Menu
Download the app

SBJ subscribers – Enhance your experience with the revamped iOS app

Franchises

Orioles' Attendance Issues Continue Despite Team Being In Position For Postseason

The Orioles "spent liberally in the offseason and have exceeded expectations on the field," but as they "drive for a third playoff berth in five seasons, fans are not filling Camden Yards," according to Walker & Barker of the Baltimore SUN. The club drew 20,387 fans for last night's game against the Red Sox, marking "only the latest data point in a story that has puzzled Baltimore baseball lovers all season." The Orioles have "suffered the fifth largest attendance drop" in MLB, residing "near non-contenders" such as the Twins and the Brewers. Everyone "seems to have a different theory as to why -- increased ticket prices, oppressive heat this summer, fan complacency after five years of winning and some people feeling uneasy about coming downtown in the wake of last year's civil unrest after Freddie Gray died." The Orioles' "natural market is small relative to other teams, with a base of about 3 million people." By comparison, the DC metro area, which belonged to the Orioles before the Nationals began play in '05, is "about twice as big." Tourism officials are also "puzzled by the Orioles' attendance numbers as well." The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore has "tried to help the team attract fans." DPB VP/Communications Michael Evitts said "The partnership has worked with the Orioles on ticket packages of reduced-price seats to downtown residents. I'm disappointed at how the numbers have gone. I can't say why. We had kind of a rainy spring. I feel like the Orioles are pulling out all the stops" (Baltimore SUN, 9/21). In DC, Dave Sheinin noted the Orioles this season for only the third time in 12 years "raised ticket prices," and it was by a "significant margin," averaging roughly 20%. One "would expect attendance to shoot up in the late stages of a pennant race," but "it hasn’t." Sheinin: "You can’t blame it on a disconnected fan base, because the Orioles’ broadcasts on MASN rank fourth in the majors in average ratings" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/21).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2016/09/21/Franchises/Orioles-attendance.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2016/09/21/Franchises/Orioles-attendance.aspx

CLOSE