The Future of Camden Yards (Potential Renovations from Team Survey)

[foxfield]

Loved the idea and the ask. But the pricing was awful high. I noticed if you said you would pay they asked again at an even higher price. Once I figured that out I answered the questions but said no on price until it just went to the next question. 

[btownoriole]

20 hours ago, NashLumber said:

I like the idea of field level outfield section built in the wall, but I'd hate to see the grounds crew dugout gone, but that's where it probably makes most sense, unless it could be built under the flag court or Walltimore. 

Btw, this is as good a place as any to repost my idea for moving the scoreboard / Jumbotron so the historic Camden Station could be seen. By doing so, the centerfield rooftop bar could be almost tripled in size in my drawing. I don't care if the scoreboard blocks the view of the freeloaders on the balcony of the Hilton. I still have my grudge based on it blocking the Bromo Tower. This is my graphic of how it would look. Note the auxiliary scoreboard behind the seats in the right field corner. 

And for good measure, redesign the top of the scoreboard to incorporate the Key Bridge into the design since The Sun logo is gone. 

 

Haven’t been to Camden Yards in a few years but I have been to quite a few other parks since then.  One of the things that has really stuck out is how much better the video boards (even Wrigley!) are vs. Camden.  I like the general concepts here; I imagine this will be one of the first things addressed.

[ThomasTomasz]

21 hours ago, ChipTait said:

Same thoughts regarding the pricing.  One day, I could see us treating another couple to one of those special sections, but certainly not on the regular.  I love my regular seats (Sec 55) and wouldn't want to move.

There are several opportunities on the survey to write in "other" thoughts.  I used those spaces for "better sound, better scoreboard/jumbotron."  And, in the F&B section I said, "more beer choices, and do we really have to have the most expensive beer in MLB?"

 

 

Thing is, I get the price issue, and I understand it too from both sides.  One of the things that, when you read into Peter Angelos, he considered his ownership in the team as holding a “trust” for Baltimore and the people who lived in/around the city.  The Orioles were almost always an affordable ticket, and they had multiple ways for young fans to see games at very reduced prices.  You look at how he viewed labor relations, and you could see that play out in how he let his General Managers build the roster, from the majors to signing players (or lack thereof) out of the Caribbean.  

When John allowed Elias to come in and turn those front office foundations on their head, I wondered when the time would happen when he would look at expanding OPACY.  Covid probably put a hold on it, but this is what he wanted when we heard all of the talk over the past year-ish about an Atlanta “Battery” type area.  Without Covid, we probably get this survey near the end of 2020/start of 2021.  

Most modern stadiums are already doing stuff like this.  It’s additional revenue for them, and you can see that there are people who are spending the money based on what is happening in other stadiums, in other sports.  

This is the crown jewel stadium in MLB, and in sports in general in North America.  They’ve got to be very careful, and very intentional, with changes that they are going to make.  At a minimum, I see them doing some sort of space in the warehouse for fans/birdland members, some sort of stadium museum, and loge seating to break up the club level into ‘tiered’ seating.  They also seem hell-bent on making the “nest” type areas as well.  

[.500_OR_BETTER]

I am all for expanding the baseball park area - just outside the seating area.  Nothing in the seats all needs to change.  I have sat in the nose bleeds, the corner OF, bleachers, behind the dugout, club level, etc... For the most part, any seat at OPACY is a good seat (there are the ones down the LF foul line that are either turned towards the OF or blocked by the foul pole.

IMO the only things that needs to be improved inside the stadium is the video scoreboard - it needs to be updated with newer tech and larger screen. The sound system needs to be completely re-done.  Thats it. Nothing else.

I have been to Arlington, and they have an area right outside that has Food, bars, kids' activities, etc. called Texas Live which is very similar to Philly Live.  I am assuming the teams have some ownership in those areas which helps drive in revenue outside of the game.  This is what the Orioles need to do.  We do not need fancy membership lounges, ridiculous "on-field" seating, etc. ... for what $200/$350 a ticket.  That is insane.  Games are meant to be family friendly environment, and this is only filling the stadium with corporate greed which we know most of those seats won't be sold and, in the end, will only drive up the regular food and ticket prices.

I get the need for renovations, but the only need is to do it OUTSIDE the stadium.

[baltfan]

2 hours ago, btownoriole said:

Haven’t been to Camden Yards in a few years but I have been to quite a few other parks since then.  One of the things that has really stuck out is how much better the video boards (even Wrigley!) are vs. Camden.  I like the general concepts here; I imagine this will be one of the first things addressed.

I think it is a gimme that they are fixing this.  There is no need for them to really ask about it.  

[DEOriolesfan]

They need to do something with the left field upper deck. There are multiple sections that are closed other than Opening Day, a handful of regular season games, and postseason games. It's wasted space for most of the year and empty sections look bad. I think they could either put in a bar/restaurant or a roof deck. 

[Frobby]

I have a complaint about the way the seats are aligned where my seats are located, section 20 behind 1B.  The cupholders are attached to the seats in the row in front of you, in such a way that you have to reach into the space of the person sitting to your right to reach your cupholder.  I have four seats to the right of the isle, and if I'm sitting in the fourth seat to the right, my cupholder is between the left and right knee of the person sitting to my right.   In fact, there's often confusion with the people next to us as to which cupholder goes with which seat, though the aisle seat only has a cupholder on the RH side so it's clearly the cupholder to the right that you're supposed to use.   But it's very awkward.

[spleen1015]

18 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I have a complaint about the way the seats are aligned where my seats are located, section 20 behind 1B.  The cupholders are attached to the seats in the row in front of you, in such a way that you have to reach into the space of the person sitting to your right to reach your cupholder.  I have four seats to the right of the isle, and if I'm sitting in the fourth seat to the right, my cupholder is between the left and right knee of the person sitting to my right.   In fact, there's often confusion with the people next to us as to which cupholder goes with which seat, though the aisle seat only has a cupholder on the RH side so it's clearly the cupholder to the right that you're supposed to use.   But it's very awkward.

Maybe the first seat doesn't get a cup holder?

If you're a few seats in, you're likley not paying attention to that first seat. It does seem pretty lame.

[Absltgreek]

1 hour ago, DEOriolesfan said:

They need to do something with the left field upper deck. There are multiple sections that are closed other than Opening Day, a handful of regular season games, and postseason games. It's wasted space for most of the year and empty sections look bad. I think they could either put in a bar/restaurant or a roof deck. 

I see this as exactly where "The Nest" would go....

[bobmc]

On 5/30/2024 at 10:28 AM, DrungoHazewood said:

Let me rephrase. I would like something productive to do in my retirement! I could never match @bobmc's shooting his age in golf, so I'll need something else.

Lol yeah I started young to get the basics.  Btw I just shot 72 (4 birdies, 4 bogeys) on a legit par 72 course on Wednesday from the grandpa tees (4600 yards).  Pickle ball perhaps for you?

Edited May 31 by bobmc

[survivedc]

7 hours ago, .500_OR_BETTER said:

I am all for expanding the baseball park area - just outside the seating area.  Nothing in the seats all needs to change.  I have sat in the nose bleeds, the corner OF, bleachers, behind the dugout, club level, etc... For the most part, any seat at OPACY is a good seat (there are the ones down the LF foul line that are either turned towards the OF or blocked by the foul pole.

IMO the only things that needs to be improved inside the stadium is the video scoreboard - it needs to be updated with newer tech and larger screen. The sound system needs to be completely re-done.  Thats it. Nothing else.

I have been to Arlington, and they have an area right outside that has Food, bars, kids' activities, etc. called Texas Live which is very similar to Philly Live.  I am assuming the teams have some ownership in those areas which helps drive in revenue outside of the game.  This is what the Orioles need to do.  We do not need fancy membership lounges, ridiculous "on-field" seating, etc. ... for what $200/$350 a ticket.  That is insane.  Games are meant to be family friendly environment, and this is only filling the stadium with corporate greed which we know most of those seats won't be sold and, in the end, will only drive up the regular food and ticket prices.

I get the need for renovations, but the only need is to do it OUTSIDE the stadium.

The irony here is that the “Live” concept that you see near so many stadiums these days is built/developed by the Cordish company, which is a Baltimore group.

[AdamK]

Just received, and submitted, my survey from the team.

I have to say, watching broadcasts of other stadiums, I really hope we don't go the route of turning the field level and home plate area into some business class dine-in movie theatre experience where you are stuck watching people getting served their meals during the action. The greenscreen adverts around home plate causing player silhouettes in most of these stadiums is bad enough, but staring at servers delivering a can of beer over both shoulders of the umpire or seeing people in polos at hightops at eye level of the pitches is the worst. Their gameday experience is probably great - and that is what matters in the end I suppose - but it feels like watching people waiting for flights in a newly renovated airport concourse.

It's just not the relatable environment/charm I have come to love when watching or attending.

Less is more. Upgrade the scoreboard where it is. Upgrade the PA system. Upgrade the TVs in the concourses. Make the seats a bit more comfortable. The rest of the stuff feels like corporate benefits so many of us won't take advantage of but will be stuck watching. 

/end rant>
 

Edited June 4 by AdamK

[survivedc]

2 minutes ago, AdamK said:

Just received, and submitted, my survey from the team.

I have to say, watching broadcasts of other stadiums, I really hope we don't go the route of turning the field level and home plate area into some business class dine-in movie theatre experience where you are stuck watching people getting served their meals during the action. The greenscreen adverts around home plate causing player silhouettes in most of these stadiums is bad enough, but staring at servers delivering a can of beer over both shoulders of the umpire or seeing people in polos at hightops at eye level of the pitches is the worst. Their gameday experience is probably great - and that is what matters in the end I suppose - but it feels like watching people waiting for flights in a newly renovated airport concourse.

It's just not the relatable environment/charm I have come to love when watching or attending.

Less is more. Upgrade the scoreboard where it is. Upgrade the PA system. Upgrade the TVs in the concourses. The rest of the stuff feels like corporate benefits so many of us won't take advantage of but will be stuck watching. 

/end rant>
 

Couldn’t agree more esp on the plush seating options.

One wrinkle here: I’m guessing that most of the people aware of and taking the time to complete this survey are avid fans and care more about the game play than premium options at the stadium. Suspect the results will skew that way. 

[DrungoHazewood]

On 5/31/2024 at 5:46 PM, bobmc said:

Lol yeah I started young to get the basics.  Btw I just shot 72 (4 birdies, 4 bogeys) on a legit par 72 course on Wednesday from the grandpa tees (4600 yards).  Pickle ball perhaps for you?

You are the man, Bob! But I really hope I'm not playing pickleball at your age. I'd rather play over-70 soccer or softball or something. I'll consider it a life well lived if I get red-carded for a two-footed, studs-up tackle in my 70s.

Pickleball is the new shuffleboard, for the folks who moved to Del Boca Vista, set the thermostat at 82, and drive their golf carts 50' to the mailbox every day!

[drdelaware]

As for a museum, The Sports Museum at Camden Yards" used to be there.  It was really cool.  I'm wondering if any of the stuff they had there could be put in an "in-house" museum.

Removing seats in the LF upper deck?  Be careful.  Cleaveland has made a mess of Progressive Field doing that in RF.  First with shipping containers and currently with exposed support beams and the bathroom building visible.  

Edited June 4 by drdelaware