket sales; nevertheless, the Kicks’ total of 4,000 fell far below their goal of 10,000.8 Instead, the team’s surprisingly high attendance would come from people in their teens and twen- ties, who almost exclusively bought tickets at the gate. After a careful demographic study of the fans of the more successful NASL franchises, Chuck Ruhr Advertising had decided to concentrate on young adults, reaching out to them through news- paper and radio. Columnist Allan Holbert of the Minneapolis Tribune noted two of these advertisements’ most effective appeals: “low ticket prices, and probably even more im- portant, free parking.” It would be an oversimplifi cation, however, to attribute the successful campaign purely to cheap entertainment. One Ruhr representative explained, “We also knew that with the kids we were up against a very tough market with intelligent, sophisticated, discrimi- nating buyers who wouldn’t come to an event just because it was there. You had to give them some cerebral and emotional reason for wanting to be there.” That reason was provided by marketing soccer as a new, excit- ing, urbane, global sport. As a 1976 television special on the team put it, Newspaper ads steadily counted down the days to the fi rst season’s home opener; St. Paul Dispatch, May 7, 1976. 104 Minnesota History “Among the junior sophisticates, the Kicks became the ‘in’ thing, and if you were at the game, you were ‘chic.’” This is not to say that the match itself was unimportant. But, according to Holbert, for many of these young fans, a Kicks match was “more than just a game.” 9 The marketing strategy yielded results as early as the home opener on May 9, 1976. The Kicks were anticipating an attendance of about 12,000, an ambitious goal for a newly relocated NASL club. The crowd exceeded these expectations by so much that Crocker and his co- Pelé (facing camera), beset by Kicks player Alan Merrick, passes the ball to a teammate, owners were caught completely off Met Stadium, June 9, 1976. guard. Just minutes before kickoff, thousands of fans were still backed Then there is Pelé (pronounce it puh- demigod dominated sports pages and up in the ticket line. After delaying LAY) alone above them all.” In many newspaper advertisements. It did not the kickoff for 15 minutes, the owners respects, this promotional approach matter that he was past his prime. decided to allow two- to-three- coincided with the Kicks’ strategy An advertisement simply needed to thousand fans to enter the stadium of marketing the idea of soccer, not announce, “Pelé is here June 9.” 11 free of charge. The decision built the rivalries usually emphasized by A new NASL record—46,164 goodwill among the media, the com- more established sports teams. Most fans—saw the Cosmos beat the munity, and the 17,054 fans already Americans did not know facts or Kicks, 2–1.