Is Camden Yards Too Big For The O's?

[ORIOLE33]

When it was built, the capacity was close to 49,000. Currently the capacity is around 45,000. Also, when it was built, there was no Washington Nationals. I'm not sure if this is a tabu subject, but the Nats took a lot of the O's fan base. If Camden was built today, it would most definitely be built with a seating capacity of around 35,000. 
 

Upper management has got to see this. Are there any plans to remove some of the upper deck so the stadium will look fuller? 

[Teddy OBP]

Winning makes it look fuller

If they sustain success for a couple of years it will sort it out.  Jacksonville went through this with the Jaguars - now even the upper deck is mostly full.

I’m always interested in the economics of this though - I’d put $5 tickets out for those sections and several more of the bargain food stands up there and see how it works out. I spend for tickets now because I can, but younger me would have been excited about that.

 

Edited July 29, 2023 by pdiddy

[Jagwar]

Pretty sure a winning team will make attendance go up. 

[yark14]

The traitors that became Nationals fans are coming back.  The stadium will be packed in September and October

[Sports Guy]

No

[DirtyBird]

36 minutes ago, ORIOLE33 said:

Upper management has got to see this. Are there any plans to remove some of the upper deck so the stadium will look fuller? 

If making the stadium look fuller is the only benefit, seems like a waste of money. Sounds like something Dan Snyder would do.

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

If making the stadium look fuller is the only benefit, seems like a waste of money. Sounds like something Dan Snyder would do.

It's fine.  It won't be the owner's money, it will be taxpayer money.

[Aglets]

Check out the crowds on opening day......prime weekend series.....or our playoff games from 2012 to 2014.

People seem to find a way to show up for stuff like that.

Attendance will keep going up as we improve. 

[Frobby]

I doubt they really care if it “looks fuller.”  They’ve had crowds exceeding 35,000 five times this year, and will do so several more times before the year is over.   If they make the playoffs, they’ll sell out every home game at premium prices.  The team should be good for several years now and crowds will increase as that happens.  It’s as predictable as the sun rising in the East.  

In 2012-14, the O’s drew over 40,000 43 times.  I don’t know if they’ll get back quite to that level during this run, but they’ll be getting 40,000+ often enough that cutting back the number of seats by any significant number won’t be a consideration.  
 

[ORIOLE33]

2 minutes ago, Aglets said:

Check out the crowds on opening day......prime weekend series.....or our playoff games from 2012 to 2014.

People seem to find a way to show up for stuff like that.

Attendance will keep going up as we improve. 

But don't they want that stadium to be pack more than just opening day and playoff games? We're one of the best teams in MLB and was playing the Yankees on a Friday night. I would have thought last night would have been near capacity. 

[ORIOLE33]

12 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

If making the stadium look fuller is the only benefit, seems like a waste of money. Sounds like something Dan Snyder would do.

I couldn't stand Snyder anymore than any other Commander fan, but Snyder isn't the only one that has done that. 

[Going Underground]

The upper deck left field corner mostly is closed for games. So far has been opened about three or four times.

The lease plan at the beginning was to get rid of about 7,500 or so seats. Open up the concourse ,so you can see  the game from there. Also more resturants. Not sure where we are now.

[Frobby]

1 minute ago, ORIOLE33 said:

But don't they want that stadium to be pack more than just opening day and playoff games? We're one of the best teams in MLB and was playing the Yankees on a Friday night. I would have thought last night would have been near capacity. 

Perhaps the forecast of game time temperatures in the mid-90s with a high probability of rain delays deterred some people from buying tickets.  

Anyway, attendance gradually drops when a team is bad over a number of years, and it gradually builds when a team is good over a number of years.  It doesn’t happen overnight.  
 

[Number5]

4 minutes ago, ORIOLE33 said:

I would have thought last night would have been near capacity. 

34,558 not bad in that kind of weather.  No?

[Aristotelian]

I would think the cost to remove sections of the upper deck is way prohibitive vs simply covering them with tarp until the playoffs. Especially when you consider the extra revenue when the capacity is needed.

If they want the stadium to look full, reduce the ticket prices and concessions.