Game Start Time and Attendance

[ExileAngelos]

I just read a report that the O's still rank only 19th in MLB attendance.  I know it is hot everywhere, but it made me wonder about the new start of game times and the also new pitch clock.  A "night game" seems to be in name only now.  The game starts at 6:30 and is over before completely dark with some of the quicker ones.  So I am wondering if these 6:30 start times make any sense at all for attracting fans to the game.  

Going to a "night game" means you are sitting in hot temps for a much bigger percentage of a game vs just a few years ago.  Not to mention that a big chunk of the fanbase lives in northern Virginia like myself.  The 6:30 start time makes it more of a challenge to get to the game on time.   Games were at 7:30 when I was a kid in the '80s.  Games are shorter now.  The pitch clock has made a dramatic difference.  I think 7:15 would be a nice sweet spot.

[Sports Guy]

For everyone who complains about the game starting 30-40’min early, you will find more who complain the games ends at 10.

Keep everything as is. The more you win, the more the attendance will go up.

[interloper]

Well it doesn't help that they've had some of their worst series at home this year. 29-20 at home looks fine, but some of those losses have been absolute duds/waste of money. 

[ExileAngelos]

We have been winning.  And the attendance hasn't been great. So there's that. 

My main point is this.  Games are shorter now and I am not a fan of sitting there in the heat.  I'm guessing I'm not the only one. These summer start times of 6:30 are dumb.  And it seems to be in a lot of other cities too.  The trend to start earlier seemed to coincide with the pitch clock and shorter games.  I don't get it.  Not to mention all of these 4pm Saturday games around the league now.  I guess people love baking in the sun? 

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, ExileAngelos said:

We have been winning.  And the attendance hasn't been great. So there's that. 

My main point is this.  Games are shorter now and I am not a fan of sitting there in the heat.  I'm guessing I'm not the only one. These summer start times of 6:30 are dumb.  And it seems to be in a lot of other cities too.  The trend to start earlier seemed to coincide with the pitch clock and shorter games.  I don't get it.  Not to mention all of these 4pm Saturday games around the league now.  I guess people love baking in the sun? 

The Os have the biggest increase in attendance in the league.  75% (+/-) of tickets are sold prior to the season starting.

They average (and have forever) about 3k fans walk up every game.

Another good season will see more season tickets sold and another increase in attendance.

Start times are always going to be an issue for people. You can’t make everyone happy but the start times they have now are best for those who work and especially for kids. 

[accinfo]

Being 19th in attendance is not been bad either.  Look at the cities ahead of us.  https://www.espn.com/mlb/attendance

They are mostly much bigger cities that are going to draw more because of their market sizes.  Once DC got a team again the Orioles attendance was never going to be at the peaks they were when we controlled the entire Balt/Wash market.  

[Spy Fox]

They aren't going to rise that much above middle of the pack no matter how much they win or what the game times are. And, it takes some time to build up to a higher ranking attendance base. In the five year run from 2012-2016, they went 20th-18th-13th-19th-20th in attendance. 

They might climb the rankings some in the second half, since they will be in an exciting playoff race and some other teams will draw less as they fall out of contention. 

[Orioles Jim]

Highest attendance uptick in baseball right now. It makes sense that it would be more incremental than a straight up skyrocket.

I also LOVE the 6:35 pm start times but I also live within easy walking distance and can stop working whenever I feel like it.

[JimGinSP]

I wouldn’t be surprised if concession revenue increases with the earlier start time.  If people are needing to get into the park earlier it leaves less time to spend money outside the park.  Just quickly figuring up a conservative scenario, if 6:30 starts account for 35 home games and they average 18,000 attendance, if only 15% of those attending are “rushed” enough to need to spend an extra $15 on stadium concessions you would have:

2,700 people x $15 x 35  games = $1,417,500.

[LookitsPuck]

Just win. It fixes everything.

After that, invest in the damn team and experience. That helps some.

Earlier game times are better for families. Getting home at 10 is awful during the school year. Getting home at 9-9:30 isn’t great, but infinitely better.

 

[ExileAngelos]

OK so here is my main point.  Games are shorter.  It is summer.  It is HOT.  Some of these games are ending before it is even completely dark.  Why can't summer games be later?  There kids are out of school.  I guess I am the only one who enjoys summer nights more than summer days.  

[Frobby]

11 minutes ago, ExileAngelos said:

OK so here is my main point.  Games are shorter.  It is summer.  It is HOT.  Some of these games are ending before it is even completely dark.  Why can't summer games be later?  There kids are out of school.  I guess I am the only one who enjoys summer nights more than summer days.  

The short answer is, the Orioles did extensive polling about this.  I’m sure the majority preferred the earlier time.  Sorry you don’t.  

[Sports Guy]

55 minutes ago, ExileAngelos said:

OK so here is my main point.  Games are shorter.  It is summer.  It is HOT.  Some of these games are ending before it is even completely dark.  Why can't summer games be later?  There kids are out of school.  I guess I am the only one who enjoys summer nights more than summer days.  

Sit under cover.9

[Rbiggs2525]

I still think the team can do more to draw more fans. Bars run happy hour to draw more people in. Maybe the new CEO will work on that.

[gamiliel]

4 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

For everyone who complains about the game starting 30-40’min early, you will find more who complain the games ends at 10.

Keep everything as is. The more you win, the more the attendance will go up.

Unfortunately the fact is that it is Baltimore....not exactly a bastion of safety in the minds of many.