Will the fans show?

[eddie83]

Baseball, especially home games, is very kid-friendly. I take my kids to DC United a few times a year, and sit in our seats adjacent to the Screaming Eagles. They know not to repeat certain RFK words, and to cover their heads after a goal so as not to be struck by flying beer cups (and beer). But there's absolutely none of that drunk-macho-fight thing that often seems to accompany the NFL. It's all drunk singing happy, or drunk singing bawdy songs about the ref's questionable parentage. I'd certainly rather have the boys at RFK than FedEx or probably the Ravens' Stadium.

And as you said before that atmosphere isn't the same for Red Sox and Yankees games.

Football and baseball games are completely different. Opening Day and playoff ganes have a football intensify to them. Right wrong it is more acceptable to make an ass out of yourself at a football game.

[schittenden]

At least with RFK and Fedex, where you sat, had a lot to do with the rowdiness.

If you managed to get into the season ticket boxes, you get away from the rowdiness.

Club level tickets certainly help at Ravens games.

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[BergerKing]

I think the pricing structure really handcuffs the Orioles on offering ticket deals even after low ticket sales. If they offered any crazy ticket price breaks they wouldnt be able to undercut the price that season plan holders have already paid. That is a quick way to piss of your season plan holder fan base. I doubt they would want to pay back credits to those who paid $50 for a ticket in hopes that they could sell more at a lower price to drive up attendance.

[DrungoHazewood]

And as you said before that atmosphere isn't the same for Red Sox and Yankees games.

Football and baseball games are completely different. Opening Day and playoff ganes have a football intensify to them. Right wrong it is more acceptable to make an ass out of yourself at a football game.

I've been to an O's away playoff game where I saw almost no other O's fans (in Cleveland) and felt pretty safe, no real threats whatsoever. No one said a word to me or my family last year at SkyDome for an O's game.

I've been to a regular season Virginia Tech@WVU game where people came up to within inches of me with no provocation at all and screamed/spit a long string of profanities at me. I've had an 80-year-old woman at WVU tell me in no uncertain terms to get out of her stadium. I've had batteries and beer thrown at me at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse. I had people run down from other sections to taunt me at Miami after every home score.

Now... I've also been clad in head-to-toe in Orange and Maroon many times at Scott Stadium (UVA) and the worst I ever got was a sideways look from a guy in boat shoes and pink shirt with a popped collar.

[schittenden]

I think the pricing structure really handcuffs the Orioles on offering ticket deals even after low ticket sales. If they offered any crazy ticket price breaks they wouldnt be able to undercut the price that season plan holders have already paid. That is a quick way to piss of your season plan holder fan base. I doubt they would want to pay back credits to those who paid $50 for a ticket in hopes that they could sell more at a lower price to drive up attendance.

I think they need to rethink how they price games. I don't have a problem with the dynamic pricing (although it isn't really dynamic) in concept. The implementation seems poor though. It seems to me they focused more on opponent than anything. It seems to me they need to focus more on gameday/time. I'd do something like this...

Friday & Saturday nights: top tier

Sunday day: Second Tier

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: Third Tier

Monday and any weekday day games: Bottom Tier

Then look at opponent and adjust up or down from there. Use pricing to encourage people to come during the week. Use ticket promotions on off nights/for weak opponents. Use giveaways on weekday nights and for weak opponents on weekends.

[BergerKing]

I think they need to rethink how they price games. I don't have a problem with the dynamic pricing (although it isn't really dynamic) in concept. The implementation seems poor though. It seems to me they focused more on opponent than anything. It seems to me they need to focus more on gameday/time. I'd do something like this...

Friday & Saturday nights: top tier

Sunday day: Second Tier

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: Third Tier

Monday and any weekday day games: Bottom Tier

Then look at opponent and adjust up or down from there. Use pricing to encourage people to come during the week. Use ticket promotions on off nights/for weak opponents. Use giveaways on weekday nights and for weak opponents on weekends.

They could go the NBA/NHL route as well. I feel like season ticket holders for those sports get crazy discounts vs the single game pricing. I bought tickets direct from the Capitals for a Penguins/Caps game and I paid over $100 a ticket for the same section as my buddy who is a season plan holder his pricing was only like $50 for virtually the same seats. That gives the team a lot of wiggle room should the sales lack. They have a $50 window to get butts in the seats if the sales are not there.

[Trackmaster]

I think they need to rethink how they price games. I don't have a problem with the dynamic pricing (although it isn't really dynamic) in concept. The implementation seems poor though. It seems to me they focused more on opponent than anything. It seems to me they need to focus more on gameday/time. I'd do something like this...

Friday & Saturday nights: top tier

Sunday day: Second Tier

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: Third Tier

Monday and any weekday day games: Bottom Tier

Then look at opponent and adjust up or down from there. Use pricing to encourage people to come during the week. Use ticket promotions on off nights/for weak opponents. Use giveaways on weekday nights and for weak opponents on weekends.

I'd also stick to a policy of only doing promotional nights, ticket giveaways to the community, nonprofits, and businesses Monday through Thursday. And really trying to avoid having people pick Fri-Sun as their corporate picnics or organizational events. Give sweet rates for Monday-Thursday games. And I don't really think there's a huge problem with getaway games being empty. Nobody expects sell-outs for those games, and when it looks empty, nobody judges. There are 80 other games and 46,000 seats that are never filled to capacity to make up that revenue. I love the getaway games, and would take at least one vacation day a year to go one when I lived in Maryland.

I also think it might be a cool idea to charter some buses and have them go non-stop from different park and rides in the different suburbs around the area, getting to the park at 6:25 PM and leaving 15 minutes after the last pitch, and throwing that in as part of the ticket price. Give people every reason to go and take away any reason not to go.

[ReclaimTheCrown]

I'd also stick to a policy of only doing promotional nights, ticket giveaways to the community, nonprofits, and businesses Monday through Thursday. And really trying to avoid having people pick Fri-Sun as their corporate picnics or organizational events. Give sweet rates for Monday-Thursday games. And I don't really think there's a huge problem with getaway games being empty. Nobody expects sell-outs for those games, and when it looks empty, nobody judges. There are 80 other games and 46,000 seats that are never filled to capacity to make up that revenue. I love the getaway games, and would take at least one vacation day a year to go one when I lived in Maryland.

I also think it might be a cool idea to charter some buses and have them go non-stop from different park and rides in the different suburbs around the area, getting to the park at 6:25 PM and leaving 15 minutes after the last pitch, and throwing that in as part of the ticket price. Give people every reason to go and take away any reason not to go.

I particularly like your idea of expanding direct charter buses, though have to advertise it well. I know they used to have one from Timonium and one from White Marsh. We'd take the Timonium bus for a few bucks and get a $5 student seat and do the whole night on a $20 (helped we were in high school and couldn't waste a bunch of cash on booze). Not sure if they still have them.

[eddie83]

I think the pricing structure really handcuffs the Orioles on offering ticket deals even after low ticket sales. If they offered any crazy ticket price breaks they wouldnt be able to undercut the price that season plan holders have already paid. That is a quick way to piss of your season plan holder fan base. I doubt they would want to pay back credits to those who paid $50 for a ticket in hopes that they could sell more at a lower price to drive up attendance.

You make a good point here. I personally for limited late season games would not be upset myself but others would be.

[eddie83]

I think they need to rethink how they price games. I don't have a problem with the dynamic pricing (although it isn't really dynamic) in concept. The implementation seems poor though. It seems to me they focused more on opponent than anything. It seems to me they need to focus more on gameday/time. I'd do something like this...

Friday & Saturday nights: top tier

Sunday day: Second Tier

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: Third Tier

Monday and any weekday day games: Bottom Tier

Then look at opponent and adjust up or down from there. Use pricing to encourage people to come during the week. Use ticket promotions on off nights/for weak opponents. Use giveaways on weekday nights and for weak opponents on weekends.

This makes a lot of sense. Something along these lines. School night games haven't sold in years and yet they think because it is Boston they should price them higher. From an attendance standpoint it simply isn't working.

[eddie83]

I'd also stick to a policy of only doing promotional nights, ticket giveaways to the community, nonprofits, and businesses Monday through Thursday. And really trying to avoid having people pick Fri-Sun as their corporate picnics or organizational events. Give sweet rates for Monday-Thursday games. And I don't really think there's a huge problem with getaway games being empty. Nobody expects sell-outs for those games, and when it looks empty, nobody judges. There are 80 other games and 46,000 seats that are never filled to capacity to make up that revenue. I love the getaway games, and would take at least one vacation day a year to go one when I lived in Maryland.

I also think it might be a cool idea to charter some buses and have them go non-stop from different park and rides in the different suburbs around the area, getting to the park at 6:25 PM and leaving 15 minutes after the last pitch, and throwing that in as part of the ticket price. Give people every reason to go and take away any reason not to go.

I don't think they have to do away with weekend giveaways they just need to addite perks during the week.

[ChuckS]

I'm planning on going to the game tomorrow night and getting that hoody. The promotion says to the first 25,000 fans over 15. I've gotten to the ballpark an hour before game time in the past (for other promotions) and they were all gone, but I'm not sure how that is possible given the number of seats and kids under 15 in attendance.

[eddie83]

I'm planning on going to the game tomorrow night and getting that hoody. The promotion says to the first 25,000 fans over 15. I've gotten to the ballpark an hour before game time in the past (for other promotions) and they were all gone, but I'm not sure how that is possible given the number of seats and kids under 15 in attendance.

A guy I work with went last Friday and said the socks were gone when he got there. They didn't have a huge crowd last Friday, not like it was 40K.

[BergerKing]

I'm planning on going to the game tomorrow night and getting that hoody. The promotion says to the first 25,000 fans over 15. I've gotten to the ballpark an hour before game time in the past (for other promotions) and they were all gone, but I'm not sure how that is possible given the number of seats and kids under 15 in attendance.

A good chunk of the upper deck especially sections like 368-388 are bought by give away re-sellers. They have probably already gone through the line 20-30 times in the first hour of the gates being opened.

[eddie83]

A good chunk of the upper deck especially sections like 368-388 are bought by give away re-sellers. They have probably already gone through the line 20-30 times in the first hour of the gates being opened.

I thought they tried to put an end to that??