Bugle Charge for Beer
Think the natives at Camden Yards are getting a tad restless with the nifty 1-6 start the Orioles have going?
Well, they are. And apparently they're getting thirsty, too.
At least the ones who bother to show up. (The crowd of 9,129 for Monday night's 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays was the lowest in Camden yards' 19-year history.)
A well-orchestrated chant in the terrace box seats the other night turned the traditional bugle call over the PA system into -- you can't make this stuff up -- a plea for more equitable beverage pricing.
Instead of just yelling "CHARGE! after the bugle call, a half-dozen of these folks were yelling: CHARGE! LESS FOR BEER!"
They almost made it seem like a human rights issue. It was so moving, it almost brought tears to your eyes.
What, charging $6 or $7 for a beer at a ballgame is highway robbery? Well, sure, of course it is.
But look at the great baseball the fans get to watch.
Um, OK, never mind
Comments
Amen - if the O's are going to make us cry - might as well let us afford to cry into a beer and have enough left over for one to drink.
Posted by: bryanintowson | April 13, 2010 8:53 AM
I'm happy to pay a bit extra for beer at the ballpark if that means fewer drunken idiots shouting obscenities. Hasn't happened yet, though, so maybe they raise prices further.
Posted by: Mitch | April 13, 2010 8:56 AM
When do the O's start paying US to sit through this? Just think, it could be worse. The Astros are 0-7.
Posted by: Jeff in Ga | April 13, 2010 9:04 AM
O's wake up and not just at bat! A great PR move (and not a moment too soon) would be to really roll back beer AND concession prices. Forget nachos and overpriced, doughy, pretzels. That's bar food you can get before and after games. Scale those concession offerings down to hot dogs, popcorn and smaller-sized sodas. Kind of a retro thing, with some serious retro pricing. Lure families back to the park. God knows they can't afford to go to Ravens Games. Think. Think. Think. Come on it's a no-brainer.
Posted by: ruth | April 13, 2010 9:11 AM
Count your blessings. I was at Chase Field in Arizona a week ago an ended up paying $10 for a "premium" beer. (Not including tip)
Posted by: Mike | April 13, 2010 9:24 AM
It's $7.25 for a domestic draft and $7.50 for a 'premium' beer this year - a big jump from last year. It wasn't reported or mentioned anywhere so it was a big surprise to me on Saturday. My girlfriend and I just shared one. Forget going to Camden Yards this year - this organization does not care about its fans, especially beer drinkers. I'll be watching on MASN (no wonder their ratings are way up.) If the ownership wants a family atmosphere - fine they got it - an uncomfortably quiet night with the family at the ballpark.
Posted by: Brian | April 13, 2010 9:28 AM
It's nice to see some fans taking advantage of the small crowds to get a message heard. I do have a small problem with your article, the beers at Camden Yards cost well over $7. it would have been nice to find a beer for only $6 on opening day.
Posted by: MB | April 13, 2010 10:52 AM
it's pretty bad when the farm teams draw more fans than the MLB team.
Posted by: GHTpdx | April 13, 2010 11:30 AM
Well, at least the fans set two records within a span of 4 games: highest attendance at OPACY (during the home opener), and lowest attendance at OPACY (during last night's game).
I wonder if losing all 4 of the games played had anything to do with this drop-off?
Posted by: AngelOs | April 13, 2010 12:01 PM
Next thing you know they will be chanting "Let's Go Home" in place of "Let's Go O's"...oh wait a minute, that actually happened last night at the game!
Posted by: Amanda | April 13, 2010 12:50 PM
The beer prices arent any different at Camden Yards then they are at any other ballpark. Sure they are high, but its not like the O's are ripping off there fans any worse than the Pirates or [insert team name here]
Posted by: John | April 13, 2010 2:01 PM
As long as you continue to pay high prices for beer they will continue to charge these high prices for beer. Stop paying it and they will back off.
Posted by: John | April 13, 2010 3:20 PM
and they wonder why so few people come out for games?!
Posted by: thirsty | April 13, 2010 3:41 PM
in the old days they used
to serve beer to you in the
seats, man those were the
good old days...
now you stand in line and
pay through the teeth... better
to buy a six pack and drink
it out in the parking lot...
might as well get a buzz on
to watch the orioles, they
play like they are drinking...
Posted by: bob m | April 13, 2010 4:35 PM
Bring a bunch mini bottles of whiskey in and buy coke.....cheers!!!!!
Posted by: jayslick | April 13, 2010 5:02 PM
Jay - dont buy the coke, you can still bring that in for free.
Posted by: boozer | April 13, 2010 6:42 PM
High price beer actually leads to more drunks. They load up at Pickles etc. before the game and the alcohol kicks in around the third inning. Raising prices is a flawed copout and solves nothing except to get Angelos a little more $$$
Posted by: zigzag | April 14, 2010 6:46 AM
Raise the price of the crying towels instead
Posted by: Lorena Bobbett | May 5, 2010 2:21 PM
I am a part of the group that started this cheer last season. Our main issue is that the prices keep getting jacked up when the team still sucks. This is going to be the 13th straight losing season and this "rebuilding" period is crap. If the team was winning, then the rise in beer prices would be less of an issues, but if your charging more for beer, go out and get better players so we can at least break .500
Join us at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/CHARGELESS-FOR-BEER/110115005431?ref=ts
Posted by: Patrick | June 30, 2010 7:44 PM