What happened to the fanbase? Only 8,000 last night

[DrungoHazewood]

9 hours ago, Chelsea_Phil said:

I don’t know, Lexington market is nearby and is very sketchy to say the least 

 

It's all relative.  Baltimore is way safer than Tijuana, Cape Town, Caracas, or Juarez.  Only slightly worse than San Salvador, Cali, or Guatemala City.  You'll be fine.  99,949 people out of every 100,000 Baltimoreans aren't murdered every year!

Edited September 9, 2022 by DrungoHazewood

[eddie83]

My frustration with all this is that the same thing happens every year. 
 

If you run a business and no matter how good the product is your sales go down at the same time every year then do something about it. Why the Orioles especially in a playoff chase don’t run ticket deals for these games on school days is beyond me. Even in 2014 when school went back the attendance went down. In 2012 it happened. 
 

I’m not saying you are going to get 35K but at least make an attempt to improve the situation. 

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

My frustration with all this is that the same thing happens every year. 
 

If you run a business and no matter how good the product is your sales go down at the same time every year then do something about it. Why the Orioles especially in a playoff chase don’t run ticket deals for these games on school days is beyond me. Even in 2014 when school went back the attendance went down. In 2012 it happened. 
 

I’m not saying you are going to get 35K but at least make an attempt to improve the situation. 

Did you miss the Smashmouth concert? 

[eddie83]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

Did you miss the Smashmouth concert? 

I actually went that day. Didn’t stay for concert. 

[Moose Milligan]

12 hours ago, Alasdaire said:

I don't think O's fans who witnessed the glory years really grasp how little this franchise has given anyone under the age of 35 anything to root for.

 

I couldn't read past this.

We were all here for '98-'11.  Some of us remember the glory years, sure.  But it's not like we all didn't suffer through the early 2000s and haven't been suffering for the past few years, too.  Just because you're of a certain age doesn't mean everyone older than you can't see for themselves how little this franchise has given anyone anything to root for.  

[DrungoHazewood]

12 hours ago, Alasdaire said:

I don't think O's fans who witnessed the glory years really grasp how little this franchise has given anyone under the age of 35 anything to root for.

Went to my first game at the age of eight in 1979.  Until I was about 13 or 14 I really believed that the Orioles were like the Patriots or Man City or the Lakers or something, one of those teams that just was magically better than all the other teams and would always be in the hunt, every year.  But even better because we earned it, we didn't just go buy the best players.

But I've also been completely immersed in the team from 1986-today, and am 100% aware that most of that time they were essentially eliminated by June 15th.  It's as much of a gut punch for the oldtimers because we remember the dynasty years and see exactly how chaotic and poorly-executed the last 35 years have been.

We know.  We all know.

Edited September 9, 2022 by DrungoHazewood

[Alasdaire]

33 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I couldn't read past this.

We were all here for '98-'11.  Some of us remember the glory years, sure.  But it's not like we all didn't suffer through the early 2000s and haven't been suffering for the past few years, too.  Just because you're of a certain age doesn't mean everyone older than you can't see for themselves how little this franchise has given anyone anything to root for.  

15 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

Went to my first game at the age of eight in 1979.  Until I was about 13 or 14 I really believed that the Orioles were like the Patriots or Man City or the Lakers or something, one of those teams that just was magically better than all the other teams and would always be in the hunt, every year.  But even better because we earned it, we didn't just go buy the best players.

But I've also been completely immersed in the team from 1986-today, and am 100% aware that most of that time they were essentially eliminated by June 15th.  It's as much of a gut punch for the oldtimers because we remember the dynasty years and see exactly how chaotic and poorly-executed the last 35 years have been.

We know.  We all know.

During this same time period, I've been a Ravens fan. I have seen two Super Bowls and four AFC championship games. Two #1 seeds in the AFC. At least three homegrown hall of famers in Ray, Ed, and Ogden; and possibly three more in Tucker, Yanda, and Suggs. They have as good of a chance as anyone almost literally every year, and the other fanbases/analysts hold the Ravens in the highest regard. And football itself is king. All of this during a ~25-year span.

Say all of this goes away and the Ravens go to the depths of goblintown for 40 years like the Orioles have. And say the sport of football itself becomes less relevant. I might "be there" for it the same as a younger fan, but my deep connection to the organization was already cemented during the 30 preceding years of glory. I'm a fan for life.

But why would some kid who has seen none of that be a fan of the Ravens in the first place? Even if you have a love for a dying sport, you still have to have some combination of regionalism and masochism to choose to root for a team that has been an embarrassment for literally your entire life. You could choose to be a fan of the sport and not of any one team, pick a team with fun players/cool colors away from your city, or go with your dad's team. The local team has given you no reason to choose them and every reason not to.

I'm not trying to gatekeep suffering as you seem to think I'm doing. I get it--you guys have seen the fall from grace which hurts in a different way than abject irrelevance. What I'm saying is that the Orioles have a bigger problem than bringing fans back fans to OPACY--as @Sports Guy said, there are multiple generations who aren't returning because they've never been in the first place.

[drdelaware]

23 hours ago, mojmann said:

Just one man's opinion, but I think that's overblown .... magically, I guess, the perception of horrible stadium-area crime stops on those days when those huge crowds come in for Paul McCartney and the Ravens. 

 

Risk vs. reward

Seeing a Beatle vs. one of 81 baseball games.

When I go I come in off I-95 onto Key Highway and come towards the stadiums from the Locust Point side.  No need to deal with downtown except being in the park.

Edited September 9, 2022 by drdelaware

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, Alasdaire said:

During this same time period, I've been a Ravens fan. I have seen two Super Bowls and four AFC championship games. Two #1 seeds in the AFC. At least three homegrown hall of famers in Ray, Ed, and Ogden; and possibly three more in Tucker, Yanda, and Suggs. They have as good of a chance as anyone almost literally every year, and the other fanbases/analysts hold the Ravens in the highest regard. And football itself is king. All of this during a ~25-year span.

Say all of this goes away and the Ravens go to the depths of goblintown for 40 years like the Orioles have. And say the sport of football itself becomes less relevant. I might "be there" for it the same as a younger fan, but my deep connection to the organization was already cemented during the 30 preceding years of glory. I'm a fan for life.

But why would some kid who has seen none of that be a fan of the Ravens in the first place? Even if you have a love for a dying sport, you still have to have some combination of regionalism and masochism to choose to root for a team that has been an embarrassment for literally your entire life. You could choose to be a fan of the sport and not of any one team, pick a team with fun players/cool colors away from your city, or go with your dad's team. The local team has given you no reason to choose them and every reason not to.

I'm not trying to gatekeep suffering as you seem to think I'm doing. I get it--you guys have seen the fall from grace which hurts in a different way than abject irrelevance. What I'm saying is that the Orioles have a bigger problem than bringing fans back fans to OPACY--as @Sports Guy said, there are multiple generations who aren't returning because they've never been in the first place.

You are making some great points here and Ido believe some people don't really understand how a generation have grown up with the Orioles being more of an embarrassment than something to e proud of. 

My youngest son is 26 years old and this is the first time since 2014 he's brought up something about the Orioles to me. Is he a fan of them sure, but does he have his heart and soul in games like me, no, he doesn't. He's been inundated with Orioles since he was kid, but they've mostly been bad. 

Hopefully, with some sustained winning and the new young core coming up (He's excited over Rutschman and Gunnar) that generation will start to pay more attention and want to go to games with their friends. Now I'm not saying some don't do this already, but the only way back to decent attendance on non giveaway nights during school season is to win and win consistently. 

[DrungoHazewood]

1 hour ago, Alasdaire said:

During this same time period, I've been a Ravens fan. I have seen two Super Bowls and four AFC championship games. Two #1 seeds in the AFC. At least three homegrown hall of famers in Ray, Ed, and Ogden; and possibly three more in Tucker, Yanda, and Suggs. They have as good of a chance as anyone almost literally every year, and the other fanbases/analysts hold the Ravens in the highest regard. And football itself is king. All of this during a ~25-year span.

Say all of this goes away and the Ravens go to the depths of goblintown for 40 years like the Orioles have. And say the sport of football itself becomes less relevant. I might "be there" for it the same as a younger fan, but my deep connection to the organization was already cemented during the 30 preceding years of glory. I'm a fan for life.

But why would some kid who has seen none of that be a fan of the Ravens in the first place? Even if you have a love for a dying sport, you still have to have some combination of regionalism and masochism to choose to root for a team that has been an embarrassment for literally your entire life. You could choose to be a fan of the sport and not of any one team, pick a team with fun players/cool colors away from your city, or go with your dad's team. The local team has given you no reason to choose them and every reason not to.

I'm not trying to gatekeep suffering as you seem to think I'm doing. I get it--you guys have seen the fall from grace which hurts in a different way than abject irrelevance. What I'm saying is that the Orioles have a bigger problem than bringing fans back fans to OPACY--as @Sports Guy said, there are multiple generations who aren't returning because they've never been in the first place.

That's a good post, and I agree.  Baseball has a big problem that younger fans have turned to other sports and other activities, but it compounds that problem when people born in 1990 or 2000 or even 2010 mostly know the Orioles as a team that loses 90 or 100 games most years.

I've been an Orioles fan for over 40 years and my teenage kids watch and certainly play a lot more soccer than baseball.  Heck, for most of the last 4-5 years I have, too.

[deward]

11 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

You are making some great points here and Ido believe some people don't really understand how a generation have grown up with the Orioles being more of an embarrassment than something to e proud of. 

My youngest son is 26 years old and this is the first time since 2014 he's brought up something about the Orioles to me. Is he a fan of them sure, but does he have his heart and soul in games like me, no, he doesn't. He's been inundated with Orioles since he was kid, but they've mostly been bad. 

Hopefully, with some sustained winning and the new young core coming up (He's excited over Rutschman and Gunnar) that generation will start to pay more attention and want to go to games with their friends. Now I'm not saying some don't do this already, but the only way back to decent attendance on non giveaway nights during school season is to win and win consistently. 

Turning into an Astros-style powerhouse will go a long way to fixing the problem, but they'll definitely have to demonstrate some staying power in order to make the team relevant again. Like, 3-4 years of playoff runs. I would argue that the PR benefits of making a splashy signing or trade this offseason would also be significant. They  need all the positive buzz they can get. 

[ORIOLE33]

On 9/8/2022 at 11:41 AM, mojmann said:

Just one man's opinion, but I think that's overblown .... magically, I guess, the perception of horrible stadium-area crime stops on those days when those huge crowds come in for Paul McCartney and the Ravens. 

 

Thank you. I’ve heard every excuse in the book to justify low attendance. You can add Ravens games. I’m certain they don’t have attendance problems. 

[Redskins Rick]

On 9/8/2022 at 10:20 AM, Orioles0615 said:

Not to mention the general public doesn't like going in to Baltimore

You are barely even in Baltimore, with the location they are at.

 

[Redskins Rick]

15 minutes ago, ORIOLE33 said:

Thank you. I’ve heard every excuse in the book to justify low attendance. You can add Ravens games. I’m certain they don’t have attendance problems. 

Only 8 home games, I see less kids at NFL games, then MLB games.

 

[Too Tall]

Given the surprise this year has been, am I disappointed in attendance? Yes! Am I surprised? No! Besides the history, there is the current state of Oriole Ownership. While in my opinion we are lucky to have Elias & Co. and lucky he has seemingly been given a free hand to rebuild on many fronts, I keep wondering just how tenuous all this is. I really like this team but is it sitting on a house of cards? While some dream for increased spending this winter, I dream that this ownership fiasco gets settled so that it too ceases to be an embarrasment. Simply stated, there is a lot to overcome both past and present to cause folks to spend elsewhere.