The Future of the Hangout

[GBader]

My apologies for not responding to your many questions and replies; however, shortly after my second post on Monday, our accounts were locked and I was unable to post or private message. Therefore, we did not have an adequate opportunity to explain our position and our rationale, or to answer the criticisms.

The main message the Orioles want to share with each of you is that we remain committed to supporting online Orioles communities. We do appreciate your love of the Orioles and for your passion both for and against some of our decisions, policies, efforts and initiatives.

If anyone would like to contact me to discuss your concerns, I’d be more than happy to open up a dialogue.

[Dipper9]

My apologies for not responding to your many questions and replies; however, shortly after my second post on Monday, our accounts were locked and I was unable to post or private message. Therefore, we did not have an adequate opportunity to explain our position and our rationale, or to answer the criticisms.

The main message the Orioles want to share with each of you is that we remain committed to supporting online Orioles communities. We do appreciate your love of the Orioles and for your passion both for and against some of our decisions, policies, efforts and initiatives.

If anyone would like to contact me to discuss your concerns, I’d be more than happy to open up a dialogue.

Mr. Bader, thank you for coming on here and at least listening to our concerns. I have but one question, and its an easy one, its not private, and its on ALL of our minds.

After 14 losing seasons, countless slaps in the faces to the fans (ie, charging additonal fees for walk up ticket sales), and an obvious refusal to even consider going after the best talent in the league when its available, I ask one simple question...How can the Orioles brass expect the fans to shell out tight dollars in this economy to suppport an organization that gives nothing back?

By the way, we love Baltimore on the away jerseys, and we love the cartoon bird, but really, truly, the only thing we care about is winning. My high school daughters have NEVER in their lives seen an Orioles team win more games than they've lost.

[lordbrook]

Cause that's what this team does. It operates like a business and has no interest in the impacts it has on it's customers. Someone needs to walk into the FO and let them know they are a professional (I use that loosely) sports team, not Walmart. While the product does resemble Walmart quality, it does not get to run itself without regard to the paying customers assuming that they will keep coming no matter what.

One game where NOT ONE PERSON attends a game in protest is something unheard of, but necessary sometimes. Think about all the publicity the Marlins got when they were only drawing a couple hundred fans in the stands.

I haven't weighed in on this whole deal yet, so I guess it's my turn. I think we should all just accept the fact that the Orioles don't have to care one whit about what we think. They don't have to care about this website or how mistreated we feel as fans. If we all look at the leaked financials from a couple of years ago we can understand exactly where the we sit in regards to the organization. Your attendance (I say your because I've only been able to fly back for one game) and our supporting of the team through TV rights and merchandise is a drop in the bucket. The support or non-support of the OH is less than that. They can run on a negative margin for decades as far as fan support goes and as long as there are perennial money making teams with their legions of fans and band wagoners the revenue sharing will take care of the money portion of owning this franchise not to mention MASN money. They don't have to put a competitive product on the field and they don't have to worry about losing fans because they will still be in the black as long as the MFY and Red Sox are competitive. To assume that we mean anything at all to them is just mental masturbation IMO. What really pisses me off is that this franchise is so GD incompetent that it can't even accidentally make some good moves. I'm one of the "hope springs eternal" kind of guys when it comes to the Orioles, but the losing every year takes a toll. I have to say that I truly believe that until we get an owner that wants to win at all costs we will always be a bad team. I don't believe Bader for one nanosecond when he says the Front Office is committed to winning. He needs to send his resume to Putin because he would make a perfect start to reviving the Apparatchik corps.

I hate to say it but they can tell us all to take a flying leap and then laugh when we threaten to never come back. We are the equivalent of fans of the Washington Generals. They don't need us except as a foil for the "real" teams in the league. I just hope that one day we get an owner that wants to view winning and especially destroying the MFY with a passion like Ahab had for the White Whale. From hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee.

[Tony-OH]

My apologies for not responding to your many questions and replies; however, shortly after my second post on Monday, our accounts were locked and I was unable to post or private message. Therefore, we did not have an adequate opportunity to explain our position and our rationale, or to answer the criticisms.

The main message the Orioles want to share with each of you is that we remain committed to supporting online Orioles communities. We do appreciate your love of the Orioles and for your passion both for and against some of our decisions, policies, efforts and initiatives.

If anyone would like to contact me to discuss your concerns, I’d be more than happy to open up a dialogue.

Just for clarification sake, your account was suspended until we could respond because you posted confidential information in a public forum. Regardless, as I told you in e-mail yesterday, you are welcome to post as long you stay away from anymore of the negotiation portion of our conversations.

This thread is about moving on and I don't want it to get derailed into more he-said/he-said stuff. Thanks for understanding and we hope you will post the Orioles' thoughts on matters more important than Hangout negotiations.

We all moving forward and not looking back. Thanks.

[olehippi]

Change "Beltway" to Chesapeake and that could work.

Expand it even more.....call it the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network................oh, wait.......sorry.......

[Skeletor]

My apologies for not responding to your many questions and replies; however, shortly after my second post on Monday, our accounts were locked and I was unable to post or private message. Therefore, we did not have an adequate opportunity to explain our position and our rationale, or to answer the criticisms.

The main message the Orioles want to share with each of you is that we remain committed to supporting online Orioles communities. We do appreciate your love of the Orioles and for your passion both for and against some of our decisions, policies, efforts and initiatives.

If anyone would like to contact me to discuss your concerns, I’d be more than happy to open up a dialogue.

Greg, why don't you start a thread asking for any questions directed towards yourself and the Orioles FO?

[Bosibus]

Greg, why don't you start a thread asking for any questions directed towards yourself and the Orioles FO?

An "Ask Greg" Section.

[Nigel Tufnel]

My apologies for not responding to your many questions and replies; however, shortly after my second post on Monday, our accounts were locked and I was unable to post or private message. Therefore, we did not have an adequate opportunity to explain our position and our rationale, or to answer the criticisms.

The main message the Orioles want to share with each of you is that we remain committed to supporting online Orioles communities. We do appreciate your love of the Orioles and for your passion both for and against some of our decisions, policies, efforts and initiatives.

If anyone would like to contact me to discuss your concerns, I?d be more than happy to open up a dialogue.

Greg, I'm sure the O's do all sorts of great things in the community, but it is kind of unfortunate timing for you that at the same time the O's are yanking their advertising from this site, there are threads like this about the Ravens:

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/foru...rigance-photos

Again, I'm sure the O's do plenty of things like this, but at the moment it's an unfortunate contrast.

[The Rick]

My apologies for not responding to your many questions and replies; however, shortly after my second post on Monday, our accounts were locked and I was unable to post or private message. Therefore, we did not have an adequate opportunity to explain our position and our rationale, or to answer the criticisms.

The main message the Orioles want to share with each of you is that we remain committed to supporting online Orioles communities. We do appreciate your love of the Orioles and for your passion both for and against some of our decisions, policies, efforts and initiatives.

If anyone would like to contact me to discuss your concerns, I’d be more than happy to open up a dialogue.

The only apology truly needed from your end is for coming on here and openly explaining the details of your negotiations with Tony. It blows my mind that you would stoop that low. Regardless of what Tony did to piss you off in negotiations, that never should have happened. It's this type of behavior that has me more hopeless than I've ever been as a fan of this team.

What you did is akin to a boy breaking up with his girlfriend, and then sending a mass e-mail to all of her closest friend's and family explaining how screwed up she was. It's childish and petty and I hope you were reprimanded for it.

Tony - Sorry, I know you're saying that we're moving on, but it bothers me that he would come on here again to offer a token apology while not addressing at all his biggest flaw during all of this.

[ChaosLex]

The O's have less in attendance most nights than there are members of this board, IMO. If I'm wrong, it can't be by much.

I guess I just don't understand how crapping on one of your most dedicated fanbases is good for business. I bought a cartoon bird hat a few months ago, and after the events of the last few days, I'm pretty sure that'll be my last O's purchase for awhile. That includes going to games, merchandise, etc.

I see no reason to spend my income (most of which is already going to a wedding and home purchase) on a losing team that refuses to throw their fans a bone.

[BrunoCherrytown]

Mr. Bader,

After the O's did nothing this offseason that required real money can you please share the pre-planned excuse for when we don't sign Soler?

Thanks in advance.

[grimed1]

Mr. Bader,

I know some people who work in the Sales Department. What is going on ? You got rid of your marketing firm and went inhouse after a long relationship. You seemed to have also lost the OH relationship. I thought the O's were going to give a special gift to Season Tickets holders for the 20th season or has that also been nixed?

[SammyBirdland]

Mr. Bader,

I know some people who work in the Sales Department. What is going on ? You got rid of your marketing firm and went inhouse after a long relationship. You seemed to have also lost the OH relationship. I thought the O's were going to give a special gift to Season Tickets holders for the 20th season or has that also been nixed?

I think they're tidying up finances in preparation for sale of the team.

[olehippi]

The more I read this thread, the madder I get at the Orioles. Ya know what?....I don't think we (as Orioles fans) should let the Orioles, and whoever is responsible for this asinine decision, get away with it!! Like myself, I'm sure a lot of people have already contacted the Orioles, but we should continue to LOUDLY voice our displeasure to them.

Mr. Bader, if you seriously want to open a dialogue, how about an e-mail address?

For those going down to Sarasota to take in some ST games, how about picketing outside the Orioles shiny new ST facility? And once the season starts, we can picket, and maybe even try an "Occupy Camden Yards" protest? No doubt both would get some local, and maybe even national, news coverage. Let's give 'em hell!!




(WARNING: this rant may be the result of a '60's flashback.)

[McNulty]

I still want an explanation of how the O's can justify this when the team remains VERY profitable to Angelos, by all accounts.