Ray Lewis radio show charges cover fee

[crazyraven]

Wow, talk about giving out false information.

Not particularly fond of Ray"? False.

False information?
I only said that because I remember how hard you were on Ray around this time last year because he may had been a little upset and voiced publicly how he felt about the direction of the franchise. Some members of the media said he was broke and that he was looking to hold the franchise hostage so that he could get paid--not saying you but it was said. You could have choosen to back him and try to understand what he was trying to do.

I already stated that I dont get the show and dont listen to it. However I did read the blog and listened to the segment with the lawyer. You called him a polarizing figure and You also stated that you have been critical of him. And at least with this issue you dont seem to fond of him right now. But if you say you are fond of him then ok, I stand corrected

I just don't think he should be charging people $25 to sit in the "VIP section" of his restaurant after he's made $35 million in this city playing football - mostly because the very people he's charging that money to are the ones who have paid his salary since 1996.

We'll he is and there really isnt that much of an outrage, except for a few of the hardcore Raven groupies that have called your show as an outlet to get their message out. The message stays alive because your station is not hosting the show and you may feel that its right to knock the competiton. You did seem a little miffed that Ray didnt choose your show or a show on your station. If I remember correctly from last night you said "You could go on for 2 hours" on why Marks wasnt a good vehicle for rays show.

So what, the other Shows dont charge? The ravens who show up are not A list players like Ray. This is the deal and if you want to see ray up close you have to pay to see him. The thing that gets me is that you keep forgetting that you can see him and the show for Free, just not a up close.

[PurplePill]

The Super Bowl is in Arizona.

PP

Roger That!

[HoustonRaven]

Since when are people entitled to go into a business for free just to mooch?

Kudos to Ray (if he indeed made the decision) for charging. You know darn well that some folks would have squatted for a while, not buying anything off the menu and then roll out.

Nobody here has mentioned the servers who would have had to put up with the free loaders. It's a place of business people, not an amusement attraction!

[df1570]

False information?
I only said that because I remember how hard you were on Ray around this time last year because he may had been a little upset and voiced publicly how he felt about the direction of the franchise. Some members of the media said he was broke and that he was looking to hold the franchise hostage so that he could get paid--not saying you but it was said. You could have choosen to back him and try to understand what he was trying to do.

I already stated that I dont get the show and dont listen to it. However I did read the blog and listened to the segment with the lawyer. You called him a polarizing figure and You also stated that you have been critical of him. And at least with this issue you dont seem to fond of him right now. But if you say you are fond of him then ok, I stand corrected




We'll he is and there really isnt that much of an outrage, except for a few of the hardcore Raven groupies that have called your show as an outlet to get their message out. The message stays alive because your station is not hosting the show and you may feel that its right to knock the competiton. You did seem a little miffed that Ray didnt choose your show or a show on your station. If I remember correctly from last night you said "You could go on for 2 hours" on why Marks wasnt a good vehicle for rays show.

So what, the other Shows dont charge? The ravens who show up are not A list players like Ray. This is the deal and if you want to see ray up close you have to pay to see him. The thing that gets me is that you keep forgetting that you can see him and the show for Free, just not a up close.

I absolutely have been hard on Ray when he has failed to perform in his role as the leader of the team. I was hard on him when he pulled that "I need a new contract or I'm going to brood" stunt a few years back and I was certainly critical of him when he bolted to Florida with six weeks left in the 6-10 season of 2005.

When you make the most money, you get the brightest spotlight on you. Always been that way, always will be that way.

But, as I've said many times, if you take Ray's entire body of work and look at the good he's done vs. the bad he's done, the good far, far, far outweighs the bad. But that also doesn't mean that when he does silly stuff like charging the great-unwashed $25 a head for a chance to sit up in first class with him that he shouldn't be whacked around for that.

If Miguel Tejada did that, I'd be all over him too. Fair's fair.

At this stage in Ray's career, he should be getting advice from people who are trying to help him pave the way for that next step in his career. Getting $25 a head from 80 people for the next 16 Monday's isn't going to shape Ray's post-football career. He should be embracing the people here, the sponsors, the TEAM, the fans, etc. Embracing them shouldn't cost anyone anything. Not when you've made $35 million. Someone is giving Ray poor career advice, I believe.

I'm not miffed at all that Ray didn't choose WNST for his show. Ray Lewis having a radio show on WNST wouldn't have done anything for me, personally. My remark about Anita was more in response to Ray's mouthpiece saying, "I personally chose Anita Marks to host the Ray Lewis show because I believe she's the best representative for talk radio and a talk show with Ray."

I wouldn't have needed two hours, actually, to explain to Mr. Rosen how - with all due respect to Anita Marks - he's sadly mistaken if he thinks that Keith Mills (a Baltimore guy) or Bob Haynie (a Baltimore guy) or Scott Garceau (27 years in Baltimore) wouldn't have been a better choice based on their knowledge of Baltimore sports and the Ravens. They've all been here for Ray's entire career. But if they think Ms. Marks is the best choice, so be it. I didn't hear the Monday show with Ray but I'm sure she was a serviceable host of the program.

In summary, the players (in all sports) need occasional reminders that their livelihoods and their sometimes-lavish lifestyles are all made possible by OTHER people. In most cases, they're made possible by the people that drafted them...by the member of their organization who sold all $4 million dollars of those corporate sponsor suites this year...by the fans who pay the $110 a game for tickets and the $8.00 per-beer...

Players don't always remember that.

So, once in a while, someone out there needs to remind them of what's right and wrong, as it relates to treating those people with appreciation. In this case, I guess, that guy was me.

Had it been Miguel Tejada charging people $25 per-head to listen to him talk to the fans, I would have been that guy too.

[FredGrau]

Drew,

FYI, I was there for Ray's show with my son, brother-in-law, and nephew. I did not like paying the cover charge at all, but I'm still glad I went. Having my son talk to Ray and Steve along with getting their autographs and pictures made it worth it to me.

There's both good and bad with the $25 cover charge for the VIP section. You've obviously stated the bad and for the most part, you're absolutely correct. The good about the cover charge is it's keeps the autograph hounds away from mobbing the place just to get an autograph they can sell on Ebay. Ray Lewis IS the face of the Ravens, a sure hall-of-famer, and one of the best linebackers of all time - things could easily become uncontrollable without something like a cover charge.

Ray's representative did say on your show that the reason for the cover charge was because of people not ordering meals. This comment was completely ridiculous - just about everyone ordered dinner and every meal automatically had a 18 percent gratuity added on to it. This was primarily about making money for the restaurant, and secondarily about controlling who shows up for the show.

I honestly believe a cover charge of $5 (maybe $10) for the VIP section would be more than enough to control the crowds - as long as the other section of the restaurant is free.

[52decleetzu]

Drew,

FYI, I was there for Ray's show with my son, brother-in-law, and nephew. I did not like paying the cover charge at all, but I'm still glad I went. Having my son talk to Ray and Steve along with getting their autographs and pictures made it worth it to me.

There's both good and bad with the $25 cover charge for the VIP section. You've obviously stated the bad and for the most part, you're absolutely correct. The good about the cover charge is it's keeps the autograph hounds away from mobbing the place just to get an autograph they can sell on Ebay. Ray Lewis IS the face of the Ravens, a sure hall-of-famer, and one of the best linebackers of all time - things could easily become uncontrollable without something like a cover charge.

Ray's representative did say on your show that the reason for the cover charge was because of people not ordering meals. This comment was completely ridiculous - just about everyone ordered dinner and every meal automatically had a 18 percent gratuity added on to it. This was primarily about making money for the restaurant, and secondarily about controlling who shows up for the show.

I honestly believe a cover charge of $5 (maybe $10) for the VIP section would be more than enough to control the crowds - as long as the other section of the restaurant is free.

So when Rosen claimed that "waiters and waitresses were not getting paid properly" and "people would sit at a table and nurse their beer all night" as the MAIN REASON for the $25 cover he was LYING????

Imagine that.

[crazyraven]

Ray's representative did say on your show that the reason for the cover charge was because of people not ordering meals. This comment was completely ridiculous - just about everyone ordered dinner and every meal automatically had a 18 percent gratuity added on to it. This was primarily about making money for the restaurant, and secondarily about controlling who shows up for the show.

Its not ridculous. I don't know how anyone of us can tell what any other table had ordered or if a gratuity was added to the check unless you were able to sit at every table, you just cant say. In situations like this waiters/waitresses dread waiting because they will never get the turnover of tables that they usually get on a normal night. Maybe what was seen was some people who ordered a few appetizers or maybe even shared a plate of ribs. That's great but for a waiter to make money they need the checks to be high and they also need the table to turn over a few times during the night to maximize their tips. A station of about 5 table for the entire night will not yield that much money for the server. Now Usually its illegal to add at gratuity to a check but with larger tables of 6 or more, for what ever reason, it seems easier to slap it on as a house rule. Keep in mind you can ask at any time to remove that tip, you are not obligated to pay it.

Fred is right. It is about the restaurant making money. Its a business. The franchise (Full Moon BBQ) that signed Ray to put his name on there brand did it for this reason, to bring in customers based on his celebrity status. Again these aren't rays mothers ribs, Like it or not Ray is selling his name to promote this franchise.

[df1570]

Drew,

FYI, I was there for Ray's show with my son, brother-in-law, and nephew. I did not like paying the cover charge at all, but I'm still glad I went. Having my son talk to Ray and Steve along with getting their autographs and pictures made it worth it to me.

There's both good and bad with the $25 cover charge for the VIP section. You've obviously stated the bad and for the most part, you're absolutely correct. The good about the cover charge is it's keeps the autograph hounds away from mobbing the place just to get an autograph they can sell on Ebay. Ray Lewis IS the face of the Ravens, a sure hall-of-famer, and one of the best linebackers of all time - things could easily become uncontrollable without something like a cover charge.

Ray's representative did say on your show that the reason for the cover charge was because of people not ordering meals. This comment was completely ridiculous - just about everyone ordered dinner and every meal automatically had a 18 percent gratuity added on to it. This was primarily about making money for the restaurant, and secondarily about controlling who shows up for the show.

I honestly believe a cover charge of $5 (maybe $10) for the VIP section would be more than enough to control the crowds - as long as the other section of the restaurant is free.

Fred, keeping the autograph hounds away shouldn't be that hard, actually. 80 people (according to someone who told me this from WJFK) showed up. 45were upstairs in the first-class section and 35 were down in coach. That's a max of 80 autographs - if Ray wanted to sign one thing for everyone. You can control the people VERY easily. Don't let them in. That's how nightclubs do it. Someone (or two) stands there at the door and controls how many people get in. The folks at the restaurant could have limited the people to 80and that would have been all there was to it. I'm sure the radio station in charge would then have to come up with a fair system (e-mail, etc.) for people to "register" if they wanted to attend. It's like making a reservation, basically. I'm a dummy and I could have figured out a solution to the "crowd control" dilemma in about 9 minutes.

I guess it's a sign of today's athlete that while they make $4 million, $8 million or $15 million in a season (whatever the sport), they're consumed with worrying about whether or not some schmoe from Glen Burnie gets an autograph on the back of an Outback Steakhouse napkin and sells it on ebay for $45. They could all easily avoid the torment of wondering whether or not someone was making a buck off of them by not signing ANYTHING. There...no autographs, no ebay auctions and no fans making a nickel off of the players. But, if they did that, they'd be labeled stand-offish, rude and not willing to get in touch with the common man.

It's quite a catch-22. I think, if I had my choice, I'd take the $8 million a year and be tormented by signing 80 pieces of paper 16 Monday nights in a row.

By the way, don't think for one minute that the radio station in question - or Ray's people - couldn't have found a company to sponsor the entire night, including one "free" autograph from Ray and his guest. I have a handful of sponsors in my show that I personally brought to the station that I'm sure would have jumped on board for $5k or $10k to be the company that "lets you get a Ray Lewis autograph for free". Of course, the $5k or $10k would then have to go to Ray and/or the restaurant, but that's how the business works.

Ray's first priority - and this is where his people have mismanaged the entire deal - should have been to make sure "I don't come out looking like the bad guy". He had to know that slapping a $25 cover charge - unprecedented in this market - would have raised some eyebrows. Whomever it was in his advisory group that told him it would be OK doesn't know Baltimore very well, obviously.

And yes, Fred, I didn't buy Marc Rosen's explanation that the wait staff was getting the $25 split up amongst them. I especially didn't believe it when one of the staffers at the restaurant (supposedly...I have no way of checking this) e-mailed me on Wednesday and confessed there was no such arrangement made with the staff on Monday night. I don't know if it's true or not because I can't verify the authenticity of that e-mail. But I suspect it probably IS true.

[crazyraven]

And yes, Fred, I didn't buy Marc Rosen's explanation that the wait staff was getting the $25 split up amongst them. I especially didn't believe it when one of the staffers at the restaurant (supposedly...I have no way of checking this) e-mailed me on Wednesday and confessed there was no such arrangement made with the staff on Monday night. I don't know if it's true or not because I can't verify the authenticity of that e-mail. But I suspect it probably IS true.

Marc never said that they did. He did try to protect them to ensure that the choice seats werent just sat in by squatters. It seems as if Fred already stated that an 18% tip was added to the bill (not that anyone would ever have to pay it) but with the cover this could be helpful to the Server. So for example if I went with 4 people ordered a wings or ribs and a few beers then the restaurant would apply the 25 bucks per person to the check on top of what I ordered, as a wait staff person, I'd have a few nice tip coming my way. You didnt think that the restaurant would give each of its servers 25 dollars a head did you DF? Come on now.

[df1570]

Marc never said that they did. He did try to protect them to ensure that the choice seats werent just sat in by squatters. It seems as if Fred already stated that an 18% tip was added to the bill (not that anyone would ever have to pay it) but with the cover this could be helpful to the Server. So for example if I went with 4 people ordered a wings or ribs and a few beers then the restaurant would apply the 25 bucks per person to the check on top of what I ordered, as a wait staff person, I'd have a few nice tip coming my way. You didnt think that the restaurant would give each of its servers 25 dollars a head did you DF? Come on now.

I haven't really given any thought into how many servers got how much and from whom. I couldn't care less. It's not my restaurant. When I do care, though, is when someone who claims to be representing Ray calls in to my show (he called me, mind you...) and tries to defend the $25 per-person cover charge by claiming that money went back to the staff to "make up" for the money they'd normally make on a Monday night...blah, blah, blah. So I have no idea how much of that $25 went back to the staff because, frankly, I found it so unrealistic when I heard that excuse that I didn't even pursue the question.

Brian Billick came out to Looney's for our WNST show tonight and there were probably at least 10, maybe 15, servers running around serving food and drinks to every table. I know, at our table of 6, she got $30 from us and I think the bill was probably only about $60. I didn't see all the other tables, but I think there are a lot of happy servers tonight in Harford County. The place was packed from about 6-8:30 or so and no cover charge was required and Brian signed everything in sight.

[Greg]

Kudos to Ray (if he indeed made the decision) for charging. You know darn well that some folks would have squatted for a while, not buying anything off the menu and then roll out.

This statement is made out of ignorance. I have gone to a couple of these shows and this just does not happen. Most everybody who shows up drinks and eats. And if you are truly concerned about the wait staff and people nursing beers, then charge the $25 cover and credit it to each person's check. This way you insure they spend $25. That would make the most sense.

As for the charge, it doesn't bother me, this is a business and Ray as a person can do what he wants. But it hurts them more than helps. I might be inclinded to go and have dinner and a few beers, but not with an added charge and not given the reputation the place has for food quality and service. I also think Ray is shooting himself in the foot with these kind of things. He is only hurting his persona in the area, it comes off (and accurately so) as trying to milk us for each and every dollar possible.

I have not and don't plan on paying for autographs. Ray's or anybody else's.

[HoustonRaven]

This statement is made out of ignorance. I have gone to a couple of these shows and this just does not happen. Most everybody who shows up drinks and eats. And if you are truly concerned about the wait staff and people nursing beers, then charge the $25 cover and credit it to each person's check. This way you insure they spend $25. That would make the most sense.

As for the charge, it doesn't bother me, this is a business and Ray as a person can do what he wants. But it hurts them more than helps. I might be inclinded to go and have dinner and a few beers, but not with an added charge and not given the reputation the place has for food quality and service. I also think Ray is shooting himself in the foot with these kind of things. He is only hurting his persona in the area, it comes off (and accurately so) as trying to milk us for each and every dollar possible.

I have not and don't plan on paying for autographs. Ray's or anybody else's.

Since they always charge, how do you know people wont squat?

When the place first opened, they didnt charge a cover and Ray showed up. I watched people filter in, take a couple of photos of Ray in the balcony and roll out not spending one dime. How else are they supposed to make money?

It's a BUSINESS! Business are in business to MAKE MONEY! It's not a hard concept.

Why do fans think they are entitled to free stuff when it involves their favorite atheletes???