Orioles rewards members have been able to attend special events like meet-and-greets with team legendsORIOLES
The Orioles finished their home schedule "drawing just 1,307,807 fans," which ranks 28th in MLB, but the Birdland Rewards program introduced this season has "provided some perks for long-suffering fans without increasing the price of season-ticket plans," according to Nathan Ruiz of the BALTIMORE SUN. Besides discounts on food and merchandise, Birdland members also "receive rewards points to use on experiences and tangible items." They include meet-and-greets with Orioles legends, "delivering the game ball to the mound before a game and getting a giveaway item for a game they didn’t attend." The Orioles "retained their three-tier season-ticket model under the system," with fans receiving rewards points at all three levels. Those points can be "redeemed for experiences, which vary depending on the plan level." Orioles VP/Communications & Marketing Greg Bader said that "more than 50% of Birdland members have used at least some of their points." Matt Akman, a full-season-ticket holder, had "contemplated scaling back" to a lower tier. But the Orioles’ "initiative through Birdland memberships and their other efforts to maintain relationships with invested fans ... helped convince" him to renew. The Orioles' other "fan-friendly policies" include "allowing fans to bring their own food and beverages to the ballpark and Kids Cheer Free, which enables an adult who purchases a ticket to bring up to two children age 9 or younger to an Orioles home game for free" (BALTIMORE SUN, 9/25).
