Why are the Orioles games not sold out right now?

[Hank Scorpio]

Uh, lets hope HanksGF doesn't read this thread!

I doubt she reads the OH anymore, Dip.

Hank's got a new GF.

[Frobby]

That's not exactly true. We irrevocably held their TV rights, and legally did not have to give them up unless we agreed to. Essentially, the Nationals could have come here, but all of their money would have had to have been earned by ticket sales, merchandise, stadium naming, etc. and not from the biggest source, which is TV. If you recall, in their first season, all Nationals games were blacked out in the Virginia, DC, MD area, even the ones on ESPN, TBS, and Fox. If we had stuck to our guns, they would have either decided not to come, relocated eventually, or been such a small presence that we would have had a fighting chance against them. Angelos was bribed into doing so with the sweetheart deal that he got. And I stress that he personally got the benefit, not the team and the fans. He got the network put in his name, with money going to him that he doesn't have to put back into the team, and we still have to pay the Nationals fair market value for their rights, and he got a minimum sales price for the franchise.

What would have benefitted us as fans would be a subsidy of 10% of any contract that we sign, and the ability to move to the NL East, while the Nationals take our spot in the AL East.

My recollection is a little fuzzy, but I don't think it is correct that the Orioles "irrevocably held" the TV rights that would have precluded the Nats from getting a TV deal. Rather, Peter Angelos had developed a series of legal arguments about how the other teams would have liability to him if they allowed another team to come in and take some of their TV market. I don't think it is clear at all that his arguments would have won in court, but they were credible enough that he was able to negotiate the sweetheart MASN deal.

[Dark Helmet]

Im kind of getting tired of those saying there's no excuse to not be at a game. 10 dollars a ticket isn't bad alone, but when you multiply that x4, then parking, and gas and tolls, it becomes more. And that's before you factor in loss wages, since most of us don't have 9-5 jobs. Im on a swing shift, and work 10pm-7am. I can't afford games AND lost wages. Not to mention my boss wouldn't exactly like me missing to go watch a ballgame. Some people don't want to go, but don't tell me I have no reason to NOT be there, if you don't know my situation personally. I know things look better from your high horses, but there's some of us stuck in the real world.

[TGO]

See, the Orioles don't do enough of this kind of stuff. The Orioles sit back and think, "we're winning now, people should come" instead of making it impossible NOT to come. I mean, seriously, if the O's offered decent seats for $5, I'd be there all the time, even if I just go alone and leave the family at home. MASN has been telling us all week how bad the crowds are, and how they are only expecting 7000 fans today. So then why isn't there a MASSIVE effort on the part of the Orioles PR and Marketing giving away discounted seats, hell, FREE seats, just to get people into the Park? It makes no sense. The O's EXPECT people to come instead of making wise moves to MAKE people come. That is why their attendance stinks!

The O's have $6 student night once a week. Friday nights. Was $5 a few years ago. Works at any age as long as you have a student ID (and if your kid doesn't but they're clearly a kid, I have a feeling you could still get a ticket. But don't know for certain).

They also have bargain nights on Tuesdays ($9), which is typically the worst attendance day of the week other than Monday (but Monday is frequently a day off).

Yes, these are upper reserve seats and yes, they could be $1 or whatever instead of $6.

[tennOsfan]

MLB tickets, parking and concessions cost a lot everywhere. Other teams are drawing more fans. For once, the Os are within reach of first place entering the last month of the season, and they draw 13,000 or so people to a Wednesday night game against a division leader.

I don't want to hear excuses. That's pitiful for a town that wants to act like it's a significant city.

[Dark Helmet]

MLB tickets, parking and concessions cost a lot everywhere. Other teams are drawing more fans. For once, the Os are within reach of first place entering the last month of the season, and they draw 13,000 or so people to a Wednesday night game against a division leader.

I don't want to hear excuses. That's pitiful for a town that wants to act like it's a significant city.

And the cost of living is higher than others. The cost of living in Md is one of the highest in the country.

[NATTYBO's]

Season ticket sales drive attendence especially during the week. I've been to 4 games this year and they have all been to games with promotions on the Weekend so I can enjoy them with my kids. With work I'm not interested in going to a week day game when I can enjoy it at home.

[NATTYBO's]

Just announced 13,098....I think everyone should reserve judgement on attendance until the next few series.....The NYY and Boston Game look like there will be great attendece. Still alot of seats open for the TB game though.

[TonySoprano]

Tampa has a legit excuse. That ballpark is like watching baseball inside of White Marsh mall. Its so unbelievably bad. We, on the otherhand, have a phenomenal ballpark.

They're screwed and their situation isn't going to change anytime soon.

Built before Camden Yards in Baltimore, which created the retro look that came to dominate baseball architecture, Tropicana Field is trapped in the 1970s, when domes, artificial turf and multipurpose bowls were standard fare.

The concession stands are buried in rotundas far from the seats, the scoreboard is tiny and the surrounding neighborhood is about as far from Wrigleyville as possible. On occasion, the stadium?s catwalks have deflected balls hit high in the air, making the whole stadium ? it is the only one in baseball with a roof that does not open ? feel like a Rube Goldberg contraption.

Tropicana Field looks even older than it is because team after team has moved into a new stadium since the Rays began existence there in 1998.

Mayor Bill Foster scoffs at critics who accuse him of holding the Tampa Bay Rays prisoner in their stadium. Yes, attendance has generally been weak at Tropicana Field, an unattractive venue that lacks many of the amenities found at newer stadiums and, yes, people who live on the other side of the bay, in Tampa, are clamoring for the team to move there.

But the Rays are legally obligated to play here for another 15 years, and the city, Pinellas County and the state still owe $80 million on the stadium, which opened two decades ago. St. Petersburg worked hard to get the Rays, and it is not going to let them leave without a fight, not when they have become one of the better teams in baseball and not when their rent payments provide most of the money over the next four years to pay off that $80 million debt.

Foster is so intent on keeping the team in St. Petersburg that he has essentially threatened to sue anyone, including lawmakers in neighboring cities, who speaks to the team about moving elsewhere, citing a clause in the city?s agreement that prohibits tortious interference, or inducements to break a contract.

source - NY Times, Jun 13, 2012

[Dipper9]

I doubt she reads the OH anymore, Dip.

Hank's got a new GF.

Oh. I did not know that.

So, whats the rule on asking out a fellow Hangouter's ex girlfriend if said Hangouter is married and has met other said Hangouter and girlfriend one time each? lol

Just kidding!

[Dipper9]

Just announced 13' date='098....I think everyone should reserve judgement on attendance until the next few series.....The NYY and Boston Game look like there will be great attendece. Still alot of seats open for the TB game though.[/quote']

Double the expected attendance. That's pretty damn good. Much have been a lot of walk ups!

[Burg]

Attendance for the entire series was 47,035. Not great - let's hope it picks up in September.

[Going Underground]

Double the expected attendance. That's pretty damn good. Much have been a lot of walk ups!

That is Wednesday's attendance,unless the O's just are using the same figure.

[ShaneDawg85]

I think we can all agree and conclude there are a lot of factors that have been building up for years that have effected attendance in spite of winning this season (i.e. the losing, economy, Nationals, etc.), as well as sporadic factors such as the Grand Prix that make getting to the ballpark and around a general frustration. While we can debate the reasons why and whether they're justified, I think we can also agree that next week against the Yankees will be a strong barometer, given that the race will be over, Labor Day will be over, and it will be a series with potential playoff implications. If attendance is disappointing for that, or is overwhelmingly Yankee fan dominated, then we should be more annoyed and concerned.

The general statement that Rome wasn't built in a day holds true in this case, but those of us who have the ability to do so have done our part to alleviate the problem. I've been to five* games this year (* went to Royals rain fest, but didn't stay for the game), and can see at least three other possible dates I may be going to in September. For those who can and have gone, keep up the good work, and regardless, everyone enjoy this team wherever you might be.

[Going Underground]

I think we can all agree and conclude there are a lot of factors that have been building up for years that have effected attendance in spite of winning this season (i.e. the losing, economy, Nationals, etc.), as well as sporadic factors such as the Grand Prix that make getting to the ballpark and around a general frustration. While we can debate the reasons why and whether they're justified, I think we can also agree that next week against the Yankees will be a strong barometer, given that the race will be over, Labor Day will be over, and it will be a series with potential playoff implications. If attendance is disappointing for that, or is overwhelmingly Yankee fan dominated, then we should be more annoyed and concerned.

Attendance will be real good for the Yankee series. Saturday will be close to a sellout.Attendance will be fine but I see over half Yankess fans except for Thursday.