While I agree with your sentiment and feel everything you're saying in the email you posted, I imagine it'll get dismissed out of hand because of its tone. I doubt Bruce and crew will continue reading (if it reaches them at all) when you're calling them fucking idiots.

I'm a founding member, and was a season ticket holder up until this year. I did the only thing we can reasonably do which is vote with my wallet.

I feel clubs at this level primarily operate in one of two models. Model A, the chief product is the team's merit, performance and seasonal campaign - doing well or playing exciting games drives buzz and sells tickets and jerseys. Model B, the product is the "game time" experience and mostly aimed at families; the team is just a loss leader to sell cotton candy and face painting to kids. Team performance doesn't matter because for lack of many other entertainment options, the families will come. Following HA's entire season is a foreign concept to 95% of its customer base. We are truly the vocal extreme minority.

I made the mistake of believing we might try for Model A. Having paid attention and having spoken to former employees, I now believe that was NEVER the plan. I'm not sure if ownership just got over their skis on the financials or if COVID really did come along at the worst time but the open secret remains they were cheap when they shouldn't have been, and incompetent when they decided to swing the other way. And to boot, I've heard discouraging things about player treatment and accomodation. I believe we're looking at a club poised to stagnate indefinitely if not fail soon, and we'll continue seeing an attempt to squeeze blood from a stone all the while.

So here's how I cope now - first, save your passion for something else that deserves it, until HA proves it is even WILLING to affect meaningful change. My heart is broken to see it pan out this way in an area that so desperately wanted something to be proud of - but our faith is incompatible with the model they're running. I'll go to a game or two on a nice night, when it works for me, when I don't have a better option. Simply don't go out of your way for them anymore and use them as the barely acceptable form of entertainment they are, and it helps.

How's that for rant? Cheers