Angelos interview in PressBox

[frankpembleton]

All i am saying that the rivalry between the yankees and sox acts as fuel to the rabid fan fire. All of the fanfare that comes when these two teams meet. The questions that arise whenever one makes a move and how the other will respond. Its basically a college rivalry on a major league level. How many Terps fans, through the lean years, have said "as long as we beat Duke..." or something to that effect. If it weren't for the Army/ Navy game no one would care about Navy football who didn't go there or didnt live within a 15 minute radius of downtown Annapolis.

Yeah fine, if you don't buy into it - thats fine you don't buy into it.

this is just my theory on why Sox fans are the way they are.

My theory is that they, like the Cardinals, have a good team year in and year out and always give their fans hope that they will be good. While they might now win it all, they are always competitive. It also helps that they are in a huge market with more potential fans.

[SilentJames]

Prior to 2004, how does a smaller park impact anything if they're not selling it out?

It doesn't in the 90's the Orioles outdrew them, I have said thia. But look closer.

92 OPACY opens - the immediate effect is shown. Prior to OPACY, Memorial staidum never drew more than 40K a game, and that was a bigger park.

Plus, how do you explain those TERRIBLE numbers in the 70's?

[Sapper]

It doesn't in the 90's the Orioles outdrew them, I have said thia. But look closer.

92 OPACY opens - the immediate effect is shown. Prior to OPACY, Memorial staidum never drew more than 40K a game, and that was a bigger park.

Plus, how do you explain those TERRIBLE numbers in the 70's?

I don't know. I was in kindergarten at the time. All I know is that saying that the Redsox fans are ALWAYS so rabid and die-hard is a modern myth. It's a huge bandwagon right now and its a slap in the face for Angelos -- OUR OWN OWNER -- to say that they're better fans than we are. F them and F him. We've been to the playoffs twice in over 2 decades and they only started beating us in the last couple years in attendance and that was with the help of a 120M payroll and all-star loaded rosters.

[MCO'sFan]

Great find, I was impressed with the interviewer. I thought he was respectful but asked the right questions!

[Andy_Dufresne]

He's being disingenuos about average ticket prices when compared to Fenway Park. The Lux Boxes and club seats do not factor into the average ticket prices. Neither does the catering profit to that area.

Fenway has almost none of that. Angelos also gets nice parking and concession fees, I'm not sure the Red Sox have such a sweet deal.

[SilentJames]

I don't know. I was in kindergarten at the time. All I know is that saying that the Redsox fans are ALWAYS so rabid and die-hard is a modern myth. It's a huge bandwagon right now and its a slap in the face for Angelos -- OUR OWN OWNER -- to say that they're better fans than we are. F them and F him. We've been to the playoffs twice in over 2 decades and they only started beating us in the last couple years in attendance and that was with the help of a 120M payroll and all-star loaded rosters.

The Sox fans we see around here - they are the bandwagon morons. And they were of noticeably smaller numbers last night downtown (i work in the harbor, normally swarming with them no matter what day or time of year)

But the BOSTON fans, different creature entirely. fenway has never been at fewer than 50% capacity over the time you gave, that can not be said about Memorial or Camden.

It is not a slap against Orioles fans -we have our core, we have our diehards. There are just fewer of us and that is the truth.

[Frobby]

"They are doing this day in and day out. And they are selling out and have a rabid fan base. [The] strongest baseball fans are, I think, the Boston fans. And they went 80 years and didn't win a damned thing but they were supported and they are fortunate to have that kind of fan base. Our problem has been [an inability] to generate the kind of revenue that is needed to compete in the AL East."

I wonder if Angelos has followed Red Sox history very closely. To say "they went 80 years and didn't win a damned thing" is just so wrong. They had a winning record every single year from 1967-86, including 3 World Series appearances. In the 20 years since then they have ahd a winning record 14 times, including a World Series title, 3 division titles and 4 wild card appearances. You would have to go back to 1933 to find the last time the Red Sox had 9 losing season in a row.

Fans support teams that win. They abandon teams that lose consistently. That is a simple fact.

[BaltimoreTerp]

He's being disingenuos about average ticket prices when compared to Fenway Park. The Lux Boxes and club seats do not factor into the average ticket prices. Neither does the catering profit to that area.

Fenway has almost none of that. Angelos also gets nice parking and concession fees, I'm not sure the Red Sox have such a sweet deal.

I think that is too general for what is being discussed, as those are other revenue sources.

The Red Sox have a RSN that has been running for twenty years, and an obscene TV market they are already drawing from, if we want to go into what one team has that another does not.

[Mark Carver]

He's being disingenuos about average ticket prices when compared to Fenway Park. The Lux Boxes and club seats do not factor into the average ticket prices. Neither does the catering profit to that area.

Fenway has almost none of that. Angelos also gets nice parking and concession fees, I'm not sure the Red Sox have such a sweet deal.

The Red Sox are making out like a bandit in all aspects of income. Tickets, concessions, parking, etc. The fan index as has been posted before between the 2 ballclub is like night and day...

Fan Index

Boston = $287.84

Baltimore = $158.62

Parking

Boston = $23.00

Baltimore = $8.00

Beer

Boston = $6.00 (12 oz)

Baltimore = $4.25 (18 oz)

Soda

Boston = $2.75 (14 oz)

Baltimore = $2.00 (16 oz)

Hot Dog

Boston = $4.00

Baltimore = $2.50

You can also take in food and drinks to OP@CY within restrictions... I'll betcha you can't do that in Boston.

I was correct... from Red Sox MLB.com

Fans may not bring backpacks, coolers, computers, briefcases, or large bags into Fenway Park. No food or beverages can be brought into the ballpark. Fans traveling directly from work are reminded to leave the items listed above at their place of business. Fans who have small bags, containers, small purses and diaper bags that fit beneath their seats can enter at Gate B only. Fans will NOT be permitted to store any of the prohibited items at Fenway Park.

[frankpembleton]

The Sox fans we see around here - they are the bandwagon morons. And they were of noticeably smaller numbers last night downtown (i work in the harbor, normally swarming with them no matter what day or time of year)

But the BOSTON fans, different creature entirely. fenway has never been at fewer than 50% capacity over the time you gave, that can not be said about Memorial or Camden.

It is not a slap against Orioles fans -we have our core, we have our diehards. There are just fewer of us and that is the truth.

The Red Sox are ALWAYS GOOD! The last time they had a stretch anywhere near the Orioles (60-66) they were below 50% capacity! Plus they have a huge metro area to draw from - about 3 times the size of Baltimore.

[Sapper]

The Sox fans we see around here - they are the bandwagon morons. And they were of noticeably smaller numbers last night downtown (i work in the harbor, normally swarming with them no matter what day or time of year)

But the BOSTON fans, different creature entirely. fenway has never been at fewer than 50% capacity over the time you gave, that can not be said about Memorial or Camden.

It is not a slap against Orioles fans -we have our core, we have our diehards. There are just fewer of us and that is the truth.

50% of 35k is a lot less than 50% anywhere else.

[JTrea81]

Year B'More Attend/G Bos Attend/G Difference

2005 32,404 35,159 -2,755

2004 33,877 35,028 -1,151

2003 30,303 33,632 -3,329

2002 33,117 32,727 390

2001 38,686 32,412 6,274

2000 40,704 31,925 8,779

1999 42,385 30,200 12,185

1998 45,490 28,577 16,913

1997 45,816 27,483 18,333

1996 44,475 28,583 15,892

1995 43,034 30,061 12,973

1994 46,097 27,747 18,350

1993 45,000 29,901 15,099

1992 44,047 30,476 13,571

The Camden Yards effect is in full swing from years 1992-1998, but then in 1998 the Sox start to increase in attendence, why?

November 18, 1997

Traded a player to be named later and Carl Pavano to the Montreal Expos. Received Pedro Martinez.

The Red Sox made a bold step and that put the fanbase behind them again. Adding Ramirez in 2000 further increased attendance. Ballpark improvements were also made to boost seating and enhance the atmosphere. Now I know OPACY is great but there are some improvements that could be made. More brick walls are not one of them.

Notice also in 2004 the Orioles attendance went up considerably from 2003 because they made a splash in FA. In 2005 they didn't land anybody except for Sosa (who was done) and were in first place for awhile - what happened? Attendance decreased.

The moral is if you make a commitment to the team then the fans will come. IF the O's go out and sign Soriano and Schmidt or Zito or trade for Teixeira I truly believe attendance will reach the 38-40 thousand mark.

[Sapper]

I wonder if Angelos has followed Red Sox history very closely. To say "they went 80 years and didn't win a damned thing" is just so wrong. They had a winning record every single year from 1967-86, including 3 World Series appearances. In the 20 years since then they have ahd a winning record 14 times, including a World Series title, 3 division titles and 4 wild card appearances. You would have to go back to 1933 to find the last time the Red Sox had 9 losing season in a row.

Fans support teams that win. They abandon teams that lose consistently. That is a simple fact.

And I would say that fans of any other town would have abandoned the O's far earlier than this. Strong attendance up until the past couple seasons at Camden Yards is what I would call abnormally loyal.

[Frobby]

And I would say that fans of any other town would have abandoned the O's far earlier than this. Strong attendance up until the past couple seasons at Camden Yards is what I would call abnormally loyal.

I will even go a step further. Oriole fans are not abandoning the team just because they have been losing. They are abandoning the team because they perceive that ownership is not making a genuine effort to win.

[TyCobb]

I really enjoyed the interview. It really gives me hopes for a good offseason. I am thinking the 60 mill for the LF is Lee. The ace could be Schdmit at 12 mill a year, and the 1st baseman I have no clue.