I am 23 years old. I was born in January of 1993. I am a representative of the first generation of Coloradans that has only known Major League Baseball with the Rockies. I’ve been alive for 23 years and, with the exception four months in 2013 when I studied abroad, I have lived in Colorado for every single one of them. The only team I’ve ever followed is the Colorado Rockies. And I’m not the only one.
No longer does the Rockies fan base consist of only transplants who made the Rockies their second team. Sure, they still make up a large percentage of the daily crowd, but there is now a full generation of Rockies fans who have grown up with the Rockies and are now old enough to understand what’s been happening behind Coors Field’s closed doors.
This generation knows first hand how poorly run this franchise has been.
For years, we were naive. We weren’t old enough to understand the business behind the on-field product. Until just a few years ago, to us, a Rockies game was just another show in town. It was a show we loved to attend as frequently as possible, but a show nonetheless. Some engaged with the team more than others, but rarely did anyone go much deeper than the advanced stats and standings.
As this generation grew up and learned more about the sport, fans learned about the business side of baseball. We were exposed to well-run organizations like the Cardinals and the Giants and some traditionally not-so-well-run organizations like the Cubs. We started to make the connections. We began to understand that the front office actually matters. We began to learn that building a good team starts with good player development and good player development starts with a solid foundation in the front office.
We also learned that the Rockies have never fit in with the Giants or the Cardinals. With the exception of a few years in the late 2000’s, the Rockies have struggled mightily through the franchise’s first 23 years of existence. This generation has loved and followed the local franchise through the few ups and all the downs…for what? To be able to brag about three playoff appearances, one World Series appearance, and 23 straight seasons of avoiding 100 losses?
The Rockies have made the playoffs just 3 times in 23 years, they’ve never won a division title or even had a true ace pitcher, yet they have one of the most passionate fan bases in the state (just ask the Rockies Facebook commenters). The feedback from fans has not always been good or particularly constructive, but all of it is fueled by a passion for the local baseball team. My generation of Coloradans wants a winning baseball team to follow. These fans want it so badly that they continue to go to Coors Field in droves (2015’s average attendance at Coors Field was 31,344) to watch bad baseball. They spend their money on the Rockies because deep down, they hope that it will be used to field a good baseball team.
Despite the constant passion, the consistent season-long fan engagement, the Rockies haven’t won more than 74 games in the last five seasons. Before each of those seasons, my generation was filled with false hope. These fans were told, “Hey if they stay healthy, and Tulo and CarGo produce like they’re supposed to, and they make Coors Field a true home field advantage, and pitchers pitch better, and everyone produces, the Rockies will contend this year!”
None of it came together and the Rockies weren’t relevant. As a result, longtime general manager Dan O’Dowd and VP of Major League Operations Bill Geivett resigned and Jeff Bridich was promoted from within the organization to fulfill the GM role. Now, with this reshuffling of the deck, the preseason narrative has changed to “Be patient, the Rockies will be relevant again…just not this year.”
For the 24th straight year, my generation is buying into the narrative. Fans are believing it not because they’re naive but because the Rockies’ fan base, as passionate and fiery as it can be, is optimistic. They go to Coors Field not because they like the product that is currently displayed, but in hopes of one day having a product to love. For the 24th straight year, Rockies fans will likely fill over 30,000 seats per game and give the Rockies their money again with the hope that it will be used for the betterment of the franchise.
Though this generation’s optimism about the Rockies is undying, patience is wearing thin. It’s time that my generation’s passion and love for the Rockies get rewarded. It’s time for the Rockies to be consistently relevant in Major League Baseball. It’s been 23 years and my generation of Coloradans deserves a better baseball team than what they’ve been given.
