Baltimore Orioles to let kids nine and under into games for free
By David Hill
The Baltimore Orioles have a great idea to help attract younger fans to the game – let them in for free.
One of the biggest questions facing the future of Major League Baseball involves its fanbase. The games are considered to be too slow or boring to attract the attention of younger fans, a problem that will plague the sport in the coming decades. The ongoing discussion about the pace of play has been fueled, in part, by that desire to attract younger fans.
The Baltimore Orioles, meanwhile, have a different idea to bring in those fans. Instead of worrying about pace of play or anything along those lines, they are focused on bringing kids to the ballpark. As such, the Orioles are giving children nine and under free tickets to upper deck seats, excluding Opening Day, throughout the season.
While watching the games on television can be fun, there is nothing quite like being at the ballpark. That is especially true for children, as a game on television can be somewhat boring for them to watch. However, having fun at the ballpark can make the experience so much more worthwhile and entertaining.
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Of course, the biggest problem with that thought is the cost associated with going to the ballpark. Ticket prices continue to climb, pricing families out of the experience. Even when families do go to games, the cost of concessions and souvenirs make it difficult for most fans to attend more than a handful of games over the course of the year.
Even better, this promotion is slated to continue all year. These tickets are going to be made available each month, with those tickets subject to availability. Bringing those kids into Camden Yards can create a new generation of Orioles fans, helping to keep interest in the team. And, it is possible those kids would become paying customers as well, asking to go out and see a game with their parents from time to time.
As Major League Baseball continues to try to find ways to court younger fans, this promotion may catch on. The best way to create a new generation of fans is to bring them into the ballpark, and let them enjoy themselves. The Orioles are doing exactly that by giving those tickets away.
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A new generation of Baltimore Orioles fans may be born with this promotion. In the quest to keep kids interested in the game, letting them into the ballpark for free may well be the answer.