Once the fans enter through the turnstiles of any NFL stadium, a number of different factors can take away from a positive experience at the game. At Candlestick it was the cold, at Levi’s it’s the heat, and for a disgruntled fan base in 2017, it’s the 49ers’ winless season.
In an effort to improve the game day experience, the 49ers sent out a survey that baffled their fans by asking the question, “How important is it that your team wins?”
The 49ers sent a questionnaire to fans asking “in terms of game day experience how important is it that your team wins?”
— Ann Killion (@annkillion) October 25, 2017
When asked about this survey while appearing on Gary & Larry Friday afternoon, NBC Sports Bay Area’s 49ers insider Matt Maiocco shared his thoughts on the apparent nature of the question.
“To me, that’s somebody in the department that really doesn’t know how football works, who’s trying to make the fan base feel like they have a say in the matter or that their voice is being heard, but it’s such a ridiculous question,” Maiocco said.
Despite the ridiculousness of this question, owner Jed York has bent over backwards to make Levi’s Stadium home for 49ers fans.
Prior to the stadium’s opening in 2014, York filled the blueprints of Levi’s with state of the art technology, accommodating restrooms, beautiful suites, and a shrine dedicated to the team’s history. All the while, he’s kept the fans in the discussion and taken their thoughts into consideration.
In this case, the question was likely asked sincerely and with the wellbeing of the fans in mind, but it came off in a much different way.
“I don’t know that there was any reaction,” Maiocco said. “I mean, it’s pretty clear coming from the marketing folks, that’s not coming from John Lynch. It’s not coming from Kyle Shanahan. I guess you could say it’s coming from Jed York because everything that comes through that organization has to be traced back to him.”
To listen to the full interview check out the podcast below, and skip to 5:45 for Maiocco on the survey.