2011 Ticket prices raised

[Lateralus]

Let's rewind to last August: The last game of the eventual three game sweep of the Angels to start the Buck Showalter era was on.

The Orioles were buried in last place and it was not even close.

That broadcast on MASN was the most watched show in the market at the timeslot for that night. THE MOST WATCHED. People definitely care about their Orioles, and with some improvement on the field, they'll show that with their wallets.

Well they're already kinda forced to do that now.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Well they're already kinda forced to do that now.

Nobody's forced to do anything.

[Lateralus]

Nobody's forced to do anything.

Well, if a fan would like to watch the Orioles play in person than they will be forced to pay higher prices if they choose to get their tickets from the Orioles.

But yes, point taken.......Nobody forces anyone to go to games, root for the O's, watch them on tv, etc.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Well, if a fan would like to watch the Orioles play in person than they will be forced to pay higher prices if they choose to get their tickets from the Orioles.

But yes, point taken.......Nobody forces anyone to go to games, root for the O's, watch them on tv, etc.

Right. Either the fans will spend their money or they won't. And I have a feeling that this is the point where attendance flattens out without the team starting to win, and that if they do look better this year no one will care at all about the price.

[underdog]

Why do you act as though you are the only person who wants that?

The thing is, none of that matters until the team wins. And there's very little fans can do to change that outside of giving up and spending their money elsewhere.

That's what "Fine, don't go," (what I actually said, not what you think I said) means. Either continue watching (and increasing the ad revenue) and going to games and understand what that means as a fan and a critic, or stop going and watching and actually do something.

Why do I think I am the only one who wants that? Do you want the FO to continue on the same path they have been on for these many lowly years? If you felt otherwise, you would not defend their inability to even achieve mediocrity a single time since 1997. Would you offer up any suggestions about how the team might improve themselves in 2011, or are you content with the way it is now? Are Nolan Reimold and Felix Pie the left field tandem of a champion? Who is on the roster that we can hold up favorably against Tex or Adrian Gonzales? If you think they are doing things right, than you probably deserve to wallow in an empty stadium with a 5th place team. If you think analytically at all about this team (and as a baseball fan, you have to), you can't really think that the way the organization has been and is run is the right way. There are 14 years of standings that say otherwise. But if current fans will only shrug and say "well that makes sense", when the front office lowballs free agents, cuts their payroll, and raises ticket prices, we will never get anywhere. I would defend PA all the way if he was half as dedicated to putting the best team possible on the field as he is about turning the maximum profit. Here is a guy that could set $10,000 on fire every single day for the rest of his life and still have enough to leave his sons a 7 figure inheritance tax. What has this guy ever done that was so right that his ineptitude is worthy of such an ardent defense? Please enlighten me. I would probably stop fussing about it so much if there was a reasonable explanation. I have followed everything that has happened in Baltimore sports since I was a kid in the 1960's, and this is one thing I just can't seem to get a grasp on.

[DuffMan]

Let's rewind to last August: The last game of the eventual three game sweep of the Angels to start the Buck Showalter era was on.

The Orioles were buried in last place and it was not even close.

That broadcast on MASN was the most watched show in the market at the timeslot for that night. THE MOST WATCHED. People definitely care about their Orioles, and with some improvement on the field, they'll show that with their wallets.

Great point. And how about the huge crowd we had when Wieters made his debut. This town wants to see a winner again. Now does that make them fairweather fans for not showing up while they are losing, I'll leave that debate for another day.

[Lateralus]

The thing for me is, after the past 13 years are the O's really in a position to start charging for:

Game-day walk up tickets?

Autographs at Fanfest?

Increased ticket prices?

I understand inflation, and how the O's have always had one of the cheapest ticket prices in MLB, let people bring in food/drink, etc. but c'mon.

Of course that whole "inflation" talk seems kinda hollow since our payroll now is actually lower than it was in the past at times.

[orioleman123]

Well for the Autographs: That's 3,750 dollars they're giving to charity... 15 Sessions at a rate of 15 dollars times 250 people that can get tickets... So they're not making any profit for the team

For the ticket prices, if you love/like the Orioles you will pay extra couple dolllars

All I'm hoping is that they don't raise the food prices then it's a fricking war (New Concession business)

[Lateralus]

I'm not saying that giving money to charity is a bad thing but I just think there is a better way they could've gone about it.

They could've suggested that fans donate what they feel autographs are worth with the contributions going to charity and with the Orioles matching donations accumulated from Fan Fest or something similar instead of basically saying "As away to cut down on adults who are jerks and only get autographs to turn around and sell on ebay we're now charging $15 per session with those funds going to charity."

Again, not saying money to charity is bad, just seems they could've pitched it to the public better. But this is of course the O's and they are not the masters of PR.