Will the fans show?

[NashLumber]

In 2014 the new stadium helped them lead all minor leagues in attendance at just under700k.

Charlotte (southern NC) and Durham (central NC), with maybe a game or two left on the schedule each, have combined for over a million this year. And these are ballparks that hold 10,000. Impressive.

Haven't even looked at Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Asheville or Carolina Mudcats (Raleigh area).

Baseball is doing well in the Tarheel State.

[Going Underground]

Peter Schmuck wrote two articles for the Sun.Never mentioned the price increase, lateness of season ticket sales and individual sales or promotions. Talked about Yankee fans not being at the game but not really explaing anything.

[Frobby]

No 24,000 something. At least tomorrow might go ver 30,000.Sunday probably not.They put the prices for Yankee fans and they really are not into this team. Oriole fans don't want to pay double to watch a young Yankee team.They used to get an extra 200,000 in Yankee and Red Sox fans a year but does not seem any more.Sort of catered to those fans when they were bad.

Maybe their pricing strategy is maximizing revenue despite the attendance drop, I don't know. But I find it sad that on a beautiful Friday night, with the O's in the thick of a hot playoff race with an exciting young pitcher on the mound, against a hated division rival that is nipping at our heels, only 24,000 people show up. That house should be packed. Something is terribly wrong.

[weams]

Peter Schmuck wrote two articles for the Sun.Never mentioned the price increase, lateness of season ticket sales and individual sales or promotions. Talked about Yankee fans not being at the game but not really explaing anything.

Yankee fans were half the crowd in the past.

[Frobby]

This, 100%. 70 inch big screen makes it hard to fork over money and time to go to baseball and football games. Even the NFL had to lift the blackout rule, and people preferring to stay at home to watch the game is the reason.

I enjoy watching games on TV, but nothing beats live baseball, being surrounded by thousands of fans urging their team on. I've had some of the best times of my life at Orioles games. I wouldn't trade those experiences for watching the game on my couch. But it's a better experience when the stands are full of fans. I went on Monday and it was like being in a mausoleum. The O's marketing people are really doing a lousy job.

[ReclaimTheCrown]

Maybe their pricing strategy is maximizing revenue despite the attendance drop, I don't know. But I find it sad that on a beautiful Friday night, with the O's in the thick of a hot playoff race with an exciting young pitcher on the mound, against a hated division rival that is nipping at our heels, only 24,000 people show up. That house should be packed. Something is terribly wrong.

I agree but I do think this is where variable pricing really hurts attendance. It's assuming a big Yankees crowd, and set up to gouge them, but without a horde of New Yorkers, O's fans are dissuaded by the price tag. I understand why we do it, but would hope to see the divergence in pricing at least decreased in the future.

I am one that (as is clear through this and other threads) believes butts in seats matters, even if the bottom line looks better because of price increases.

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[fansince1988]

The casual fans from the immediate DC metro area are keeping their Sox and Yankees gear in the closet and attending Nats games.

[weams]

I agree but I do think this is where variable pricing really hurts attendance. It's assuming a big Yankees crowd, and set up to gouge them, but without a horde of New Yorkers, O's fans are dissuaded by the price tag. I understand why we do it, but would hope to see the divergence in pricing at least decreased in the future.

I am one that (as is clear through this and other threads) believes butts in seats matters, even if the bottom line looks better because of price increases.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think the place needs to be packed right now. And I am embarrassed that it is not.

[Frobby]

I think the place needs to be packed right now. And I am embarrassed that it is not.

Yankees - Friday, Sept. 7, 2012: 40,861

Yankees - Friday, Sept. 12, 2014, 43,707

(We didn't have a Friday September game against the Yankees in 2013 or 2015.)

That's what I expected to see last night.

[Going Underground]

I think the place needs to be packed right now. And I am embarrassed that it is not.

Agree.You said you spoke to marketing. Remember when they used to have Holiday 4 or 5 packs.They were popular and used to sell out.Over 3/4

of the teams do it.Last year the Orioles had a Summer Six Pack with savings of 20%.This year nothing No

Ollie's or nothing.90%of the giveaways are not during a Classic or Value game so you are sort of paying extra for your trinket

Remember when they were going to do away with 13 game plans and go to 20 or more .The way they did it was messed up and had to fix. They sort of decided after 14 years of losing baseball and two winning seasons to try to shake more money out of season ticket holders. I wrote an email to the biggie of Marketing and he was very condescending. Like I know better then you and screw your 15 years of season tickets.That's when I decided to get Nationals season tickets. I was gone from the Orioles but they went back to the 13 game plan.I guess Mr Big Shot of Marketing was perhaps wrong and you should not talk down to people.

[Frobby]

I think Mr. Angelos needs to take a hard look at his marketing operation and strategy this offseason. As I said, maybe the pricing strategy is maximizing revenue, even if attendance isn't maximized. But I have to wonder about that, and I do think higher attendance has benefits in terms of both helping the team to win and building fan loyalty.

[weams]

Agree.You said you spoke to marketing. Remember when they used to have Holiday 4 or 5 packs.They were popular and used to sell out.Over 3/4

of the teams do it.Last year the Orioles had a Summer Six Pack with savings of 20%.This year nothing No

Ollie's or nothing.90%of the giveaways are not during a Classic or Value game so you are sort of paying extra for your trinket

Remember when they were going to do away with 13 game plans and go to 20 or more .The way they did it was messed up and had to fix. They sort of decided after 14 years of losing baseball and two winning seasons to try to shake more money out of season ticket holders. I wrote an email to the biggie of Marketing and he was very condescending. Like I know better then you and screw your 15 years of season tickets.That's when I decided to get Nationals season tickets. I was gone from the Orioles but they went back to the 13 game plan.I guess Mr Big Shot of Marketing was perhaps wrong and you should not talk down to people.

I said I spoke to the Orioles. I have spoken with Marketing as well.

[birrman54]

Another issue is the pricing for sections as you move down the 3B line is clearly off. The angled section in the lower bowl is routinely empty - it's priced the same as any of the other lower bowl seats that have much better sightlines - they should be cheaper.

I was seated in the bleachers last night. It seemed like most of the sections from dugout to dugout upper and lower were filled. Also the LF upper/lowers seemed reasonably full also. It's the big diagonal sections on either side that are essentially empty. There's any number of reasons for reduced attendance overall but there's clear signals those seats are priced incorrectly.

[weams]

Another issue is the pricing for sections as you move down the 3B line is clearly off. The angled section in the lower bowl is routinely empty - it's priced the same as any of the other lower bowl seats that have much better sightlines - they should be cheaper.

My wife has told them this before. And it is in the TV shot view. It makes the place look empty. they and should look to fill it and sections 5, 7, and 8.

[pastorfan]

I think Mr. Angelos needs to take a hard look at his marketing operation and strategy this offseason. As I said, maybe the pricing strategy is maximizing revenue, even if attendance isn't maximized. But I have to wonder about that, and I do think higher attendance has benefits in terms of both helping the team to win and building fan loyalty.

I think a lot of it is just simply the economy. I make about $10 dollars more per pay check than I did with the same company 6 years ago, and it will be even less soon with raising healthcare costs. I think just plain economics has a lot to do with it.