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ORIOLES PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE AT CAMDEN YARDS

May day game draws an additional 3,000 fans.

CONTACT

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Monica Pence
Director, Public Relations
[email protected]

ORGANIZATION

Baltimore Orioles

PROGRAM TITLE

Orioles "Field Trip Day"

OBJECTIVES

As much as it pays off in the long run, going to school is not the greatest thrill in the world. But what happens when a group of students learn at their hometown professional ballpark for a day? Suddenly, learning seems a bit more exciting. At last year's baseball meetings in the fall, the Baltimore Orioles heard about other teams hosting field trips at their respectable venues, and wanted to be the next to include a fun-filled day for students in their marketing efforts. Going with the idea that such an event would work great in Baltimore both from a marketing standpoint as well as fulfilling the goals of the OriolesREACH program, which encompasses all of the team’s community relations efforts, the Orioles organization strived to incorporate activities both inside and outside the ballpark to give back to the Baltimore community. Combining an educational day at Camden Yards for children seemed like a natural fit. For this reason, the team wanted to get as much participation from school groups as possible in their inaugural year. 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The exciting and educational Field Trip Day, held this past May, was open to children in grades 3-8. Camden Yards opened at 9:30 a.m. with a morning workshop conducted by the Orioles CBS affiliate and TV partner, WJZ. The Station’s First Warning Weather Team, including local forecasters Bob Turk and meteorologists Bernadette Woods and Tim Williams took the time to teach students about clouds, lightning, tornadoes and more. The stimulating learning experience was further contributed by the Orioles Head Groundskeeper, Nicole Sherry, who discussed how weather patterns affect the playing field at Camden Yards, as well as how weather impacts the game itself. Furthermore, the Field Trip Day featured live weather experiments and a weather balloon launch atop the visitor’s dugout. The learning-packed day culminated with baseball under the sun, as the Orioles hosted the Tampa Bay Rays.

MEDIA

In conjunction with television commercials from WJZ and Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), Field Trip Day was also promoted on the team’s website. Letters were sent to schools in the area encouraging attendance to the unique experience.

PARTNERS

The Orioles’ TV partners for the event, MASN and WJZ, contributed immensely to Field Trip Day Promotion. “Field Trip Day presented an opportunity for educators to bring the classroom outdoors and provide students with a science lesson in a unique setting,” said Orioles Director of Communications Greg Bader. “It was also a great chance for kids to learn about the weather in a fun, hands-on environment. The Orioles, MASN and WJZ look forward to partnering on future Field Trip Days at Camden Yards.”

RESULTS

When combining the excitement of sports with the importance of education, results are staggering. The game that day featured a larger turnout of school-aged children. An extra 3,000 seats were filled at Camden Yards due to the attendance of local schools, something a normal day might not have seen. Experientially, children were given an exclusive, up-close look at the game while gaining knowledge; and the Orioles continue their steadfast presence in the Baltimore community. 

LOOKING AHEAD

With the success of the Orioles’ Field Trip Day in its inaugural season, the event will more then likely be used again at Camden Yards.

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