The Orioles are having a great season on the field but a terrible one off the field thanks to John Angelos who now runs the team.
They haven’t signed an extension to the lease which runs out at the end of this year. Both the Orioles and Ravens get $600 million from the state for stadium upgrades if they sign the extension which the Ravens have done.
Baltimore fans worry about moving the team because we are scarred by the move of the Colts almost 40 years ago. It’s not likely but here’s a scenario I haven’t seen discussed: How about the Orioles moving to Nashville and Baltimore getting an expansion team? Something similar happened in 1961 when the Senators moved to Minnesota and Washington got a new team (that is now the Rangers). I don’t think MLB would leave Baltimore without a team but this is a small market.
Angelos’s ideas are not realistic and asking for another $300 million is outrageous. There is not enough room downtown for what he wants to do. Why make unreasonable demands? Is this an excuse to move the team?
Camden Yards looks great but I think the next Baltimore stadium will be in the suburbs because of the perceived safety issues. I also think it will have a dome because of global warming.
Then there’s the apparent suspension of broadcaster Kevin Brown and Brown’s tweets, which as others have noted, read like a hostage video. Angelos was wrong on this, too. Brown’s contract is up and I wouldn’t be shocked if he left after this year. We have been through this before too when Angelos’s father forced Jon Miller out of town.
Sad! 