Update: Future of Orioles Hangout announcement next week

[Dipper9]

So people are upset that the O's don't advertise with Tony? That seems a little weird.

People are upset that the Orioles don't work in conjunction with a fan site where a mutual relationship could benefit both parties. Instead the Orioles choose to throw roadblocks in the way and make life difficult.

The Orioles should be doing everything in their power to create an atmosphere of cooperation and to get fans to the Yard, and instead they use their time and effort into pissing off the very fans that they need to cater to.

[weams]

People are upset that the Orioles don't work in conjunction with a fan site where a mutual relationship could benefit both parties. Instead the Orioles choose to throw roadblocks in the way and make life difficult.

The Orioles should be doing everything in their power to create an atmosphere of cooperation and to get fans to the Yard, and instead they use their time and effort into pissing off the very fans that they need to cater to.

It's ok Dip, no need to defend me. I am a bit weird. But I still believe that after all that the Hangout and it's membership have done to support the Orioles a little token back is deserved. I am sure many of the small sites would love to have the devotion and interaction that occurs here. With or without the Orioles upper management support. The Orioles are always my team no matter who owns or manages them.

[Austin]

Don't they give discounts on tickets for Hangout night? Don't they give Tony & Co. press passes?

The Hangout is a media entity. Should the Orioles also be giving out free tickets to the Baltimore Sun? They have a message board with Oriole fans. Wouldn't it upset those at the Sun, or the posters at Camden Chat, or the posters at Baltimore Sports and Life if the Orioles are giving one site free tickets and special access but not these other sites?

The Hangout is a large collection of Oriole fans but the Orioles giving them special perks is opening up a Pandora's box. Do other organizations hand out free tickets to fan sites or media outlets?

Where are you getting the idea that anyone wants the Orioles to give out free tickets? Hangout nights were never free. The O's and the Hangout have had a pretty good relationship up until now from what I can tell, but it looks like that might be changing. The Orioles are in no position to alienate more fans.

[weams]

I think a short note to your account reps or to
BALTIMORE ORIOLES
CORPORATE SALES AND SPONSORSHIP DEPARTMENT
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
333 Camden Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
888-848-BIRD (2473)
Debbie Bell
Director of Corporate Sales
dbell@orioles.com
Phone: (410) 547-6109

Would be a good start to have our feelings known.

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/hel...rioles.mlb.com

[brotherlo38]

No offense, but I don't think the Hangout is made up of people the Orioles "need" to cater to. If you're on a message board posting about the Orioles, odds are you're likely going to games, watching the games, buying merchandise. The people they "need" to cater to are the casual fans, the people who aren't visiting blogs/message boards.

Personally, I think people are expecting too much out of the Orioles here. I'm not sure I've ever seen another organization cater to an independent website with the requests that are being mentioned here. Press passes should be a given as long as the Hangout meets whatever requirements the O's have (is there a problem with this?). I think giving discounted tickets for Hangout Night is a pretty nice gesture.

I think free tickets is asking a little too much from the organization. If they're giving out free tickets to Hangout than they should also be giving out free tickets to Camden Chat, Baltimore Sports and Life, Camden Depot, etc. I also think getting upset over who the Orioles decide to advertise with is a little ridiculous, but that's just me.

[Austin]

I think free tickets is asking a little too much from the organization. If they're giving out free tickets to Hangout than they should also be giving out free tickets to Camden Chat, Baltimore Sports and Life, Camden Depot, etc. I also think getting upset over who the Orioles decide to advertise with is a little ridiculous, but that's just me.

Am I missing something? Where has anyone mentioned free tickets? Please point it out to me.

[brotherlo38]

Without thinking too hard about this, you have a fan site with a couple thousand of THE most dedicated and last remaining Orioles fans around. Meanwhile, the Ballpark sits at about 25% capacity night after night. I could see a ton of comp tickets being given to the Hangout. Get fans in the stadium, even if free, and we would buy food and drinks and souvenirs, etc. That's one thing.

Exclusive player interviews maybe?

Fan clubs?

Or how about just not being ***holes to Tony and his crew when all they're trying to do is support the friggin team?

Yeah, the Orioles screws up just about everything they do, and now they are biting the hand of the last remaining diehards. Not cool.

Where are you getting the idea that anyone wants the Orioles to give out free tickets? Hangout nights were never free. The O's and the Hangout have had a pretty good relationship up until now from what I can tell, but it looks like that might be changing. The Orioles are in no position to alienate more fans.

Austin, see the bolded part.

[clapdiddy]

I think we need to stop getting our panties in a collective bunch until we find out exactly what Tony has to say.

We all know that the Orioles organization as a whole is pretty pathetic, so I doubt what we hear is going to be a shocker.

[weams]

No offense, but I don't think the Hangout is made up of people the Orioles "need" to cater to. If you're on a message board posting about the Orioles, odds are you're likely going to games, watching the games, buying merchandise. The people they "need" to cater to are the casual fans, the people who aren't visiting blogs/message boards.

Personally, I think people are expecting too much out of the Orioles here. I'm not sure I've ever seen another organization cater to an independent website with the requests that are being mentioned here. Press passes should be a given as long as the Hangout meets whatever requirements the O's have (is there a problem with this?). I think giving discounted tickets for Hangout Night is a pretty nice gesture.

I think free tickets is asking a little too much from the organization. If they're giving out free tickets to Hangout than they should also be giving out free tickets to Camden Chat, Baltimore Sports and Life, Camden Depot, etc. I also think getting upset over who the Orioles decide to advertise with is a little ridiculous, but that's just me.

We are not asking for free tickets. You obviously have a bit of an anti Hangout agenda here, and thats ok. I just prefer to say that the partnership that the Orioles and the Hangout have had has been beneficial to both parties and that to compare the impact of the Orioles Hangout to newer/smaller/blog entities is not appropriate. It really isn't and not by a lot. Not that there is not a place for any fan based enterprises, but this is exactly the place that the Orioles need to rebuild their support from.

[weams]

Austin, see the bolded part.

It was simply a suggestion that Dip made about how to fill the Yard. Not a demand. Or even a request. Dip thinks that a packed house might provide excitement again. You know, like they did with the five dollar tickets in Detroit.

[Austin]

Austin, see the bolded part.

So one off the cuff comment speaks for the whole board? None of us expect free tickets, Dipper included I'm sure. The Orioles certainly don't owe anyone free tickets. The problem I have, and others seem to agree, is that it makes no sense for the Orioles to come down on the Hangout now when it's existed almost exactly like this for years. You may not think that the Orioles need to "cater" to us but it would be nice if they showed some respect to the biggest community of Oriole fans on the internet.

[weams]

I think we need to stop getting our panties in a collective bunch until we find out exactly what Tony has to say.

We all know that the Orioles organization as a whole is pretty pathetic, so I doubt what we hear is going to be a shocker.

Absolutely, but Tony has expressed here that he is not satisfied with the way they Orioles are interacting with him. And he always has my support.

[brotherlo38]

We are not asking for free tickets. You obviously have a bit of an anti Hangout agenda here, and thats ok. I just prefer to say that the partnership that the Orioles and the Hangout have had has been beneficial to both parties and that to compare the impact of the Orioles Hangout to newer/smaller/blog entities is not appropriate. It really isn't and not by a lot. Not that there is not a place for any fan based enterprises, but this is exactly the place that the Orioles need to rebuild their support from.

One person said comped tickets and another said comped opportunities. That sounds like free tickets/stuff to me.

Not sure why I'm being labeled anti-Hangout just because I disagree with some of the suggestions people have made with how the Orioles should interact with the Hangout.

[weams]

One person said comped tickets and another said comped opportunities. That sounds like free tickets/stuff to me.

Not sure why I'm being labeled anti-Hangout just because I disagree with some of the suggestions people have made with how the Orioles should interact with the Hangout.

Ok, then accept my apology. I don't need anything for free.

[brotherlo38]

So one off the cuff comment speaks for the whole board? None of us expect free tickets, Dipper included I'm sure. The Orioles certainly don't owe anyone free tickets. The problem I have, and others seem to agree, is that it makes no sense for the Orioles to come down on the Hangout now when it's existed almost exactly like this for years. You may not think that the Orioles need to "cater" to us but it would be nice if they showed some respect to the biggest community of Oriole fans on the internet.

Like it's been mentioned in this thread, this could be coming down from MLB or it could be a trademark issue that the O's have been told they have to enforce. I know fewer and fewer people here give the O's the benefit of the doubt but I don't think they just woke up one day and decided they were going to piss off a group of diehard fans.

Given Tony's comments in this thread, I'm guessing they're asking him to change the logo of the site. Probably spurred by the O's returning to the Cartoon Bird themselves.