Thread: Wolfson: More Twins Firings

According to KSTP and 1500espn's Darren "Doogie" Wolfson, the firings at One Twins Way are not being limited to on-field personnel.

Not only did the #MNTwins fire VP Marketing Patrick Klinger, but told they also let go marketing maven Heidi Sammon. She ran TwinsFest.

I would think this would be surprising as the Twins have had some terrific marketing efforts for years.

They seem to be going after the people that have the least to do with the poor team on the field.

Well, this is surprising. Any changes in scouts yet?

Originally Posted by Winston Smith

They seem to be going after the people that have the least to do with the poor team on the field.

Best comment I've seen in a while. Agree 100%. Maybe the declining attendance and therefore worse marketing is a result of the terrible team?

Originally Posted by Seth Stohs

I would think this would be surprising as the Twins have had some terrific marketing efforts for years.

Agreed. That seemed to be one of the most consistent strengths of the franchise. When a steep decline in attendance exactly corresponds to a steep decline in on-field performance, marketing is the last thing I'd be worried about.

These would seem to fall under the direction of someone other than Terry Ryan, so I question what they would have to do with improving performance on the field. One would hope that Dave St. Peter and the other brass are smart enough to know that when the product on the field sucks for a couple of years, it's probably not the Marketing team's fault if ticket demand falls dramatically. At the same time, it could be argued that almost anyone can run a successful marketing organization when times are good. The test of abilities comes when times get tougher. There are independent marketing firms that specialize in dealing with "tough times" and I wouldn't be surprised if the Twins "outsource" more (if not all) of their marketing function going forward.

Originally Posted by Jim Crikket

These would seem to fall under the direction of someone other than Terry Ryan, so I question what they would have to do with improving performance on the field. One would hope that Dave St. Peter and the other brass are smart enough to know that when the product on the field sucks for a couple of years, it's probably not the Marketing team's fault if ticket demand falls dramatically. At the same time, it could be argued that almost anyone can run a successful marketing organization when times are good. The test of abilities comes when times get tougher. There are independent marketing firms that specialize in dealing with "tough times" and I wouldn't be surprised if the Twins "outsource" more (if not all) of their marketing function going forward.

My point was that obviously a crappy product is harder to sell, and I'd expend most of my energy improving the product rather than the marketing. If the Twins need to revamp their marketing strategy with a "tough times" outside firm, that would tell me all I need to know about how they view their chances of contending next year, and quite a bit about the year after.

Anyone who can't parley the marketability of Jeff Gray and Esmerling Vasquez into a sellout crowd needs to be canned in my opinion.

Get to know 'em!

And my point is that improving one doesn't necessarily preclude you from also improving the other. Terry Ryan's focus is on improving the product on the field. Another part of the organization is responsible for marketing. If the product on the field does improve, that will help sell tickets. While that makes marketing easier, it isn't the only factor that sells tickets.

My own take, based on the limited exposure I had to the Twins marketing efforts, is that they produced some clever TV and radio spots, but I'm not sure they alone would cause many people to consider going to games (and I thought some of them were downright amateurish). I have no idea how well the marketing folks worked with local businesses to generate additional revenues or performed any other aspect of their jobs. Apparently, someone thought it could be done better.

For the Twins to be successful financially, they need both the "product development" and "marketing" sides of the house to do their jobs well.

Wow, there sure is a lot of stretching going on here. Just because they let a couple of people go in the Marketing dept. means they are expending most of their energy in that direction, as opposed to the team on the field? Can you walk and chew gum at the same time? Besides, Crikket is right, this has nothing to do with Ryan.

I don't quite get how changing marketing personnel is an indication of how a team feels about it's chances in the near future.

First-What stat works here for a marketing Guy. WAR or VORP? Do we need to break out the Win Shares for various VP's?

Second- There are a myraid of reasons for a person let go besides performance. Speculation is for us uniformed is pointless. (But it can be fun if you are not the one being let go.)

Likely they just didn't mention the 2014 All Star game being played at Target Field, get seating priority by renewing your season tickets now, enough times!
They really should have an ad on this site for the 2014 All Star game played at Target Field with ticket priority if you renew or purchase season tickets.
Utter failure on their part.

As Jim insinuated, I also doubt TR had anything to do with this firing and wasn't consulted for it. Any connection made between front office firings and the business side of the Twins is specious at best. That people use this as a sounding board for "The Twins don't know what they're doing! See!" routine is all too typical.

This news is a shame. I had a nice experience with Mr. Klinger a few years back when he sent me the mp3 to the Hormel Weiner Winner song to use at my wedding dance.

Originally Posted by Jim Crikket

These would seem to fall under the direction of someone other than Terry Ryan, so I question what they would have to do with improving performance on the field. One would hope that Dave St. Peter and the other brass are smart enough to know that when the product on the field sucks for a couple of years, it's probably not the Marketing team's fault if ticket demand falls dramatically. At the same time, it could be argued that almost anyone can run a successful marketing organization when times are good. The test of abilities comes when times get tougher. There are independent marketing firms that specialize in dealing with "tough times" and I wouldn't be surprised if the Twins "outsource" more (if not all) of their marketing function going forward.

wouldnt that apply for a pitching coach and manager as well?

frankly, I have not been a fan of the commercials, so I hope they fire their ad agency also....

Originally Posted by johnnydakota

Originally Posted by Jim Crikket

These would seem to fall under the direction of someone other than Terry Ryan, so I question what they would have to do with improving performance on the field. One would hope that Dave St. Peter and the other brass are smart enough to know that when the product on the field sucks for a couple of years, it's probably not the Marketing team's fault if ticket demand falls dramatically. At the same time, it could be argued that almost anyone can run a successful marketing organization when times are good. The test of abilities comes when times get tougher. There are independent marketing firms that specialize in dealing with "tough times" and I wouldn't be surprised if the Twins "outsource" more (if not all) of their marketing function going forward.

wouldnt that apply for a pitching coach and manager as well?

Well, I've never heard of any third party that provides managers and pitching coaches to teams wishing to outsource those responsibilities, but it might be an interesting business to get in to... you hire all of the guys who just seem to get recycled from one team to another and sell their services out to teams that can just send them back to you in exchange for someone else when they aren't working out. Interesting idea.

But on the off chance that you're actually asking if the "test of abilities comes when times get tougher" also applies to managers and pitching coaches, the answer is "absolutely." But again, evaluating performance of managers/pitching coaches and Marketing staff have nothing whatsoever to do with one another and it's highly unlikely that the same person(s) is/are even doing the evaluating.

Well dammit! I just had a long talk with Heidi a few weeks ago and it looked like she was interested in hiring me to join her department.

Originally Posted by glanzer

This news is a shame. I had a nice experience with Mr. Klinger a few years back when he sent me the mp3 to the Hormel Weiner Winner song to use at my wedding dance.

Ha! ....Wait, what?

Oh, the innuendo.

Originally Posted by Jim Crikket

These would seem to fall under the direction of someone other than Terry Ryan, so I question what they would have to do with improving performance on the field. One would hope that Dave St. Peter and the other brass are smart enough to know that when the product on the field sucks for a couple of years, it's probably not the Marketing team's fault if ticket demand falls dramatically. At the same time, it could be argued that almost anyone can run a successful marketing organization when times are good. The test of abilities comes when times get tougher. There are independent marketing firms that specialize in dealing with "tough times" and I wouldn't be surprised if the Twins "outsource" more (if not all) of their marketing function going forward.

You are correct... this would be out of the realm for Ryan's doing.