Brewers Owner Mark Attanasio acknowledged Saturday that the team's "late-season swoon, added to the Ryan Braun scandal and losing season of 2013, will create challenges as the team markets to fans" for '15, according to Rich Kirchen of the MILWAUKEE BUSINESS JOURNAL. The Brewers drew "nearly 2.8 million fans to Miller Park this season -- a significant improvement" over 2.5 million in '13. COO Rick Schlesinger said that the team’s season ticket sales this season "declined after the problems of 2013, but the Brewers organization was able to exceed 2013 attendance by improving group and individual sales this season." Attanasio said, "I always say 'We've gotta win, we've gotta win, we've gotta win.' And we've got 2.8 million fans here supporting the team -- so we damn well better win." When asked if fans would continue to support the club at the same attendance level in '15, he said, "I think we need to give the fans a reason to come back" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 9/27). Attanasio on Saturday also said that President of Baseball Operations & GM Doug Melvin "would be back" in '15. In Milwaukee, Tom Haudricourt noted Attanasio "voiced his immense displeasure with the epic late-season collapse that transformed the Brewers from a first-place club to out of the playoffs in a matter of five weeks." Attanasio: "The short answer is I haven't handled it well. Honestly, I haven't slept" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 9/28).
HEIR BUD: The AP's Joe DiGiovanni noted MLB Commissioner Bud Selig "will have a number retired in his honor by the Brewers." Attanasio made the announcement on Friday, saying that the retirement of jersey No. 1 "would be the first in a series of honors for Selig," the former Brewers owner. Selig owned the Brewers from '70-92, and the team "dedicated a statue" in his honor outside Miller Park in '10. Attanasio: "It didn't seem to be enough, frankly." The team said that it will "hold a ceremony next year to officially retire the number" (AP, 9/26).
