The Sanchez Effect on Jets Fanbase ? Posted on May 1st, 2009 - by Bassett Sunday afternoon, I stood outside in the Manhattan dusk stretching my legs and getting some fresh air at the press door on 51st Street with the security guards of Radio City Music Hall. I stood there for a few minutes, and one of the guards, Angel (no, not our Angel N.) asked me what I thought about Mark Sanchez as a Jet. Angel and I had already talked about an hour before, that time I had passed Mark Sanchez walking across 6th Ave. from the SNY Studios and I warned Angel that ?the new prince of New York? was heading this way to his door so to be on his toes (not that he already wasn?t) we laughed and I ducked back inside to get back to work. Now outside again in my second conversation with Angel, I thought about his question on Sanchez, the Jets, and how Sanchez projected as a pro. I answered Angel that I just didn?t know. He hadn?t played enough in college, but when he did play he played well. I told Angel that I hoped he was good, but I just didn?t know for sure. By this time, two other security guards were inching into the conversation and they all agreed with Angel that they were excited about Sanchez playing in New York. All were Hispanic and I asked if all were traditionally Jets fans. One was a bona fide Jets fan, but the other two seemed newer (say within the past 24 hours) to Gang Green.As we stood talking, I then thought about a conversation in a cab that morning with my cabbie (who was a longtime big Jets fan) on the way to Radio City (who was also Hispanic) about Sanchez and wanted to talk about the new QB. As I stood there on 51st Street laughing and talking with the guards, it dawned on me what Mark Sanchez might mean to the NFL and Hispanics in New York. I tucked that little vignette under my cap, but have been thinking about what Sanchez means to adding to our fanbase ever since. Then I this article on Fifth Down and saw this article from M.A. Mehta in the Star-Ledger and it cemented what I thought, this is going to be a big, big deal ? and I can?t be happier for it. (Via Fifth Down) Where S?nchez ends up could be a game-changer for a team in need of wins. At the same time, the team that signs S?nchez could end up with a bonus asset. S?nchez is viewed as highly admired Latino athlete with a huge Hispanic fan base. This could spur a team to launch a marketing plan specifically designed to convert S?nchez fans into aficionados of his forthcoming team. And from the Star-Ledger. ?The dynamic is already in place for Mark,? Higgins said. ?It doesn?t have to be contrived on our part. He?s already got a deep following in the Hispanic community. Now that he?s on the national stage in the capital of the world, that?s only to grow.? I love the fact that Sanchez could open the fanbase to a wider group of people that might not be as passionate about football in New York ? yet. The bigger the fanbase, the happier I am.Now to be clear, Rex Ryan has gone on the record to say that when he met Sanchez in March at the Owners? Meetings in Dana Point, he knew he was ?our guy? and that he wanted him to be a Jet. I don?t think that racial demographics of fanbases factored much into Ryan?s reasoning, Coach Rex just wanted a reliable Quarterback who loved football, and who was a capable player and leader. Still, this whole phenomenon is going to be an interesting byproduct, to be sure ? > http://www.thejetsblog.com/2009/05/01/the-sanchez-effect-on-jets-fanbase/
I see there is alot of press about his ethnic backround. I could really care less about that...... his skin color doesn't matter either. I just PRAY he has a cannon for an arm--- and a brain to match--- to make the right decisions on the field.
Fanbase? Not really sure if it means anything to expand the Jets fanbase? The new Meadowlands stadium will be sold out as was Giants Stadium so this new fanbase due to the drafting on Sanchez won't mean much except in maybe selling some extra shirts.
and that is the main goal... the shirts are sold, jersey sales go up, and the viral campaign begins. If sanchez has early success, and the team is in the playoffs consistently, the fanbase grows and the organization will reap more benefits from the largest sports market in the US. its such a big picture, even I can't grasp the magnitude of how big this can be until it is seen. if it goes right, this team will take off, and the Jets will become a household name. If the Jets become a trend with the hispanic culture long enough due to Sanchez, trend becomes tradition, and then generations of Jets fans are born. He becomes a hero to many, and a cash cow to the organization. He could rival Petyon Mannings commercialism in terms of marketing himself to the hispanic market. there is so much involved here its mind blowing.
Like Favre brought a lot of Mid-Westerners to the Jets fanbase, Mark Sanchez is going to bring a TON of Angelenos - Latino/(Latina!), White, Black, Asian, etc. to our fanbase next season and beyond. USC is THE professional football team out here and its fanbase follows the Trojans through the NFL because they have no team of their own. I predict tor every dozen Cardinal and Gold #6 jerseys, there will be at least one morphing into a #6 Hunter Green and White jersey. I mean, there are STILL #19 Hunter Green and White jerseys sprinkled throughout S. Central on football Sundays!! Add to it that his last name is "Sanchez", and he's a demigod already in these parts. I have no problem with the expansion of our fan base during losing times because as clich? as it may be - misery loves company! And it sure beats seeing the tide of people who flood a bandwagon during winning times, which we all believe will come...eventually. Let's face it, we are a losing team for 40+ years...and our fanbase is expanding because of a single player like Favre or Sanchez?! That's a good thing. We should welcome these people with open arms, but still offer them the fair warning my father bestowed upon me at my earliest stage of Gang Green fandom: "They will break your heart."
it might bring more of a fan base...who knows. I wonder if that happened with Tony Romo...you know he's Mexican-American too. His grandfather emigrated to the states from Mexico.
This is different, Romo is mexican the way I am Italian. Sanchez actually speaks Spanish. This could be huge for the spanish market and the jets will exploit it w/o a doubt. I just hope we don't see any Mexican flags around the Stadium. Nothing against mexico or Mexicans but I hate the flag waving w/ international fans. We get it, they are so proud of their Country of origin that they decided to flee and come to the US. we don't need to see the flags.
I agree. Its about the team, not one player and his heritage. Although in Pittsburgh there was Franco's Italian Army... If there is a Sanchez's Mexican Brigade, we may just have to live with it. I just hope the Brigade has as much fun with it as Franco's crew did, rather than them making it a serious thing about a nationality.
I just hope that the Jets don't start running out or warming up to the music of live Mariachi [sic] bands...
Maybe the Flight Crew can import some of the chicks from Telemundo. I'd rethink the PSL if that happens.
This article SCARES THE CRAP OUT OF ME !!! I embrace people of all backgrounds and I like that he is Hispanic, but reading this article made me start to think that Woody may have pushed for Sanchez partially based on his potnetial to bring fans in from a large demographic largely untapped by the NFL rather than for actual football reasons.
I'm sure it didn't hurt, but that's not why he was draft. That is the gravy part. The Chargers loved Seau because he had the entire state of Hawaii buying their jerseys.
