Birdland Caravan back this season

[eddie83]

8 minutes ago, HakunaSakata said:

I may be mistaken, but I think there may have been a thread discussing this years ago. My gut tells me the team would at least come close to breaking even when you factor in concession and merchandise sales, but even if they end up in the red a bit it seems like a small investment to make to generate buzz / fan interest heading into the season. Especially coming off the season they had last year. Fanfest would be a great opportunity to build off of that positive buzz and to promote the new faces of the franchise. The only downside I see to the event is leadership potentially having to answer unfiltered questions from the fans, but that could be easily managed by just having someone like Elias give a speech, but not take questions. I think they've held it at the Convention Center in the past right? It would pretty cool if they could find a way to hold the event at OPACY and make it a bit less formal. 

I recall they had it at OPACY when the stadium opened, or maybe a year after. They had it there for about 5-6 years. Then went to Convention Center. Used the club level and even had a heated tent out into Eutaw Street. I was about 17 and they had a Miller Lite model there signing autographs of her poster in person, not sure why I remember that…. Then they had a couple of them before the season at the stadium when they took batting practice. 07-08? 
 

I recall a thread years ago on here. Not sure who started it but I brought up a potential conflict with a Ravens playoff game. That was 2007, the first year they had it right before the season. They canceled it late to avoid a potential conflict. I never did understand why they didn’t have it scheduled during the off day before the AFC/NFC Champ games or the bye week. Years later they always did it then. 
 

I have gone to most of them over the years. For me it’s something to do in the middle of the winter. Get some free stuff and at times buy some stuff, talk baseball, see the players., FO etc. Just get out of the house and think about baseball for a day. My wife and I started taking our daughter when she was around 7. I have a ton of autographs but I never got any on those days but she did in the kids lines. She still has those plus pictures with other players. Just seeing players is a big deal for kids. One year Chris Tillman was at a throwing or hitting station. You better believe my daughter recalls that. 
 

I’ve said this before but John and Peter are opposites in more ways than one. John has done a good job of hiring Elias and staying away but unlike his father he has been far less fan friendly. Every decision they do know is all about saving a buck and not selling their team. I’m not even discussing the payroll when I say this. 

[eddie83]

I’m old enough to remember seeing Cal and Eddie play basketball in a local high school gym during the winter. Bumbry, Storm, not sure who else. Obviously can’t do that anymore. 
 

Haven’t been to a Ravens Training Camp practice since they are back at Owings Mills. That said when kids are out of school they get to see the players up close. Plus Ravens have practices at the stadium, took kids to that one year. It’s not baseballs fault they can’t do that here and have to have spring training in Florida but makes an off-season event like FanFest even more important to me. How many chances does a kid get to see Adley and Gunnar and the rest up close? Unless you are in Sarasota the answer is never. 

[fansince1988]

2019 Winter Warm Up on Eutaw Street was the last FanFest event I can recall. It was cold, rainy, and sparsely attended.

https://www.mlb.com/orioles/fans/winter-warm-up

 

[Going Underground]

44 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

I’m old enough to remember seeing Cal and Eddie play basketball in a local high school gym during the winter. Bumbry, Storm, not sure who else. Obviously can’t do that anymore. 
 

Haven’t been to a Ravens Training Camp practice since they are back at Owings Mills. That said when kids are out of school they get to see the players up close. Plus Ravens have practices at the stadium, took kids to that one year. It’s not baseballs fault they can’t do that here and have to have spring training in Florida but makes an off-season event like FanFest even more important to me. How many chances does a kid get to see Adley and Gunnar and the rest up close? Unless you are in Sarasota the answer is never. 

As I said in a previous post about the time the Orioles did the Fanfest at Camden Yards right before Opening Day. I think the retired players signed on the club level but the current players signed on the field. Kevin Millar was the funniest ballplayer I have ever met. Jeremy Guthrie's daughter was drawing on his pictures of his that the club gave him .It was free autographs for everyone back then. I think it was also free to everyone to get in also.

[Going Underground]

20 minutes ago, fansince1988 said:

2019 Winter Warm Up on Eutaw Street was the last FanFest event I can recall. It was cold, rainy, and sparsely attended.

https://www.mlb.com/orioles/fans/winter-warm-up

 

That’s why the timing of this is curious at best and questionable at worst. The Sun reported that the event attracted 8,000 last January, and those numbers were way down from the attendance at FanFest when the team was playing well from 2013-2017. During that time, The Sun reported four of the FanFests drew crowds of at least 15,000.

 

If The Orioles Cancel FanFest, It Would Be A Grand Slam Mistake
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffseidel/2019/10/27/if-the-orioles-cancel-fanfest-it-would-be-a-grand-slam-mistake/

Edited January 6, 2023 by Going Underground

[Sports Guy]

7 minutes ago, Going Underground said:

That’s why the timing of this is curious at best and questionable at worst. The Sun reported that the event attracted 8,000 last January, and those numbers were way down from the attendance at FanFest when the team was playing well from 2013-2017. During that time, The Sun reported four of the FanFests drew crowds of at least 15,000.

 

If The Orioles Cancel FanFest, It Would Be A Grand Slam Mistake
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffseidel/2019/10/27/if-the-orioles-cancel-fanfest-it-would-be-a-grand-slam-mistake/

The city’s rep and people being afraid of COVID didn’t help those numbers.

 

[fansince1988]

19 minutes ago, Going Underground said:

That’s why the timing of this is curious at best and questionable at worst. The Sun reported that the event attracted 8,000 last January, and those numbers were way down from the attendance at FanFest when the team was playing well from 2013-2017. During that time, The Sun reported four of the FanFests drew crowds of at least 15,000.

 

If The Orioles Cancel FanFest, It Would Be A Grand Slam Mistake
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffseidel/2019/10/27/if-the-orioles-cancel-fanfest-it-would-be-a-grand-slam-mistake/

I believe the 8,000 referenced in the article was from the 2019 FanFest at the convention center, prior to the 2019 baseball season. The 2019 Winter Warm-Up on Eutaw Street was held in December 2019. There were only a few thousand there, if that. 

[eddie83]

29 minutes ago, Going Underground said:

As I said in a previous post about the time the Orioles did the Fanfest at Camden Yards right before Opening Day. I think the retired players signed on the club level but the current players signed on the field. Kevin Millar was the funniest ballplayer I have ever met. Jeremy Guthrie's daughter was drawing on his pictures of his that the club gave him .It was free autographs for everyone back then. I think it was also free to everyone to get in also.

I don’t see any reason why they can’t go back to OPACY. They originally had it there. No doubt the lack of space compared to the Convention Center hurt. More crowded, less stuff for kids like hitting stations, etc. That said it would be a way to start it back up and if it pops go back to the Convention Center. You basically just would not have the hitting and pitching for the kids plus more crowded walkways. They made it work back then and the club was far more popular. 
 

If was free to get in right before OD. I know the one year they came home for it and then flew out because OD was on the road, 2007 I think. I never bothered to get any autos, my daughter was too young to go.  A big issue now is when the season starts. Back then you could have it on a Sat/Sun with OD on a Monday. Now OD is during the week on a Thursday. You can’t even do that anymore even if you wanted to. A Tuesday night at Camden isn’t the same as lunchtime on the weekend.  

Edited January 6, 2023 by eddie83

[eddie83]

Just now, fansince1988 said:

I believe the 8,000 referenced in the article was from the 2019 FanFest at the convention center, prior to the 2019 baseball season. The 2019 Winter Warm-Up on Eutaw Street was held in December 2019. There were only a few thousand there, if that. 

You are right.
 

That was also coming off a brutal year and bringing back a faceless team. Even if attendance was not great last year this club is far more popular than then. That club offered next to nothing and still 8K. 

[TWpj]

They will just use covid as an excuse just like the no announcers on the road lame excuse last year.

[interloper]

You couldn't pay me to go to a FanFest thing honestly. But hopefully they have something for the kids at least. 

[Sammy Seagull]

I bet the team will have a Fanfest when it moves to Nashville.

[Going Underground]

1 hour ago, interloper said:

You couldn't pay me to go to a FanFest thing honestly. But hopefully they have something for the kids at least. 

You should have seen some adults with a  briefcase of special merchandise to sign back in the day.  Disgusting, but I have seen when the Orioles signed down the line ,grown men push the kids out of the way to get an autograph. The adults with a binder of baseball cards with sleeves for autographs is also creepy at the minor league games 

[Going Underground]

1 hour ago, eddie83 said:

You are right.
 

That was also coming off a brutal year and bringing back a faceless team. Even if attendance was not great last year this club is far more popular than then. That club offered next to nothing and still 8K. 

My friend sent me a text that if you are a season ticket holder you get a Adley Rutschman celebration bobblehead So stop complaining  ()

Edited January 6, 2023 by Going Underground

[TAMC]

My family and I went to every Fanfest for many years, both in Camden Yards and the Convention Center.  We would love to go again if they had it.  The kids (and later grandkids) enjoyed the various stuff like hitting, games, etc. they were able to have in the Convention Center and I always enjoyed the panels with minor league players, team officials, and some major league players.  Frankly, my fun did not depend on seeing stars or the team record -- time enough for that when the season starts.  I just enjoyed hearing folks talk about baseball in the middle of the winter.  That said, I skipped a few more recent events at Camden Yards, not because I am disappointed in the team, but because depending on the season of the year it is REALLY hot or cold (and/or wet) when they use the seating bowl and field for these events.  If they had it I would come again.