Fan appreciation or fan ripoff weekend?

[OriolesMagic83]

This coming weekend is fan appreciation weekend.  There are giveaways on Saturday and Sunday and fireworks on Friday.  My problem with this weekend is that the O's made this weekend's games into prime games.  Seems like a contradiction, jacking up prices and calling it fan appreciation weekend.  Attendance will probably be abyssmal because the O's are playing the Rays and are out of playoff competition.

[joelala]

Hahahaha yea that's pretty ridiculous to raise prices on fan appreciation week, let alone in a meaningless series against the Rays.  Pretty out of touch if you ask me.

[SteveA]

That was decided before the season.

   1) Division opponent.

   2) Weekend series

   3) Giveaways scheduled

   4) The team had been in contention with a week left in the season 4 of the past 5 years and the expectation was they would be again.

I can see where making them prime games made sense before the season.

If attendance will be as sparse as you say, you should have no problem getting tickets cheap.   I used StubHub and paid $16 to get in last night (and then never sat in the LF upper deck seats I had paid for, went out to section 3 which has a great view of the field in an empty row and no one said anything.   I stopped at Subway on the way to the light rail and got a $6 footlong.   Light rail $3.60, a $5.75 iced tea at the ballpark, I spent less than $32 last night total..   Could have been under 30 if I had brought an iced tea in with me.

I will say, as I have before, that the Orioles really upped their game for giveaways this year.   Quality of giveaways was excellent (MD flag jersey for example); unique new ones we hadn't seen before like the welcome mat, toothbrush holder for kids, bottle stopper set; sprucing up old familiar ones (adding an Aussie style chin strap to the floppy hat for the first time).   The promotions department deserves kudos.

[OriolesMagic83]

My mistake, only the Saturday game is Prime.  No game that is not opening day against Tampa should be Prime.  I just found out that there are Elite games too.  Just seems like a money grab to have all these ticket price levels.  I can see higher prices for Red Sox and Yankee games, but not 5 different levels of ticket prices.

[OriolesMagic83]

I'm thinking of going to a game this weekend (I live in central Virginia).  Will there be a problem getting tickets from scalpers.  I assume I can get them face value or lower.  Where do scalpers or resellers hang out at?

[Frobby]

I get tickets to 8 games a year via my ticket group, and this year I made it a priority to select as many giveaway games as I could.   So far I've scored the Zach Britton bobblehead, OPACY replica, and Schoop t-shirt, and this weekend I'll be getting the hooded sweatshirt.    And didn't have to pay premium prices!

On the spur of the moment, I also went to the late-scheduled Beckham t-shirt game, which wasn't on the original promotional calendar.    

[OFFNY]

o

 

In the past, I have gotten free season tickets, and have also been allowed onto the field during batting practice in a game against the Indians for the numerous times in which I was selected as "Fan of the Game" ...... and the reason was because I was chosen as the "Fan of the Game" on fan appreciation weekend on 2 separate occasions (2008 and 2010.)

 

Overall, I think that the Orioles do a good enough job with their giveaways/promotions/goodies, especially on fan appreciation weekend ........ plus, I always do what Steve-A does when I make the trip from Brewster, NY to Baltimore (I buy the cheapest tickets available in the upper reserve section, and then simply walk down to the field level and sit in the box seats.)

 

o

[SteveA]

12 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I get tickets to 8 games a year via my ticket group, and this year I made it a priority to select as many giveaway games as I could.   So far I've scored the Zach Britton bobblehead, OPACY replica, and Schoop t-shirt, and this weekend I'll be getting the hooded sweatshirt.    And didn't have to pay premium prices!

On the spur of the moment, I also went to the late-scheduled Beckham t-shirt game, which wasn't on the original promotional calendar.    

Yeah, I went all out for giveaways this year too.   Welcome mat, tote bag (didn't plan that one, didn't even know that was the giveaway until they handed me one), bottle stopper set, MD flag jersey, OPACY replica, Mancini t-shirt, Memorial Day t-shirt with Orioles logo in red white and blue, ski cap.   Those are the ones I come up with at work off the top of my head and I have a nagging feeling I missed one.

[Nevermore]

I do wish that they would make super-xxxx size t shirts for fans like me. I got a Beckham t shirt that I  had to give away. But I got the miniature OPACY and that's really cool.

[Frobby]

18 minutes ago, Nevermore said:

I do wish that they would make super-xxxx size t shirts for fans like me. I got a Beckham t shirt that I  had to give away. But I got the miniature OPACY and that's really cool.

I think they only give away two sizes, XL and medium.    If you're a small, large or XXL or larger, you're out of luck.     Of course, a small person can always wear a medium, or a large can wear an XL, and just look a little baggy.    It doesn't really work the other way around.

[OFFNY]

29 minutes ago, Nevermore said:

 

I do wish that they would make Super-XXXX sized t-shirts, for fans like me. I got a Beckham t-shirt that I had to give away. But I got the miniature OPACY, and that's really cool.

 

o

 

I didn't know that you were an Oriole fan ........ how are you, Mr. Tony Atlas ???  ll

 

o

[turtlebowl]

15 hours ago, OFFNY said:

o

 

In the past, I have gotten free season tickets, and have also been allowed onto the field during batting practice in a game against the Indians for the numerous times in which I was selected as "Fan of the Game" ...... and the reason was because I was chosen as the "Fan of the Game" on fan appreciation weekend on 2 separate occasions (2008 and 2010.)

 

Overall, I think that the Orioles do a good enough job with their giveaways/promotions/goodies, especially on fan appreciation weekend ........ plus, I always do what Steve-A does when I make the trip from Brewster, NY to Baltimore (I buy the cheapest tickets available in the upper reserve section, and then simply walk down to the field level and sit in the box seats.)

 

o

I took my daughter who is 16 to a game this summer.  It had rained all day and the O's were playing bad so I expected attendance to be low.  Bought 2 tickets on stub hub for $16 a piece which were good seats, terrace box down the 3rd base line.  After the 3rd inning I decided to move forward into the field box area and as soon as we set down an usher walked up and asked to see our tickets.  I was honest and told him that our seats were about 20 rows back but since the stadium was nearly empty I thought we could slide forward (nobody within 2 rows of where we sat down).   The usher with an attitude said that it is absolutely not permitted and I needed to go back to my seat.  I was like "cmon man, the stadium is empty, why would you treat a paying customer this way". He said he doesn't make the rules, he just enforces them.  So we get up and instead of going back towards my seat we get in the isle and start walking towards left field.  The usher follows us for 3 sections!! We then went out to the concourse and went to the right field side where we had no issues.   

The crowd was just over 12k that night.  I go to about 6 games a year and truly don't look to beat the system.  This night however was just a dad daughter bonding night.  The weather was not good and the stadium was empty.  It actually aggravated me to the point to where I never even looked to go to another game this year.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

3 hours ago, turtlebowl said:

I took my daughter who is 16 to a game this summer.  It had rained all day and the O's were playing bad so I expected attendance to be low.  Bought 2 tickets on stub hub for $16 a piece which were good seats, terrace box down the 3rd base line.  After the 3rd inning I decided to move forward into the field box area and as soon as we set down an usher walked up and asked to see our tickets.  I was honest and told him that our seats were about 20 rows back but since the stadium was nearly empty I thought we could slide forward (nobody within 2 rows of where we sat down).   The usher with an attitude said that it is absolutely not permitted and I needed to go back to my seat.  I was like "cmon man, the stadium is empty, why would you treat a paying customer this way". He said he doesn't make the rules, he just enforces them.  So we get up and instead of going back towards my seat we get in the isle and start walking towards left field.  The usher follows us for 3 sections!! We then went out to the concourse and went to the right field side where we had no issues.   

The crowd was just over 12k that night.  I go to about 6 games a year and truly don't look to beat the system.  This night however was just a dad daughter bonding night.  The weather was not good and the stadium was empty.  It actually aggravated me to the point to where I never even looked to go to another game this year.

That sucks. There are a lot of great ushers there, but there are a few that play the role of "I control this area! Kneel before me, puny fan!" 

[OFFNY]

3 hours ago, turtlebowl said:

 

I took my daughter who is 16 to a game this summer.  It had rained all day and the O's were playing bad so I expected attendance to be low.  Bought 2 tickets on stub hub for $16 a piece which were good seats, terrace box down the 3rd base line.  After the 3rd inning I decided to move forward into the field box area and as soon as we set down an usher walked up and asked to see our tickets.  I was honest and told him that our seats were about 20 rows back but since the stadium was nearly empty I thought we could slide forward (nobody within 2 rows of where we sat down).   The usher with an attitude said that it is absolutely not permitted and I needed to go back to my seat.  I was like "cmon man, the stadium is empty, why would you treat a paying customer this way". He said he doesn't make the rules, he just enforces them.  So we get up and instead of going back towards my seat we get in the isle and start walking towards left field.  The usher follows us for 3 sections!! We then went out to the concourse and went to the right field side where we had no issues.   

The crowd was just over 12k that night.  I go to about 6 games a year and truly don't look to beat the system.  This night however was just a dad daughter bonding night.  The weather was not good and the stadium was empty.  It actually aggravated me to the point to where I never even looked to go to another game this year.

 

 

 

29 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

 

That sucks. There are a lot of great ushers there, but there are a few that play the role of "I control this area! Kneel before me, puny fan!" 

 

o

 

On the final series of the season in 2011 against the Red Sox, the ushers in the section that I usually sit in (field level, 1st baseline) were being unusually strict, and asking to see the tickets of everybody there. They had not been doing so the night before (Monday), but they were on that particular day (Tuesday.) Time after time, they continually booted people out of the section whom did not have the corresponding ticket(s.) The tickets that my girlfriend and I were in the upper-reserve in leftfield. When the usher asked to see my tickets, I showed them to him, expecting him to give us the heave-ho. But to my surprise, he said, "Yeah, OK. I saw you two here last night." He then escorted us to a nearly empty row in that field-level section, and told us to sit there. I gave him $5, because I was so grateful for him making an exception to the rule for my girlfriend and I. 

 

One year later year later, I saw him again. I walked up to him, and gave him another $5. He was surprised, and asked me what that was for. I told him, "You're a really good guy."

 

o

[Woody Held]

22 hours ago, SteveA said:

That was decided before the season.

   1) Division opponent.

   2) Weekend series

   3) Giveaways scheduled

   4) The team had been in contention with a week left in the season 4 of the past 5 years and the expectation was they would be again.

I can see where making them prime games made sense before the season.

If attendance will be as sparse as you say, you should have no problem getting tickets cheap.   I used StubHub and paid $16 to get in last night (and then never sat in the LF upper deck seats I had paid for, went out to section 3 which has a great view of the field in an empty row and no one said anything.   I stopped at Subway on the way to the light rail and got a $6 footlong.   Light rail $3.60, a $5.75 iced tea at the ballpark, I spent less than $32 last night total..   Could have been under 30 if I had brought an iced tea in with me.

I will say, as I have before, that the Orioles really upped their game for giveaways this year.   Quality of giveaways was excellent (MD flag jersey for example); unique new ones we hadn't seen before like the welcome mat, toothbrush holder for kids, bottle stopper set; sprucing up old familiar ones (adding an Aussie style chin strap to the floppy hat for the first time).   The promotions department deserves kudos.

They are not really giveaways anymore, because the cost of the item is incorporated into the ticket price