A Night At The Ballpark

[Going Underground]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

I’m going today and will keep an eye on the prices.   Trying to decide whether to bring my own sandwich.   I do love me a stadium bratwurst.  I bring my own water or soda but usually like to purchase an adult beverage or two.

Last year there were vendors selling stuff in the stands, but not as many of them as in past years.  No sign of Clancy.   I think the drasctically lower attendance means it doesn’t make sense to have as many vendors, so the ones who are there have more ground to cover.   And then when they have the occasional game where the crowd is bigger they are not equipped to handle it.  That 32,000+ crowd on Friday night was larger than any crowd the O’s had in 2021.

Does help that MLB gave the Orioles the Yankees on a holiday weekend. Aldo have the Red Sox over the weekend when they come back from the road trip.The balanced schedule will hurt the Orioles attendance somewhat by not having the extra games against the Yankees and Red Sox 

[Going Underground]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

I’m going today and will keep an eye on the prices.   Trying to decide whether to bring my own sandwich.   I do love me a stadium bratwurst.  I bring my own water or soda but usually like to purchase an adult beverage or two.

Last year there were vendors selling stuff in the stands, but not as many of them as in past years.  No sign of Clancy.   I think the drasctically lower attendance means it doesn’t make sense to have as many vendors, so the ones who are there have more ground to cover.   And then when they have the occasional game where the crowd is bigger they are not equipped to handle it.  That 32,000+ crowd on Friday night was larger than any crowd the O’s had in 2021.

According to the Baltimore Sun article, he was at Opening Day.

As the Swaders and hundreds of other hopeful fans waited for the gates to open Monday afternoon, Clarence “Fancy Clancy” Haskett was inside the stadium, icing hundreds of beers. Haskett has been a beer vendor at Orioles games for 48 years, and the animated salesman greeted everyone — people in the stadium, people on the phone — with the same exclamation: “Happy New Year!”

[JimGinSP]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

Personally, i think the idea of the 1992 prices for tickets is genius and has brought many more fans to the stadium already then would not have come.

As for concession prices, if anyone hasn't noticed, everything is higher EVERYWHERE thanks to inflation that we have not seen since the early 80s. Are consessions outrageous, sure, they are, but they've been that way for a long time and most people just kinda figure that into the equation. Took my son to a WWE wrestling match at Royal Farm Arena and the cheapest beer was $16. Grant it it was 24 ounces, but that was cheapest they had and food was crazy high there too. 

I like the idea that the Orioles allow you to bring in your own food again if you are on a budget. Everyone knows they are going to pay a lot of money for alcoholic beverages at sporting/concert events. As one person said, if that's your driving force to attend, get pre liquored up at Sliders or Pickels.

Now, the long lines and lack of vendors is a problem the Orioles should be able to do something about. 

Spot on Tony, and as someone who apparently has been genuinely “screwed” by the Oriole organization, it’s appreciated that you are ready to praise and defend that same organization when they do something positive.

Just to add my 2 cents, I’ve always noted that ballpark beers were about 4 times more expensive than those found in a local watering hole.   That goes back to the days when you paid $4.75 for a National Premium at Memorial Stadium.  They were about a buck over on Greenmount Ave back then. So if you are paying $16 a beer now, that would equate to $4 outside the stadium.   Sounds about right.
Also the cheap ticket strategy isn’t exactly new or unique.  Minor league teams have done this forever.  It’s always been easy to get free tickets to minor league games if you  looked around the community for them via coupons or giveaways.  Minor league parks have long forbid fans from bringing any food in and their concession prices aren’t cheap either especially if you’re attending as a family.

[scarey1999]

It’s not just OPACY. It’s everywhere.

I paid $20 for a very mediocre cheeseburger and a 22 ounce non-souvenir cup soda at Globe Life in Arlington last night. Got to see Shotime put on quite a display agains the Rangers, which was awesome as a baseball fan! 
 

Nice ballpark btw. Even though it looks very, very strange on the outside, the inside is fantastic. Very well done. 

[fansince1988]

There is a Jimmy Johns on the corner of W Pratt and S Howard near the north end of the warehouse. I used to go there all the time before the game and grab a giant sub. No need to overpay for ballpark food. 

[Roll Tide]

2 hours ago, seak05 said:

You literally downvoted my post because I did math, and then claimed I made stuff up. Again this is why reading comprehension is fundamental, now - in a sentence - can have multiple meanings. It does not always mean recent, it can also be used to draw attention to a point, which is the way it was used in my original response. At the end of the day, I was pointing out that if you included the promotional cost of the ticket (which obviously you didn't pay regardless of how your tickets came about), and concession prices, going to the game was a good deal. And as multiple people have now pointed out, high concession prices at arena/sporting events/concerts is par for the course, and not due to an Orioles marketing deal. At least the Orioles let you bring in food/water, which the Ravens sure don't (and the concessions at Ravens park are really weak).  

As to the long lines and lack of vendors, I wonder if it's a result of the tight labor market, and the Orioles planning to staff for most games for 15000 people - not 30000.

I down voted your post because you made assumptions about my “Free Tickets”.   You down voted my post as retaliation.
 

You missed my point that I tried to clarify this morning.

 

The Orioles have done several operational things this year that prove they are being ridiculously cheap. Including not letting their broadcasters travel to away games and trying to do it from the MASN studio. You give them the benefit of the doubt in your last thought here. Don’t the Angelos led organization has done nothing to deserve it.

[Sanfran327]

This seems to be the most suitable thread to in which to ask this question. Sorry if this has been discussed elsewhere, but...

Have the Orioles made some announcement that I missed that they are (basically) only opening the lower bowl seats for weeknight games or for games that do not exceed a certain threshold of tickets sold? Seems like each game has had fans in the lower level only. Not just very sparse in the upper level, but empty. Club level still has fans, but not the top deck.

I was noticing this with my dad yesterday, and with an organization that is - how we say - very aware of operational costs, it makes a lot of sense. We know that they don't really make their money on ticket sales, per-se, but concession and merch sales. So what if you let someone in at a "reduced rate" for lower level tix, right? That might entire more weeknight fans, first of all. Let them pay upper reserve prices for lower level seats - not a bad plan. Plus, then you don't have to open up the top deck and pay the operation costs unless you have to. Don't fire up those food vendors. Don't have to clean bathrooms that aren't used. Don't need to pay ushers, etc. etc. etc. 

[mojmann]

1 hour ago, Sanfran327 said:

This seems to be the most suitable thread to in which to ask this question. Sorry if this has been discussed elsewhere, but...

Have the Orioles made some announcement that I missed that they are (basically) only opening the lower bowl seats for weeknight games or for games that do not exceed a certain threshold of tickets sold? Seems like each game has had fans in the lower level only. Not just very sparse in the upper level, but empty. Club level still has fans, but not the top deck.

I was noticing this with my dad yesterday, and with an organization that is - how we say - very aware of operational costs, it makes a lot of sense. We know that they don't really make their money on ticket sales, per-se, but concession and merch sales. So what if you let someone in at a "reduced rate" for lower level tix, right? That might entire more weeknight fans, first of all. Let them pay upper reserve prices for lower level seats - not a bad plan. Plus, then you don't have to open up the top deck and pay the operation costs unless you have to. Don't fire up those food vendors. Don't have to clean bathrooms that aren't used. Don't need to pay ushers, etc. etc. etc. 

I think they just close off the left field upper deck. My partial plan -- which includes many weeknights -- is section 340, and I haven't received any notice that I'll be moved. 

[Sanfran327]

33 minutes ago, mojmann said:

I think they just close off the left field upper deck. My partial plan -- which includes many weeknights -- is section 340, and I haven't received any notice that I'll be moved. 

Okay, that makes sense. That's what you see on TV most of the time anyway.

So while I do think there is a case to be made for shutting it down, I guess they aren't.

[CharmCityHokie]

Random question (And sorry to revive this thread if this is the wrong place), but has anyone who has attended this year taken a 20oz water bottle with them, as is allowable, but not in a gallon-plastic bag? I'm going tomorrow and I'm not bringing in food, but I'd like to bring a water as opposed to paying for it and it seems I need to put my sealed plastic water bottle in a sealed plastic bag if I'm reading the Orioles site correctly:

"

• Guests may bring in food and non-alcoholic beverages, all of which must be contained in a clear, plastic bag no larger than one-gallon in size."

[survivedc]

3 hours ago, CharmCityHokie said:

Random question (And sorry to revive this thread if this is the wrong place), but has anyone who has attended this year taken a 20oz water bottle with them, as is allowable, but not in a gallon-plastic bag? I'm going tomorrow and I'm not bringing in food, but I'd like to bring a water as opposed to paying for it and it seems I need to put my sealed plastic water bottle in a sealed plastic bag if I'm reading the Orioles site correctly:

"

• Guests may bring in food and non-alcoholic beverages, all of which must be contained in a clear, plastic bag no larger than one-gallon in size."

I bought a 16oz water outside the stadium and just walked in with it. I’m not sure if they will let you bring in personal canteen type water bottles though.