Baltimore Orioles

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/60681

Not one of Baltimore's finest surveys. It is true that my Baltimore Orioles have not done so well in recent past. Not to make excuses, but this small blurb is one explanation why team performance is suffering and attendence is declining.

Let's begin with some historical perspective:
According to Wikipedia, the Baltimore Orioles are one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was established as a major league club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1901. The Milwaukee Brewers (not to be confused with the current Milwaukee Brewers) moved to St. Louis in 1902 and became the St. Louis Browns. After more than five decades in St. Louis, in 1954 the Browns moved to Baltimore and assumed the nickname Orioles, the traditional nickname of various Baltimore baseball clubs.

Now the Orioles are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1992 to the present, the Orioles have played in Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
The "Orioles" name refers to the bird of the same name. Nicknames for the team include the O's and the Birds.

2008
This past season, the Orioles began the 2008 season in a rebuilding mode under GM Andy MacPhail. The rebuilding phase began as the O's traded away star players Miguel Tejada to the Astros and ace Erik Bedard to the Seattle Mariners for prized prospect Adam Jones, lefty reliever George Sherrill, and minor league pitchers Kameron Mickolio, Chris Tillman, and Tony Butler. Respectively, baseball analysts across the country wrote off the O's as a team likely to finish last in the A.L. East. The Orioles started off the first couple weeks of the season very well near the top of their division as players such as Nick Markakis and newcomer Luke Scott led the team offensively. Although the Orioles were able to stay competitive for most of the season hovering around .500, they had fallen back by September and were over 20 games back from the first place Rays. They would finish the season losing 11 of their final 12 games and 28 of their final 34. Their final record of 68–93 (.422) would mark the 2nd worst of their 11th consecutive losing season.

For the past three summers, I have worked at Sliders Bar and Grill, a fun place literally located behind Camden Yards gates and within walking distance to M&T Bank stadium where the Ravens play. You'll always find the place packed whenever the O's are playing (no matter what they're record)! Sliders entices customers and ballgame-goers with block parties, special events throughout the summer, and a DJ on Fridays, Saturdays and game nights. It's the place to be!! Downstairs is the main bar and upstairs is a full service restaurant along with a second bar and a pool table. Working outside, I was able to converse with fans and interact with all types of people. What I gathered is that although the Orioles for lack of a better term sucked, Baltimore's atmosphere, entertainment, and beautiful stadium gather fans from parts all over the country. During the Yankees series, I was continuously told what a great city I lived in and how it was cheaper to drive from New York to Maryland, get a hotel, and go to the games than it was to see a Yankees game! The fans couldn't believe the affordable prices and how friendly and welcoming Marylanders are!!
Instead of being a city of Corf-ers, fan identification ranges anywhere from the Oriole fanatics to the social viewers that enjoy the fun activities the city provides outside and inside of the stadium.