The  subject of this blog  is a very sensitive issue for me… the attendance at Oriole Park  on Wednesday. It  had  the lowest attendance in the history of the Yard.  I hate hearing it… I hate seeing it… It makes me feel sick. People (outsiders) think that because only 10,000 people showed up on Wednesday night that we aren’t passionate about our  baseball team in this town. I’m not trying to make an excuse, but for the record the 2nd game of the season is typically the lowest attended game of the year.

In my view,  people in B’More care as much about the O’s as they ever have. But, there is a difference between loving your O’s and going out and spending that kind of dough on a ball club that will have more losses than wins for the 11th consecutive season.

I am all about die hard “fandem.” Being a fan is about supporting your team through good times and bad… I have always said, it is no fun being a Yankee fan, because it is so easy to do. Of course I wish we still sold out every night… those were great times. But I don’t appreciate it when my colleagues in the national media taking shots at our passion for Oriole baseball.

Last week, Bob Dupay, who is number two in the MLB Commissioner’s office, was asked about his biggest concern  heading into the 2008 season. He didn’t say steroids or fear of another Jose Canseco book. His greatest fear is an economy in trouble. The first thing that a family sacrifices in hard times isn’t food or car payments; it is buying tickets to the ball game.

We don’t live in New York, so we can’t draw from 10 million people to fill a 50,000 seat park. We are 2 million (and a great 2 million) people. There are 81 games for which to fill the Yard. The O’s fan base is skeptical and hurt for what has happened here over the last decade. And that is the right of the fans. And, when things improve, there will be a full house at Camden Yards again.

With all that being said,  I stress, I implore, I beg the Baltimore Orioles to do something drastic. I know it sounds like childhood thought…. but the Birds should do something  significant. I’m not talking about a hat give away. I am talking about cheap tickets…everywhere. Like real cheap… people will come! And the club will actually earn more revenues. Clearly, no one is spending the $40 dollars now on tickets, and no one is buying items at the concessions, such as the jerseys and the foam hands. Give the tickets away!  Get people in the stands now!!! And when things get better… raise ticket prices. But, how uplifting would it be if Camden Yards were  filled every day this season, cheering on this young club ?  Hey… it might even help the young  players develop faster and maybe even WIN…!!

Posted on Friday, April 4th, 2008 at 2:47 pm.
Categories: Orioles.
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