Clarion Content

We have to admit it, there was audible laughter at the Clarion Content's Sports Desk when we read that the Baltimore Orioles elected to retain Dave Trembley as manager. Fresh off of a thirteen game losing streak, in a year where they may just barely avoid losing 100 games, they brought the manager back? This was coming back from a 2008 season where they won a meager 68 and dropped 93, closing that season a scintillating 1 and 9.

This is what Orioles owner Peter Angelos is selling his dedicated fan base? Orioles fans may not be responding. In the fourteen games prior to the losing streak the O's averaged a bare 19,000 fans in paid attendance. Paid (and announced) attendance for crummy teams is alway higher than the actual number of fannies in the seats, as many tickets are pre-sold as part of season long packages and counted as attendance. Camden Yards is only sixteen years old, it is not like they can start clamoring for a new stadium to bring the fans back. The O's may be in for a long dark turn, can we say (shudder) Pittsburgh Pirates, anyone?

Labels: baseball, sports, Sports Economics