9 replies to this topic

[Oriole85]

WNST: HERE’S WHY BALTIMORE DOESN’T CARE ABOUT MARYLAND FOOTBALL

 

http://wnst.net/top-...wed-october-16/

 

Still, to me, the sports community in Baltimore is a 9.5 when it comes to the Ravens.  I’d say Baltimore’s level of interest for the Orioles is 8.  While clearly not as interested in the baseball team as they are the football team, Baltimore is still engaged with the Orioles to a large degree, particularly when they’ve been competitive over the last couple of years.  Maryland basketball probably comes in at a 5 or 5.5 on the rating scale.  While nowhere near as popular or “followed” as Ravens football or Orioles basketball, Terps basketball is still a “player” in the Baltimore market.

So, where does that leave Maryland football on my scale?  I’d say they’re a 2.5…in Baltimore.

 

On a large scale, Terps football has no footprint at all on the sports landscape of Baltimore.  If you stopped fifty people in Towson Town Mall today who acknowledged they were sports fans and asked them who the Ravens play this Sunday, I’d say 40 of the 50 know it’s the Steelers.  If you asked those same people who Maryland plays this Saturday, I’d say five would be the maximum number who would know the Terps are at Wake Forest.  And five might be high, honestly.

 

I think Drew raises some good points here, even if I don't entirely agree. First of all, Maryland football will always be a distant 2nd(or 3rd depending on you want to look at it) just in terms of football. DC fans will almost always have the Redskins as their top football priority. Likewise, Baltimore with the Ravens. So that's just football. Then I believe the O's will always be a higher priority within Baltimore. On the DC end, you have three other major pro teams, who will usually take priority. And I haven't even mentioned Maryland basketball and it is a basketball school after all. So at best for most sports fans, Maryland football will rank 4th everything being equal. Just wondering, is Terps football for anyone here their #1 sports priority?

 

One thing Drew omitted was that Maryland did play a game there this year. He suggested they play a game in Baltimore every year, but he didn't mentioned they've played plenty of games at M&T over the years. Also, he makes reference to Maryland not being on a specific TV channel, these are all controlled by the conference, this isn't Notre Dame.

 

He's also wrong about it being non-existent unless you have a laptop. Only one game this year, did you need laptop for unless you don't get ESPNU or ESPNews (which I realize some don't). 

 

He mentions the lack of advertising in Baltimore and specifically mentions how Navy does market itself as a Baltimore team. It's hard for me to judge this since I don't need advertising to get me interested. He also mentions how location-wise it's more of a DC-school. I've never really looked at MD this way, even though geographically he's right. His case is if it were located in Catonsville, that the DC media wouldn't cover it. I don't really agree with this, there's still a lot of alumni from both ends of the Beltway. There's only one major "big-time" university in Maryland and it isn't that big of a state, so if you want major collegiate sports, there's only one real answer in the state of Maryland. Could Maryland be doing a good job of reaching out to Baltimore, I suppose though.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I remember in Friedgen's first season at UM, in order to clinch sole claim to the ACC title (and hence a BCS Bowl) they had to win their last game at NC State. I ended up watching the game at Della Rose's in White Marsh. The place was as packed with people watching the game as it would be for a Ravens game. When Shaun Hill hit Guilian Gary for the go-ahead TD with under a minute left, the place went bonkers. If Maryland can at least be close to that somewhat consistently, they will be relevant in Baltimore. Maybe never as much as the Ravens or even Orioles, but certainly relevant. Same with Terps basketball....when they were at their peak in the late 90s to early 2000's they were much higher than 5-5.5, and if they win like that they will be again.

 

I'll agree that the marketing and playing occasional games in Baltimore helps and is something UM should do. But if they really want to keep the fans in the city engaged, then above all else they have to win. I'm sure the distance has something to do with it, even though it's not that far relatively speaking, but it's just far enough that the Terps will slip from the consciousness of Baltimore fans if they don't win enough much quicker than the Ravens and Orioles.

[Oriole85]

I remember in Friedgen's first season at UM, in order to clinch sole claim to the ACC title (and hence a BCS Bowl) they had to win their last game at NC State. I ended up watching the game at Della Rose's in White Marsh. The place was as packed with people watching the game as it would be for a Ravens game. When Shaun Hill hit Guilian Gary for the go-ahead TD with 41 seconds left, the place went bonkers. If Maryland can at least close to that somewhat consistently, they will be relevant in Baltimore. Maybe never as much as the Ravens or even Orioles, but certainly relevant. Same with Terps basketball....when they were at their peak in the late 90s to early 2000's they were much higher than 5-5.5, and if they win like that they will be again.

 

I'll agree that the marketing and playing occasional games in Baltimore helps and is something UM should do. But if they really want to keep the fans in the city engaged, then above all else they have to win. I'm sure the distance has something to do with it, even though it's not that far relatively speaking, but it's just far enough that the Terps will slip from the consciousness of Baltimore fans if they don't win enough much quicker than the Ravens and Orioles.

I think Drew doesn't see the potential if they were to compete for an ACC title or even nationally. I think he has a point about asking random sports fans at a shopping center who Maryland is playing -- how many would know they were playing Wake? I do think Maryland football's main problem in either DC or Baltimore is the competition they face within the market -- you have a lot of options, not just sports-related even.

 

Terps basketball will always be more respected atleast compared to other basketball programs with it's history and the lack of a pro team in Baltimore. I don't think too many have Maryland basketball as their top sports priority, but I think it's #2 in some circles and definitely #3 in others. (Again these priorites are predicated on everything being equal -- yes in a down O's year, I'd expect more to pay attention to a MD Sept football game than a meaningless Sept baseball game)

 

Yeah we've discussed the distance before, it's really not that bad -- agree with you here.

 

Just from my perspective like what you're saying -- I think it's easier for most people to forget about Maryland football than it is for O's, Ravens, or Maryland basketball. It's one of those, great if they are winning, but I'm not going to lose sleep if they aren't (for most people). It's not Alabama or Ohio State, but at the same time I don't think many really want that kind of culture and mentality here anyways.

 

All-in-all, there's six pro teams within a 40 mile radius, when it comes down to it, college sports takes a backseat around here to pro sports.

[BSLZackKiesel]

My #1 sports priority is Terps football, but I'm totally biased in that respect. I wouldn't be here if that wasn't the case. College football is my favorite sport, so naturally Terps football is #1 on my list. But I realize that not many people feel that way. I think the Terps are really trying hard to get Baltimore involved. The first part of that plan was making the school "Maryland" focused, instead of "Terps" focused. The next part is to have more games and events in Baltimore.

[NewMarketSean]

I think winning is the ultimate cure-all and the Terps haven't been a "great" team in over 10 years.

 

Add to that the Ravens, and the NFL, being king in this area and spending 3.5 hours watching, or attending, a Terps football game in addition to watching, or attending, the Ravens or Redskins game, doesnt leave much time for people to do anything else during their weekend.

 

As I become older, time is the one thing that I am not getting any more of. Maybe that's just me.

[BSLChrisStoner]

I think winning is the ultimate cure-all and the Terps haven't been a "great" team in over 10 years.

 

Add to that the Ravens, and the NFL, being king in this area and spending 3.5 hours watching, or attending, a Terps football game in addition to watching, or attending, the Ravens or Redskins game, doesnt leave much time for people to do anything else during their weekend.

 

As I become older, time is the one thing that I am not getting any more of. Maybe that's just me.

 

The question was posed as to why Baltimore isn't more interested in MD football, but the same could be said for Washington, MD alumni, and current students.

As Sean and others have said, if there is apathy (and there is) it is because MD has not consistently won. There is some chicken/egg stuff. You might have more success as a program, if you take measures to garner greater interest.... but primarily you can't garner that larger interest without winning consistently.

This is not Arkansas, where the daily sports coverage 365 days a year is predicated with solely following College Football (and to a lesser extent College Basketball). This is a major metropolitan area, with numerous pro teams, and other competition for entertainment dollars (and again as Sean mentions... time).

If MD wins consistently, there will be enough people who will be more willing to give time paying a greater attention to the program.


It gets back to the theme I've been on since the FSU nightmare. The people connected with the MD program (with, and external to the University) with the highest vested interests in the Terps... have to control what they can control. You might not get Joe Blow to buy in until MD consistently wins, but you have to go take care of and address everything else. That includes facilities, and finding ways to pack Byrd (and improve the home environment) even if you are not selling each ticket.

 

I'm no friend of NST, but FWIW I think Drew's article was articulated well.

[Oriole85]

I think winning is the ultimate cure-all and the Terps haven't been a "great" team in over 10 years.

 

Add to that the Ravens, and the NFL, being king in this area and spending 3.5 hours watching, or attending, a Terps football game in addition to watching, or attending, the Ravens or Redskins game, doesnt leave much time for people to do anything else during their weekend.

 

As I become older, time is the one thing that I am not getting any more of. Maybe that's just me.

They have had a few successful periods in their history, nothing too big. I know they have that one national championship, but that was 60 years ago and they did it differently back then -- I think I read that that was voted before the bowl games. The success 10 years ago was short-lived and for anyone my age, the only high point they know was that three year stretch with the Orange Bowl. They've had some good years since then though.

 

My uncle has season tickets to both the Terps and Ravens. I asked him about it last weekend if he doesn't like when they have back-to-back home games, and he basically said, he'd prefer not. So I agree with your weekend theory especially in this circumstance. Football is meant to be an all-day affair much more so than other sports between increased traffic and tailgating People are much more likely to make an event than a baseball game since there's only 6-8 home games (excluding preseason for the NFL).

 

My point is let's say they're winning and the Ravens are winning, are people going to go all for the Terps? I'm sure they'd see a big rise in attendance, donations, merchandise sales, but I can't see College Park looking like South Bend or Tuscaloosa.

[Oriole85]

My #1 sports priority is Terps football, but I'm totally biased in that respect. I wouldn't be here if that wasn't the case. College football is my favorite sport, so naturally Terps football is #1 on my list. But I realize that not many people feel that way. I think the Terps are really trying hard to get Baltimore involved. The first part of that plan was making the school "Maryland" focused, instead of "Terps" focused. The next part is to have more games and events in Baltimore.

I thought you were O's first, that thought was probably formed because that's where I saw you from on Twitter. I know you're into MD football more than most and I really respect that since it's the hardest one to follow locally IMO.

 

I'd like to see them more involved in Baltimore, just don't want to see games so much. But I understand why. My homefield advantage point didn't look so good when they demolished WVU.

[Mike in STL]

What was Drew trying to say that we don't already know? I will say that It's painting with a pretty broad brush to say Baltimore doesn't care about MD football. 

 

If they won more games, more people would care. My old roommate was never a college football fan. Huge Terps BBall fan, but not football.  But a few years back, I think it was Fridge's last year, when the Terps won 9 games and had a prime time game against FSU with the division on the line, he was all about it. 

 

Winning will make the casual fan pay more attention in any sport. There are plenty of Caps fans in Baltimore. But I know exactly ONE Wizards fan. One guy who watches the games, goes to a few games a year. If the Wizards made the playoffs, more people in Baltimore would watch, right? (Not me, because I don't care much for the NBA product, but that's besides the point).  

 

I think it's easy for us in Baltimore to be emotionally vested in our Ravens and Orioles. But the Terps, Caps, and Wiz, interest there is based on winning. You can tell by the attendance numbers. 

[Oriole85]

What was Drew trying to say that we don't already know? I will say that It's painting with a pretty broad brush to say Baltimore doesn't care about MD football. 

 

If they won more games, more people would care. My old roommate was never a college football fan. Huge Terps BBall fan, but not football.  But a few years back, I think it was Fridge's last year, when the Terps won 9 games and had a prime time game against FSU with the division on the line, he was all about it. 

 

Winning will make the casual fan pay more attention in any sport. There are plenty of Caps fans in Baltimore. But I know exactly ONE Wizards fan. One guy who watches the games, goes to a few games a year. If the Wizards made the playoffs, more people in Baltimore would watch, right? (Not me, because I don't care much for the NBA product, but that's besides the point).  

 

I think it's easy for us in Baltimore to be emotionally vested in our Ravens and Orioles. But the Terps, Caps, and Wiz, interest there is based on winning. You can tell by the attendance numbers. 

He wasn't exactly breaking any news, it's a very interesting discussion IMO given that they're the only BCS institution in the state. I do agree with you it's a broad brush he's painting, but I think he has a point even with his small sample size of one bar and it's lack of focus on the MD game.

 

I agree with you with the Wizards, I think it be more popular than the Caps if both teams were doing well. More people like the NBA, Baltimore is a better basketball market.

 

I totally concur with your last statement, that the non-Baltimore and/or college teams have to win to gain stature on the Baltimore landscape.