Management A letter from Charlie Jacobs

[rfournier103]

Why do corporations and large private businesses write letters of empathy to minions?

Really though. Is there any tangible positive result of it? It doesn’t prove anything to anyone.

Its damned if you do and probably more damned if you don’t.

Charlie’s letter would be far better received by all if there was a single shred of tangible evidence that he gave half a shit about his paying customers.

 

[Gee Wally]

Charlie’s letter would be far better received by all if there was a single shred of tangible evidence that he gave half a shit about his paying customers.

Im in no way gonna defend anything any Jacobs does….but objectively…..no one has more to lose by having a shit team than the Jacobs’.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Its damned if you do and probably more damned if you don’t.

Sometimes it feels like more damned if you do. It’s just something it to make fun of and chastise.

Rightly or wrongly, I think people view the people at the head of these organizations as disconnected and disingenuous. Putting a sappy letter together full of cliches on nice virtual card stock (not to mention that virtually every NHL team does this now especially during down years) doesn’t actually “show” anything to anyone. It just comes off as an attempt at a quick, easy way to solidify loyalty without giving anything meaningful up.

I never won’t be a Bruins fan, but for me, it’s just irksome to see stuff like this come out when we’ve gotten “we care about the fans” stuff before and it never goes anywhere tangibly. What happened to when they caved in on the ridiculously tight seating in the balcony and then proceeded…to just do nothing.

 

[rfournier103]

Im in no way gonna defend anything any Jacobs does….but objectively…..no one has more to lose by having a shit team than the Jacobs’.

I fully agree with you there. What I can’t understand is how the Jacobs family can’t see how much more money they can make if the Bruins actually win. When the Bruins won in 2011, the buzz was very different than any of the other three teams when they won. The Jacobs’ must’ve been printing money on causeway street after the championship. Stanley Cup = boucoup dinero.

 

[Gee Wally]

I fully agree with you there. What I can’t understand is how the Jacobs family can’t see how much more money they can make if the Bruins actually win. When the Bruins won in 2011, the buzz was very different than any of the other three teams when they won. The Jacobs’ must’ve been printing money on causeway street after the championship. Stanley Cup = boucoup dinero.

Just my worthless opinion, I think they want to win a Cup. But I think the overall goal is just to sellout. That a Cup would just be gravy.

 

[Gee Wally]

Sometimes it feels like more damned if you do. It’s just something it to make fun of and chastise.

Rightly or wrongly, I think people view the people at the head of these organizations as disconnected and disingenuous. Putting a sappy letter together full of cliches on nice virtual card stock (not to mention that virtually every NHL team does this now especially during down years) doesn’t actually “show” anything to anyone. It just comes off as an attempt at a quick, easy way to solidify loyalty without giving anything meaningful up.

I never won’t be a Bruins fan, but for me, it’s just irksome to see stuff like this come out when we’ve gotten “we care about the fans” stuff before and it never goes anywhere tangibly. What happened to when they caved in on the ridiculously tight seating in the balcony and then proceeded…to just do nothing.

Because the people still put their asses in subpar seats. To me its all about the money.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

Just my worthless opinion, I think they want to win a Cup. But I think the overall goal is just to sellout. That a Cup would just be gravy.

I would hope an owner of a business strives to be the best at their Kraft and as long as they spend to the max I have to believe they want a cup.

Sure sellouts matter but you are not getting them without trying to win.

 

[Morris Wanchuk]

I would hope an owner of a business strives to be the best at their Kraft and as long as they spend to the max I have to believe they want a cup.

Sure sellouts matter but you are not getting them without trying to win.

Having spent a few days being forced to eat Delaware North food at the Grand Canyon, strong disagree there.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Because the people still put their asses in subpar seats. To me its all about the money.

Right. And everyone knows it.

So why the letter? It’s a rhetorical question that I’m not asking you to answer by any means.

Contrary to what it may seem like sometimes, I am not an anti-business person who doesn’t see the power of and good in the ability to seek profit. But the evolution of professional sport (and now of course college sports) into giant cash milking industries makes it harder and harder for me to listen to owners who still want to play the “we just want to win” and “we love the game just like you” cards.

I find it insulting to my intelligence to be honest. I go to games because I love my team. The Jacobs family does not own the team for nearly the same reason. And that’s fine. But don’t bullshit me with a stupid letter.

 

[BMC]

"Why do the Bruins continue to blame former head coaches?"

I know there is no such thing as a stupid question but this one comes awfully close. They do it because they are allowed to get away with doing it. When was the last time a journalist called senior management out for this? I'm talking about during this management team's tenure and I mean to their faces during a press conference, not in an op-ed piece.

From what I can see the only people demanding accountability from this management team are the fans but ownership isn't listening and won't until gate/concession income collapses as it did in 2006.

 

[22Brad Park]

Just my worthless opinion, I think they want to win a Cup. But I think the overall goal is just to sellout. That a Cup would just be gravy.

I think it's both.The Jacobs want their business to make money which happens easier with sellouts.They know good Bruins teams make that happen alot easier.The biggest thing here is their belief in Sweeney & Neely to fix this and get back to winning.Charlie alluded to the cupboards bare and he was definitely correct about that.This all comes down to his belief in Sweeney so hopefully it pays off and he gets it right.Either way it's going to take some time but if he is not right it will be years.Fingers crossed.

 

[BMC]

This is an excellent overview. At best Charlie is tone deaf.

To me he also came across as edgy/aggressive in that Globe interview. Thin skinned.

For example, he seems to want to focus on the issue of the Bruins not spending money and gets very defensive about that. Very defensive.

Well, he's undoubtedly aware of his family's well earned reputation for maximizing ROI at the expense of winning championships.

And I don't want to hear about how the Bruins spend to the cap. 30 years before the cap was implemented the Bruins would flat out not spend the money to acquire the 1 or 2 players they were always short of to truly be contenders for the Cup and that is all on Papa Jacobs.

 

[BMC]

I fully agree with you there. What I can’t understand is how the Jacobs family can’t see how much more money they can make if the Bruins actually win. When the Bruins won in 2011, the buzz was very different than any of the other three teams when they won. The Jacobs’ must’ve been printing money on causeway street after the championship. Stanley Cup = boucoup dinero.

Quoted for truth.

As much as it costs to win a Cup the return on investment is even larger: increased attention for the franchise which in turns means more $ spent on merchandise by present fans and most important new fans to buy tickets & merchandise.

Case in point- I spent a fortune on Bruins Cup swag after they won in 2011, probably close to $250 which is a lot for me for discretionary spending.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

I fully agree with you there. What I can’t understand is how the Jacobs family can’t see how much more money they can make if the Bruins actually win. When the Bruins won in 2011, the buzz was very different than any of the other three teams when they won. The Jacobs’ must’ve been printing money on causeway street after the championship. Stanley Cup = boucoup dinero.

One would have to be somewhat delusional to think the Jacobs family can't see that.

Seems to me they are quite competent at making money.

 

[LJReborn]

I forgot it was excuse Thursday. Anywhere to see/read the excu........ comments?

 

[rfournier103]

Quoted for truth.

As much as it costs to win a Cup the return on investment is even larger: increased attention for the franchise which in turns means more $ spent on merchandise by present fans and most important new fans to buy tickets & merchandise.

Case in point- I spent a fortune on Bruins Cup swag after they won in 2011, probably close to $250 which is a lot for me for discretionary spending.

Great posting as usual.

The 2011 Stanley Cup completely erased my disgust over the 2010 collapse against the Flyers. Ever notice how NOBODY ever talks about that?

Had the Bruins shit the bed against Montreal in the first round in 2011, I might have walked away for good. I’ll even go as far as to say that the 2011 Cup kept me from taking a long hiatus after the 2019 Final loss. Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about that one.

Championships atone for many sins. The Jacobs’ are stunningly and embarrassingly ignorant of that.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

"Why do the Bruins continue to blame former head coaches?"

I know there is no such thing as a stupid question but this one comes awfully close. They do it because they are allowed to get away with doing it. When was the last time a journalist called senior management out for this? I'm talking about during this management team's tenure and I mean to their faces during a press conference, not in an op-ed piece.

From what I can see the only people demanding accountability from this management team are the fans but ownership isn't listening and won't until gate/concession income collapses as it did in 2006.

Is this any different from any other NHL teams?

Coaches get fired a lot more often than GMs.

 

[GordonHowe]

Charlie Jacobs bemoans poor training camp, no ‘answers’ from Montgomery during lost Bruins season

Speaking to The Boston Globe, Charlie Jacobs bemoaned the slow training camp that set the Bruins back in 2024-25.

www.boston.com

 

[Dr Hook]

Its damned if you do and probably more damned if you don’t.

100%. "How come we aren't hearing from ownership about this" blah blah blah and that would be the mild end of it.

 

[Alicat]

North America is built on immigration.
How is someone considering himself part of a community offending people. I agree with you.

It isn't but sadly some posters are still stuck in this nativism fantasy. It is f***ing gross. News flash to people, there are far less native Bostonians living in and around the city than ever before.

 

[GordonHowe]

Again, what do you expect from an employee who you were going to fire the year before if he lost in the playoffs round 1 and no interest in giving him an extension. They should have fired him regardless, they only won that series because of Swayman.

I still haven't figured out who built all these calamities

 

[GordonHowe]

Amazing that Montgomery is the only person being held accountable from this shitastic season.

 

[GordonHowe]

Unfortunately, it's not surprising. It appears to be the Old Boys Club. Sweeney and Neely used to play for the Bruins, are good friends, and the Jacobs family loves them. None of those things should matter, but apparently some of the higher-ups in the organization care about those things.

"There* is your answer.

This sclerotic dynamic will continue to hold the Bruins back until, finally, it is no longer tenable in the eyes of ownership.

It will be some time before the scales fall.

 

[BMC]

Is this any different from any other NHL teams?

Coaches get fired a lot more often than GMs.

Frankly my dear I don't give a damn about other NHL teams, but to answer your question, no. But that does not excuse the Bruins or the media.

 

[BMC]

"There* is your answer.

This sclerotic dynamic will continue to hold the Bruins back until, finally, it is no longer tenable in the eyes of ownership.

It will be some time before the scales fall.

I am completely flabbergasted that they have forgotten everything they learned from the 2005-6 fanbase collapse. It has only been 20 years.