HD Scoreboard or Bobby Abreu? Scoreboard.

The Reds spent $10 million this offseason on technological upgrades, including a spiffy high-def vivid color scoreboard and new HDTVs for the luxury suites that most of us will ever see. Great American Ball Park will be the only outdoor sports facility in the land with 16 mm pixels in each of its LED scoreboard displays (somewhere out there a couch potato just jizzed his pants). The Reds are fiscally responsible for the continuing maintenance of the scoreboard because Hamilton County, who owns the stadium, just amended the 2003 lease to make it say, "We ain't payin' for that pork." At least the new scoreboard is energy efficient.

per the Enquirer--

" 'Being the oldest (professional) baseball team, the Reds always want to be our industry leaders. We always want to be at the top of that game,' said Jennifer Berger, Reds senior director of entertainment, whom the Reds hired from the Atlanta Braves last year."

Well, it's nice to know the Reds are dedicated to being a leader in the technology game. We were the first professional baseball team after all.

According to Terry Evans, Hamilton County's director of operations for Great American Ball Park, the technological improvements and other changes, such as the renovation of the Fox Sports Ohio Champions Club (contain your excitement), are going to enhance the fan experience. “It shows that the Cincinnati Reds are really thinking about their fans,” he said. “They’re a business entity, and they know they have to compete for the entertainment dollar and the discretionary funds that people have.”


MEMO to REDS--While your stadium enhancements are first class and will certainly enhance the fan experience, it doesn't exactly tackle the problem of putting butts in seats.


ATTENDANCE RANK and AVERAGE/GAME
2008--23rd, 25,413
2007--24th, 25,414
2006--22nd, 26,353
2005--25th, 23,988
2004--18th, 28,237
2003--13th, 29,077 (inaguaral year @ Great American Ball Park)

The last time I checked, the best way to show you care about your fans is to field a contender. Technological upgrades are nice don't get me wrong, and I'm sure the new scoreboard will be so intense that it will make the Kiss Cam seem like porn, but the tech-gloss is only a cover up of the inadequate baseball we've come accustomed to at GABP. I'd rather have a Crosley Field scoreboard and a right-handed power hitter. Bobby Abreu signed a one-year deal with the Angels for around $8 million. I know this might not seem like a fair, practical assessment. I'm just sayin'.