Baseball is always described as a game for older fans. The numbers back it up. The MLB has the oldest average fan out of the major four sports at the age of 57 according to a Sports Business Journal article from 2016. The Baltimore Orioles are doing their part to change that. A new promotion was announced that will allow fans of 9 years old or younger to see games for free. The “Kids Cheer Free” program will give parents two free tickets for their kids with an upper-deck ticket purchase. I think this is amazing. There is nothing like going to the ballpark with your parents and enjoying a game of baseball. This experience will help develop the next generation of baseball fans and hopefully will go a long way to bringing that average fan age down. I am part of the minority of young people that loves baseball and I’m thrilled that the league is taking steps to make the game more appealing to a younger viewer. The new focus on pace of play is clearly designed to capture a younger viewer with a much shorter attention span. This program by the Orioles takes a much more direct program. This will allow families to take their kids with them to the park which will make a new generation fall in love with the great game. This a great move by Baltimore and I would love to see something like this adopted league-wide. No one wants to pay $100+ to take their young kids to a game. But who wouldn’t do it if it was free? I can’t wait to see Camden Yards packed with youngsters this season.
