What did you expect? The announced attendance was only moderately lower than in previous early season Rays games.

Every year this discussion is had. Every year the attendance shows modest improvements once the weather warms up, schools let out, and the O's play some different teams. This year will be no different.

The attendance around here is ALWAYS lowest in April, not August. At least over the last several years.

Bill,
I think that the combo of the Rays and the weather certainly hurt. But 10k is embarassing. I think though, that if this team plays hard (they don't need to win, but they need to play with enthusiasm and be competitive) and people get a little bit excited about the direction things are going, the fans will start to show up, and attendance will improve. If, on the other hand, the club is continually getting blown out, we could be looking at record-breakingly futile crowds.
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I do agree with you. If this team can play near .500 ball for the next two weeks, the next home stand will be a good test .. Toronto, White Sox and Yankees. In mid-May, there's the Red Sox midweek and Nationals on the weekend and then in late May, Yanks and Red Sox back-to-back.
-- Bill O.

Ouch-pretty small turn-out, especially since I would guess that the O's must have close to 10,000 season holders. That means the walk-up crowd was pretty minimal.
It could be for all the reasons you noted and more ominously, it might be that the O's are finally making a statement. The big sell is that this is a 'rebuilding year' but when you look at the roster full of guys aged 30 and over, you really have to wonder.
For the most part, many of these vets are declining in skills and by default are our starters. They would fight just to get on most other MLB rosters.
Fans will come out if they see hope but when they see the same tired faces(and sad ones at that-ie Payton/Mora) it's hard to get pumped up.
I seriously think that the O's should lower ticket prices-you don't charge broadway show prices for a third rate performance.
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Terry,
I really don't think lowering ticket prices will do it because you really can see this team pretty cheaply through the secondary market. But you make an interesting point that the team is being sold as a rebuild but the starting lineup still has a lot of transition players, Mora, Millar, Roberts, Payton, who are unlikely to be around when the team is supposed to be ready to contend.
-- Bill O.

Bill , seems like everyone trying come up with why O's only had 10,505 souls in 2nd game of season. Personally , i believe it is snowball culmination of all these years of mistakes , that one day we wake up to see the picture getting grimmer .

And how about customer service ? Last year , we went to O's game , since i have walking disabilty , we politely asked O's staff for 'wheelchair' assistance . The staff refused to provide us one or even make reasonable accomodations . I was so upset that i threw our tickets in the waste can and went home . Now i wonder if the O's staff have treating other customers the same apathy?

Now the O's wondering where all those customers went?
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Allan,
I am distressed to hear of your experience. Without knowing the team's policies or resources for such situations, I would think that common sense would prevail and you try to help fans as much as possible. I agree that there is a cumulative effect at work here and that it is a contributing factor.
-- Bill O.

As one of the 10,505 who went to the game last night I can attest to how disappointing the crowd turn-out was. Don't get me wrong, I was able to get good seats without having to spend much money, but it was embarrassing nonetheless.

Looking around the stadium I almost started to think I was watching a game for the Baysox or Keys. Very sad.

It's too bad New York or Boston wasn't in town, as we wouldn't have this problem to worry about. But then again, we'd have the problem of NY and Sox fans to worry about. Yep. I'll take the attendance problem every day of the week.
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Bryan,
Thanks for writing and giving your first-hand impression. Just curious did you get your ticket at the scalp free zone.
-- Bill O.

first of all why would 10,505 people want to go and pay the kind of money it costs to go see what is less than major league talent... Daniel Cabrera is absolutely tragic. for someone 6-9 and can throw the ball 100 mile an hour why does he throw a 2 seam fastball with all that movement when a 4 seam fastball would be straiter and easier to control. he needs to learn to throw strikes.whats the worse that could happen a hitter take one of his straight 4 seam fastballs and hit it 400 ft or more?? oh thats right they DID
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Yep. In fact, twice I believe.
-- Bill O.

Bill,

I know there are a lot of postings since this, but thought I'd weigh in anyway. I was at the game too, and was so cold most of the game that I couldn't feel my fingers.

I go to a lot of games, about 60 a year, and support them all the time - but if I didn't already have a ticket to later games in the year, I would have traded in my ticket in a heartbeat for one later in the season. I think you judge the support for the team by teh great showing at FanFest on Saturday, not on the few games after Opening Day when the weather is horrible.
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Bobby,
As I answer this, the O's are 4-1 and we may all be a little stunned. Good stunned. But stunned nonetheless. Look, my hat is off to you for being a staunch fan. But the measure of how fans feel about a team is whether they will pay to show up. Granted, the weather was a factor but 10,500? It broke a record by 2,500. If they can keep it up a little, this conversation will be moot.
-- Bill O.

All the people were down south watching the Capitals win 2 games.
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They had a much bigger crowd for sure.
-- Bill O.

All the people were down south watching the Capitals win 2 games.
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They had a much bigger crowd for sure.
-- Bill O.