"See The Birds" promotion shutdown

[ChaosLex]

This was posted earlier in the day by Drew Forrester

We’re going back to the ballpark next Tuesday, September 15 when the O’s host the Tampa Bay Rays.

Who’s going, you ask?

Well, I know I’m going. I hope YOU’RE going as well.

In fact, WNST is going to try and drag a bunch of you downtown next Tuesday night to take advantage of $1.00 tickets and to help generate some funds for The Right Side Foundation, the organization recently started by Nick Markakis and his wife, Christina.

http://wnst.net/wordpress/drewforrester/2009/09/08/if-the-os-are-selling-tix-for-100-lets-buy-them-for-next-tuesday/

Per WNST, the O's have "refused" to sell the tickets to WNST, so the promotion has been shutdown.

Obviously, the O's FO isn't the biggest fan of WNST, since the "Free The Birds" promotion of a few seasons ago. But then again, this was purportedly going to charity.

Provided you believe that the O's have "refused" to sell the tickets to WNST (and this isn't just a publicity stunt by Nestor and the bunch), do you agree or disagree with their decision.

Thoughts!?

[birdsfan4ever]

Who cares about NST. The Orioles can just give the $20 to Markakis' charity that NST would've brought in. This whole thing about not being able to get the $1 tickets for $1 is a joke.

[Sports Guy]

Is NST is telling the truth, this is disgraceful by the team.

[Mad Mark]

The Orioles are going to get crucified by WNST one way or the other, so why help them in their latest pathetic grab for publicity?

[NewMarketSean]

Come on, it's for charity. The O's should extend the olive branch already. They can't expect independently owned radio stations to be falling all over themselves to praise a team that hasn't had a winning record in 12 years....

[J.D.]

I'm not sure whether or not I believe WNST that the Orioles "refused" to sell them their tickets, but at this point I'm pretty ambivalent about it. It's the Orioles' right to refuse to sell tickets, and for all they know, WNST's just going to stage a walk-out protest again.

[Why Not?]

I'm pretty sure the $1 MASN ticket offer was never intended to be a group ticket offer. If people want to go, can't they buy their ticket and give a buck (or $50) to their favorite charity?

[Why Not?]

Come on, it's for charity. The O's should extend the olive branch already. They can't expect independently owned radio stations to be falling all over themselves to praise a team that hasn't had a winning record in 12 years....

No, it's self-promotion in the name of charity...and that's crap.

[SilentJames]

Yeah one dollar tickets are not meant to be purchased for large groups.

Moreover, there are only 500 dollar tickets out there - and Drew is getting all riled about the Ticketmaster charge, this is lame.

[crowmst3k!]

Whatever the O's front office would have chosen to do would have been a catch 22.

If they refuse, they're viewed by the NST faithful as completely heartless.

If they capitulate and sell NST the tickets, then Nestor is appeased, and he boasts about the influence they have on the organization.

Unstoppable force, immovable object. That whole thing.

[ChaosLex]

Whatever the O's front office would have chosen to do would have been a catch 22.

If they refuse, they're viewed by the NST faithful as completely heartless.

If they capitulate and sell NST the tickets, then Nestor is appeased, and he boasts about the influence they have on the organization.

Unstoppable force, immovable object. That whole thing.

That's a good point.

Personally, I was really torn when it came to voting, because I see both sides of the argument. However, I chose the "disagree" option, simply because all benefits would *reportedly* go to charity. Now, if the FO makes a donation to Nick The Stick's charity, I'll have no qualms whatsoever with their decision.

[SilentJames]

Whatever the O's front office would have chosen to do would have been a catch 22.

If they refuse, they're viewed by the NST faithful as completely heartless.

If they capitulate and sell NST the tickets, then Nestor is appeased, and he boasts about the influence they have on the organization.

Unstoppable force, immovable object. That whole thing.

Its not even that. NST KNOWS what will happen. They should know that only 500 dollar tickets are available, and they are ONLY AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUAL SALE ONLINE, as is clearly pointed out on the website.

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/bal/ticketing/masn.jsp

Now, NST could attempt to purchase a couple hundred tickets for the game in advance, Nestor could do it - he could get some nameless-faceless inter at the studio to do it, give him the money and that would be the end of it.

But, at the end of the day, they should know that this promotion is not intended to be used by groups, that what group ticket pricing is for.

Now, if they want to get a bunch of people together to try and sit in the same section, like they did last time - they could easily do that. But to me it seems that NST is purposefully exploiting a flaw in the system to make the Orioles look bad.

[SilentJames]

That's a good point.

Personally, I was really torn when it came to voting, because I see both sides of the argument. However, I chose the "disagree" option, simply because all benefits would *reportedly* go to charity. Now, if the FO makes a donation to Nick The Stick's charity, I'll have no qualms whatsoever with their decision.

I'm sure the Orioles have aleady made donations to Nick's charity this year.

[MurphDogg]

The Ticketmaster charge is fifty cents per ticket with no order fee. The Orioles were upfront that fans couldn't purchase tickets at the gates and must be purchased 24 hours in advance. They also stated that only 500 tickets were available per game. Let's not pretend that fans are getting raked over the coals in unexpected charges.

[dslats715]

I'm sure the Orioles have aleady made donations to Nick's charity this year.

I know they do.

But who are we kidding? There would be enough empty seats to easily make this possible, and it wouldn't have done anything, but been good.