Attendance

[Dark Helmet]

Fine. Stats. Baltimore ranks behind four other "baseball cities" in violent crime rates. Detroit, Oakland, St. Louis, Milwaukee. Ranks more or less on par with Cleveland and Kansas City. It has the same problems of any major city. And none of that is new. Baltimore wasn't some cheery place until 2015.

It's not what's keeping people away. Last year's poor play and recently increased ticket prices drove down this year's numbers. It's simply not economically easy to go to a game anymore.

I think your underestimating how much fear is keeping people away. I know 6 people alone that didn't renew their season tickets because they don't want to take their kids downtown anymore. I know more and more people staying away from the harbor in general. I'm not saying it's the sole reason, but it has been an impact.

[Rojo13]

A DC team, riots, etc all impact but organization hasn't done much to overcome those challenges. The team has been around 1st place all year, and the Orioles chose not to capitalize on that. No mid-season packages or additional discounts on weekday games. It's just a couple billboards that focus on the game experience and connect the identity of baseball and summer and then commercial after commercial about having your kid run the bases on Sunday.

I need a marketing expert to tell me why they don't do big promotions during the week.

I would Chris Davis bobblehead on a Tuesday. Fans always go on the weekends. Weekdays, they need incentive to get there.

Please tell me why they don't do the promotions for the mid-week games. It's always baffled me.

[Dark Helmet]

I need a marketing expert to tell me why they don't do big promotions during the week.

I would Chris Davis bobblehead on a Tuesday. Fans always go on the weekends. Weekdays, they need incentive to get there.

Please tell me why they don't do the promotions for the mid-week games. It's always baffled me.

The average fan usually has a tough time getting to the game during the week. I know I can't make it to a 7 pm start without leaving work early. And I really don't feel like getting home at 1130 trying to get to bed and then getting up at 5. And for me personally, a free hat or bobble head or whatever doesn't overcome that hassle.

[DrungoHazewood]

I think your underestimating how much fear is keeping people away. I know 6 people alone that didn't renew their season tickets because they don't want to take their kids downtown anymore. I know more and more people staying away from the harbor in general. I'm not saying it's the sole reason, but it has been an impact.

People are often very bad at judging risk of low-probability events. People like my Dad who've lived in rural and suburban areas their whole life just round off the crime rate in any big city to about 100%.

[DrungoHazewood]

The average fan usually has a tough time getting to the game during the week. I know I can't make it to a 7 pm start without leaving work early. And I really don't feel like getting home at 1130 trying to get to bed and then getting up at 5. And for me personally, a free hat or bobble head or whatever doesn't overcome that hassle.

They're not targeting me and you, people who live multiple hours away. I wouldn't come to many Tuesday games if it was free beer and tickets night.

[notfast]

Then I hate to say those people are fools. There wasn't alot of violence. It was looting and burning stuff down in areas that were already depressed way outside of the developed downtown area. Downtown Baltimore (inner harbor area) is damn safe as it's the crown "jewel". There is absolutely no way anything would happen there as it's Baltimore's money maker.

Hopkins has it's a bad areas. But nothing is gonna happen to you by Scores, Fells Point or Little Italy.. It's west of Little Italy and north of Fells Point aka.. Washington Hill and Dunbar. Then between Franklin Square and North Ave. Othern then those two areas.. the city is pretty safe give or take one or two pockets.

Their choices are illogical and based on other things and I hate to say it.. but it screams it.

This is just not true. There was violence at Pickles/Sliders, windows broken in Dempsey's...banks and other stores had windows broken around the arena during the night the Stadium was locked down.

[Redskins Rick]

They're not targeting me and you, people who live multiple hours away. I wouldn't come to many Tuesday games if it was free beer and tickets night.

Its perception, I think the area around National Park, is a lot worse than the area around OPACY.

This from a guy that has worked nights in old Southeast as a young man, and have the best and worse of both DC and Baltimore.

[atomic]

Fine. Stats. Baltimore ranks behind four other "baseball cities" in violent crime rates. Detroit, Oakland, St. Louis, Milwaukee. Ranks more or less on par with Cleveland and Kansas City. It has the same problems of any major city. And none of that is new. Baltimore wasn't some cheery place until 2015.

It's not what's keeping people away. Last year's poor play and recently increased ticket prices drove down this year's numbers. It's simply not economically easy to go to a game anymore.

You can still get into a game pretty cheap. More likely missing the playoffs gave people no incentive to buy season tickets. As during the end of 2014 if you put a deposit down for 2015 tickets you got playoff tickets in 2014.

It does worse in regards to crime than most other "major" cities. You can ignore the riots happened. You can ignore the record setting murder rates. It doesn't mean family of four from Hereford, MD doesn't think it is more dangerous. And I think it dangerous and it backed up with stats. I don't know why you are arguing facts. It is a dangerous city there is no real way to argue that. Sure a lot of people might know their assaulter but their were gangs of teenagers ramming into cars and then punching the driver and stealing the cars recently. Unlicensed dirt bike riders plowing into pedestrians. Most of the teams fans are from the suburbs.

[Redskins Rick]

This is just not true. There was violence at Pickles/Sliders, windows broken in Dempsey's...banks and other stores had windows broken around the arena during the night the Stadium was locked down.

A one time isolated case. The Governor stepped in with the National Guard, and order was restored.

Is this any different then the Kent State riots in DC back in the 60s or the Watts riots in NY City?

[notfast]

No, Rite Aid in Lexington burned during the day.

CVS @ Penn/North Ave was the one that was burned down. This is where the riots popped off.

Rite Aid at Lexington Market did not burn down. MLK Blvd did. Chase St had some damage.

[Dark Helmet]

They're not targeting me and you, people who live multiple hours away. I wouldn't come to many Tuesday games if it was free beer and tickets night.

I don't live multiple hours away. But when your at work until 6, it's hard to get home and cleaned up and drive even 45 minutes for a 7 pm game.

[Dark Helmet]

I don't live multiple hours away. But when your at work until 6, it's hard to get home and cleaned up and drive even 45 minutes for a 7 pm game.

I see what your saying now. I misread it. I gotcha.

[Redskins Rick]

Let be real too.

With big screen high def TVs in most every home and MASN, it is easier to fit that into your schedule, then a ball game.

[Dark Helmet]

People are often very bad at judging risk of low-probability events. People like my Dad who've lived in rural and suburban areas their whole life just round off the crime rate in any big city to about 100%.

I agree. I've never had any issues. And like many have said, crime in Baltimore isn't a new thing.

[notfast]

A one time isolated case. The Governor stepped in with the National Guard, and order was restored.

Is this any different then the Kent State riots in DC back in the 60s or the Watts riots in NY City?

People are kidding themselves if they don't think the "issues" going on in the United States aren't effecting stuff like sports attendance figures in areas like Baltimore. I mean just a few weeks ago there were people blocking 83 to "protest."

This WILL keep people from traveling to Baltimore. Do I think ticket prices are more of an issue? Of course...but there are definitely people who won't come to the city in fear of roads being block during non-peaceful protests etc.

I've personally been to more games this year than any of the last 10 seasons so this isn't my thought process but it is the thought process of many.