Guess what I just found out???

[SammyBirdland]

Stopping selling Yankee and Red Sox gear in the team store will not stop them from overrifding our park. Winning more games and more Oriole fans coming to OPACY will.

And my point is that they spend too much of their concern with the big revenue they get from Yankees and Red Sox and not enough concern on building their own success, fanbase, and brand.

It's not just about hats. The hats are a symptom. For example, what about a balanced schedule where every team plays every other team for an equal number of games. Do you think that would contribute to Oriole success on the field? I do. But do you think the Orioles front office would like that? Heck no they wouldn't! They would lose a ton of Yankee/Red Sox revenue.

In my opinion, the franchise needs to focus on standing on its own two feet, or I might be seeing the Portland Orioles in my lifetime.

[BaltimoreTerp]

And my point is that they spend too much of their concern with the big revenue they get from Yankees and Red Sox and not enough concern on building their own success, fanbase, and brand.

That doesn't make any sense. You're basically accusing the Orioles of not wanting to win because they would lose money from the Yankees and Red Sox fans that come to the park.

Of course, this completely ignores the fact that a great Orioles team would not only fill up the Yankees and Red Sox games anyway, but would fill up the games against so many other teams.

Why would they throw out lots more money from hometown fans in favor of less money from the fans of two teams?

[OFFNY]

And my point is that they spend too much of their concern with the big revenue they get from Yankees and Red Sox and not enough concern on building their own success, fanbase, and brand.

It's not just about hats. The hats are a symptom. For example, what about a balanced schedule where every team plays every other team for an equal number of games. Do you think that would contribute to Oriole success on the field? I do. But do you think the Orioles front office would like that? Heck no they wouldn't! They would lose a ton of Yankee/Red Sox revenue.

In my opinion, the franchise needs to focus on standing on its own too feet, or I might be seeing the Portland Orioles in my lifetime.

And with our already struggling attendance and our relatively modest ability to sink lots of money into our player payroll, we might be seeing those same Portland Orioles for the very reason that you allude to if we decide to stop selling opposing team gear, which (at the moment) is very profitable. The last thing that a consistently losing, mid-market team like the Orioles can afford to do is cut off our noses to spite our faces.

[SammyBirdland]

That doesn't make any sense. You're basically accusing the Orioles of not wanting to win because they would lose money from the Yankees and Red Sox fans that come to the park.

Of course, this completely ignores the fact that a great Orioles team would not only fill up the Yankees and Red Sox games anyway, but would fill up the games against so many other teams.

Why would they throw out lots more money from hometown fans in favor of less money from the fans of two teams?

I'm accusing the Orioles of being more concerned with the easy money from piggybacking on the success of the Red Sox and Yankees rather than the long term elbow grease of trying to get their own fans into the yard. It's much easier to leech off the teams that do what it takes to win than to do what it takes to win.

[BaltimoreTerp]

I'm accusing the Orioles of being more concerned with the easy money from piggybacking on the success of the Red Sox and Yankees rather than the long term elbow grease of trying to get their own fans into the yard. It's much easier to leech off the teams that do what it takes to win than to do what it takes to win.

But again, you say that they take 36 mostly-full games to 81 2/3-3/4-full games. They are leaving an awful lot of money on the table.

[SammyBirdland]

and our relatively modest ability to sink lots of money into our player payroll

That's by choice. Our owner is a very wealthy man. At one point he had a greater net worth than the late George Steinbrenner. I don't know if that's still the case. At any rate, a high team payroll is an investment. A consistently good product will gain a greater fan following. But, like I said, it takes time, money, and effort to build a winning franchise. Right now we're choosing to take the easy route and piggyback on the Yanks and Sawx.

[SammyBirdland]

But again, you say that they take 36 mostly-full games to 81 2/3-3/4-full games. They are leaving an awful lot of money on the table.

Exactly! But, the hard/expensive work is building a successful team to get that money that's being left on the table.

I think our trains of thought are colliding. Now think, when is the last time we had a "great Orioles team"? When's the last time we got a marquee free agent? When's the last time we had a winning season? When's the last time our team payroll was greater than 60% of what the Red Sox spend?

The Red Sox and Yankees are already making the investment. We're apparently satisfied with the revenue we get from our own sub-standard operation (statistically speaking) plus the revenue we get from them.

"If you build it they will come".

[JERSEYORIOLE]

The Orioles are in very different circumstances than the Red Sox. The opposing fans never outnumber the home fans at Fenway (North). The Red Sox have no need for a "Protect this Yard" campaign. They'd be better off with a "Protect your Season Tickets by Paying for 10 Years in Advance" campaign.

This is the point.

[JERSEYORIOLE]

I get your point - but wouldn't other teams just have a ball laughing at us for refusing to sell Sox or Yankee stuff in our team store... when they all do it? The media would have a field day - Leno would be calling us losers. We would once again be the laughingstock of baseball.

I think the point is, lets not make visting fans feel at home no?

[SammyBirdland]

I think the point is, lets not make visting fans feel at home no?

Right. You're welcome to come to our house and visit, but that doesn't mean you can poop on our living room floor.

[Goop]

I still oppose it, regardless of industry practice or the generation of revenue. It disgusts me.

Gotta agree with you.

[LookitsPuck]

I don't like it, but I understand why.

And talk about something blowing up in JTRea's face. Pedal, pedal, pedal!

[OFFNY]

I don't like it, but I understand why.

And talk about something blowing up in JTRea's face. Pedal, pedal, pedal !

Ehhhhhhh, while he did go after some of us in a very arrogant manner, let´s not be too sadistic about the payback. We made our point, so let´s let it fade into the background.

[Chevytrckman3]

Honestly, does it matter? The Yanks and RS merchandise is a top seller across the country. It would really be bad business for the Orioles to shut out that market. It's sad, but you can bet the Yanks/Sox sell more merchandise in the MD/DC/VA areas then the O's/Nats combined. If the O's would focus on putting a quality product on the field, the rest wouldn't be an issue. I've become pretty used to the fact that the O's will take a back seat to the Yanks/Sox in our own stadium, until the O's decide they want to matter.

BTW- I've never had the chance to attend a Ravens game in person, but do they sell Steelers gear? Just curious.

[TonySoprano]

This thread, and, moreover, the one that spawned it, leave me shaking my head as to why they're necessary. The merchandise in OPACY is probably 90% or more Orioles, but you wouldn't know that from all the inane caterwauling. Back in the early 80s, I collected baseball hats, and over the course of numerous visits to Memorial Stadium, I had a cap of every MLB team. You could also buy other teams' pennants and the old fashioned plaster bobble-heads as well.