Stan "The Fan" Charles: Orioles Fans Shockingly Absent For Pivotal Series

[Phantom]

Before I get flamed, I have gone to some games lately despite the above...

Anyone that flames you for how you choose to spend your time and money is a freaking moron.

[Going Underground]

Anyone that flames you for how you choose to spend your time and money is a freaking moron.

Agreed. No one has to go to a ballgame. Can't go due to work or school or kids or economic reasons. Don't want the hassle.

[Phantom]

Agreed. No one has to go to a ballgame. Can't go due to work or school or kids or economic reasons. Don't want the hassle.

It's muggy as hell outside, my TV looks amazing, and I get to watch with my dog.

[allquixotic]

Do you have to have promotions of some sort to support the team? Is that the new type fan? Give me something then I will come watch the team?

Actually, no. I know you are countering another person's viewpoint, but I think there is a different -- serious -- reason why people are not showing up.

It's simple: they increased ticket prices.

Consider: Wages have not increased significantly for the masses of the people since the 1970s. Meanwhile, the cost of living (tax, rent, food, gas, education, medical - the big ones) have gone up and up. So have the Orioles' ticket prices and the cost of concessions. We're also fresh out of a deep recession at the end of the last decade, and this decade's "recovery" has been modest, slow-going, and not exactly confidence-inspiring. People in Maryland are probably better off than the national average, as evidenced by our median income figure, but there are still a lot of people in Maryland living near or below the poverty line.

With these economic forces, is it really any wonder that only the upper crust can regularly afford to go to games? Even the most die-hard fan will get much more bang for their buck in terms of games experienced for the money, by signing up for cable, following Gameday on a smartphone, or just buying a $20 radio. If they're a huge fan they might save up money to go to one or two games a year.

Valve, the company behind the popular Steam game platform, did a big study a few years back, and found that publishers who lower their PC game prices early and often, actually make more money over the lifespan of the game, than companies that always charge a hefty full price license fee before finally chucking it in the $5 bargain bin five years later.

This should be a no-brainer for the Orioles. As they say, empty seats make no money. People are going to buy concessions if they get to the stadium. They're going to buy Light Rail tickets and fill the LAZ parking garages. All of this benefits the City and the Orioles, even if they're making less money per seat. And they'll probably make a net higher profit on ticket sales to boot.

If I were Peter, I would seriously consider just selling all tickets 50% off their current prices for the remainder of the season. It sounds like it might be a bit much, but they're already making money hand over fist. Imagine if they could pack OPACY with 35-40k fans per night for the rest of the year. They would totally make EVEN MORE money than they could, selling tickets at current prices and netting 15-25k fans a night. It would benefit the whole area. Restaurants both inside and outside the park, and hotels, would feel the boost, too.

Come on, Peter. This is a pure numbers game. I'm not a mathematician or an economist and I can do this. It's simple. Lower Ticket Prices. Do it.

[Going Underground]

It's muggy as hell outside, my TV looks amazing, and I get to watch with my dog.

What if the dog wants to watch Real Housewives or whatever stupid place? Dog may not like Jim Hunter,especially if it not a hunting dog. May be mad that the Orioles don't have Dogs in the Park like most teams.

May hate Davis swing and his dog Samson. Maybe not happy he or she is not in the Orioles Pet Calendar.

[epic]

I think there are a couple of things plaguing our attendance numbers this season. The team's performance has been on a slow downward spiral since the all-star break which isn't giving the fans much hope and the price to experience a night at the yard has gone up from last year even after a mediocre year.

Also, it's not as much the lack of promotions than it is the lack of discounted tickets. I personally don't care about an Orioles lawn gnome or a paperboy hat but if you take 30-40% off the ticket prices you'll have my attention. I can't say for certain but I feel like a majority of fans feel the same way, too.

[Ripken]

Also, it's not as much the lack of promotions than it is the lack of discounted tickets. I personally don't care about an Orioles lawn gnome or a paperboy hat but if you take 30-40% off the ticket prices you'll have my attention. I can't say for certain but I feel like a majority of fans feel the same way, too.

I brought up "promotions" and, by that, I meant discounted tickets. I don't care about trinkets. Last game we did was the Manny yard gnome. I didn't even know that was the giveaway that day.

[tntoriole]

Beginning when the Nats moved into Nationals Park in 2008 and through the present day, there has been a marked drop in attendance at Camden Yards.

You can talk promotions all you want, or fan loyalty all you want, but when the Orioles were over 3 million in attendance, there were no Nationals. It has never approached

3 million since the Nats moved there and it has been more around the 2 million mark which is likely the max of this region.

It is not the quality of the team. I attended games at Memorial Stadium with the best teams in all of baseball history from 1969 to 1970 and they barely broke the 1 million mark in attendance.

Nope, in fairness to Potter, this is exactly the effect that he was fighting against in the relocation process. And it has come to fruition.

[UpstateNYfan]

This team is frustrating enough to watch on the tube. When they get pitching they don't hit and when they hit they don't get pitching. They are a pretty boring group with too many K's. Why pay $$$$ for such a product.

[notfast]

edited post

SO I guess there is no more "day of game charge."

I was unaware of this...

[Going Underground]

Beginning when the Nats moved into Nationals Park in 2008 and through the present day, there has been a marked drop in attendance at Camden Yards.

You can talk promotions all you want, or fan loyalty all you want, but when the Orioles were over 3 million in attendance, there were no Nationals. It has never approached

3 million since the Nats moved there and it has been more around the 2 million mark which is likely the max of this region.

It is not the quality of the team. I attended games at Memorial Stadium with the best teams in all of baseball history from 1969 to 1970 and they barely broke the 1 million mark in attendance.

Nope, in fairness to Potter, this is exactly the effect that he was fighting against in the relocation process. And it has come to fruition.

The Orioles attendance dropped 700,000 people before the Nationals even moved here.Having 6 straight 90 loss seasons doesn't help.Attendance has gone up frpm 1.7 million to 2.4 million because of winning.

[tntoriole]

The Orioles attendance dropped 700,000 people before the Nationals even moved here.Having 6 straight 90 loss seasons doesn't help.Attendance has gone up frpm 1.7 million to 2.4 million because of winning.

That is true if you just look at one year...but the Orioles had multiple 3 million plus seasons before the move and have had none since then. And rather than having a baseline in down seasons of 2 million and going over 3 million when they win, they may go from 1.5 to just over 2 million when they win but not come close to 3 million. This is the Nationals effect. Period.

[Going Underground]

That is true if you just look at one year...but the Orioles had multiple 3 million plus seasons before the move and have had none since then. And rather than having a baseline in down seasons of 2 million and going over 3 million when they win, they may go from 1.5 to just over 2 million when they win but not come close to 3 million. This is the Nationals effect. Period.

It was over time.I think if the Orioles were good when the Nationals first got here they would have not lost as many fans.14 years of losing and when the Nationals got here with six straight losing seasons made them lose the fans they needed for 3 million. Also,the Orioles are more profitable since the Nationals moved here then ever before.MASN deal saved Angelos.

[tntoriole]

It was over time.I think if the Orioles were good when the Nationals first got here they would have not lost as many fans.14 years of losing and when the Nationals got here with six straight losing seasons made them lose the fans they needed for 3 million. Also,the Orioles are more profitable since the Nationals moved here then ever before.MASN deal saved Angelos.

Which Angelos knew he would need due to loss in his customer base. There were many companies all the way around the DC Beltway that had season tickets before the Nationals. There were fans who regularly came from the DC area and Northern VA to Camden Yards. You can attribute the decline to whatever you want, but there are only x amount of baseball fans in the Baltimore Washington area and all those fans had to come to Camden Yards to see a ML game and now many of them never come to Camden. We will never ever see 3 million in attendance with the Nationals in Washington.

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