It’s that season again, the time of year where Miami Dolphins fans yet again become so frustrated that we are all up in arms, calling for heads to roll. The season, unfortunately, arrived early this year. The fire them all season typically arrives in November or December, but for many, the signs that it was here early came no more than a couple of weeks into this unbelievably ugly season we have seen thus far. Along with the losses comes the “open letter” season, where random open letters begin to appear on the internet from notable individuals who follow and report on our Dolphins.
But what about you? The fans? You are the ones who shell out tons of money for season tickets (and that’s only a portion of the expense of attending games in person) and team swag (How could I have ever afforded a jersey in my 20s at today’s prices?), and pay for Sunday Ticket along with all the other streaming options you must buy if you live out of town (HBO+, Netflix, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, some sort of cable or streaming service, etc..). So, why is it that we, the fans —the literal economic engine, via our dollars, that allows the NFL to have so much sway over all the broadcasters and power in general — are the ones who always seem to have the least say?
Part of the problem is that we, the fans, forfeit our power via our own actions. If the team is terrible, but then they hire a new head coach or draft some new stud QB or other top player in the draft, the fans will flock to the fan shops in person or online to snatch up the latest team swag once again, all without ever sampling the new product on the field. I can attest to the fact that when this team was only able to squeak out a single win in 2007 (we will never forget you, Greg Camarillo), I still watched the entirety of every game that season, via NFL Sunday Ticket, so yes, I am the same glutton for punishment that the rest of you are.
So, what are we to do as fans who are somewhat powerless in any of these decisions? If the fans do not stop going to the Dolphins’ home games in mass (which cost the owner money but the look of no one showing up is worse), there are no other economic levers to really pull because the NFL works as a team where all of the main profits from TV and merch are split evenly, so that even the worst team with the worst sales in any way will still make money. Additionally, Ross has been able to transform the stadium into a giant ATM, generating money from multiple sources. The one prop that I will give Ross is that he is loyal, and in a world where that is rare, it is admirable, but only to a point, and that point has long since arrived.
So what’s my point with this entire post? Well, since every other talking head that is in some way tied to the Dolphins or South Florida sports has their say in the public sphere, this is yours. This is your invite to post your open letter, and then I will repost them in a night thread. Will they get traction? Who knows, but I do know that there are those who are either directly or very closely connected to those who do have power within the Dolphins organization who follow the site. Besides, it’s a way to get your voice out there, and maybe it will even be a bit therapeutic.
So, instead of answering our PQOTD this evening, please share your open letter in the comments section below, and I will repost it in a PM thread for this Friday evening as a substitute for our VOTW post. Feel free to express yourself, but avoid language that would require Bill to work overtime, as he’s not young anymore and tends to get cranky. We love your Bill!
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