I'm really NOT sure why I'm this nice to them, but once again - like I've done all season - I'll do the Orioles marketing work for them.

Last month, I wrote a blog about the major strides the team has made in their community relations efforts over the last year or so.

Sadly, those endeavors and good deeds haven't translated into better home attendance.  In fact - ahem, even with the team winning (the supposed tonic for all attendance-woes) - there are fewer people in the seats this year than in 2007. 

The reason the team's PR efforts haven't yielded more customers can be traced, somewhat, to a very simple principle.  A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE OF THEM.

The sad-caravan of O's PR rolled on this week when I contacted the team about trying to have Jeremy Guthrie appear on WNST to discuss a GREAT day-of-game promotion that comes up this Sunday, May 18.

At this point, I feel like I should be on the payroll like a handful of other media members in town, but I'll go ahead and tell you about the promotion and figure out who to invoice later on today.

This Sunday is "Bike to the Park" day at OPACY.  Fans can ride their bike to the stadium, park it there (in a secured bike rack) and then get a voucher redeemable for a $6 upper reserved ticket.

For a franchise whose stadium is situated downtown - surrounded by 20-somethings living in Federal Hill, Canton, Fells Point, etc., this is a PHENOMENAL concept and one that should yield them some positive results on Sunday.

But no one knows about it.

You know why?

No one knows about it because they won't allow Jeremy Guthrie to appear on ANY radio or TV station in town that is not one of the team's rights holders.  Well, that effectively eliminates about 25 or 30 media outlets in town that would probably be happy to have Guthrie on the air today or tomorrow to talk about Bike to the Park Day (Guthrie is the team's designated spokesman for this promotion...I'm not sure why, but he is.)

I even got the cold shoulder from a previously very warm and professional member of the team's PR staff yesterday in the press box.  I asked him why he didn't respond to my e-mail request for a Guthrie appearance to promote THEIR revenue-generating promotion and he merely said, "I didn't get your e-mail..." - Wow, what a coincidence, huh?  I send out 50 or so e-mails every day and the ONE that got hung up in cyberspace somewhere (somehow) just happened to be the one headed for the O's PR staff.

So, the team's viperish upper management crew have successfully groomed one of their really good, ultra professional PR kids to give me the freeze-him-out routine.  Nice.  When I asked to have Guthrie on the station (not just my show...Haynie's, Rob's, etc.) I was told this:  "We don't allow any of our players to appear on any station except our rights holder." 

I knew that already.  But it's always fun to see someone who really doesn't believe that's smart be forced to say it as if it makes sense. 

I'm not sure if the team understands this concept but here goes:  Generally, in any one market, you can only sell your rights holder agreement to ONE entity.  In this case, CBS Radio owns "the rights" and they have a few stations in town.  So, by selling your soul to ONE entity and allowing that entity to run your PR department, you've effectively eliminated another 25-30 media outlets in town.  They won't allow Guthrie on at WNST, WBAL, WCBM, WPOC, 92Q, WCAO, WTMD, 98 Rock and so on. 

I'm a dummy and I can tell you that's not smart business.

The Ravens have a rights holder agreement with WBAL Radio - and they certainly give WBAL extra-special treatment (which they should)...but the Ravens would NEVER prohibit their players or staff from going on other radio/TV stations to promote either a game, promotional endeavor or charity program.

Anyway, I urge all of you downtown who own a bike to take advantage of this great opportunity on Sunday.  Bike to the game (save $$ on the parking) and get a $6 ticket to see the Birds and Nationals.  It's one of the best promotional concepts I've seen from them in a long, long time.

It would be more exciting if you could hear Jeremy Guthrie talk about it, and the team's great '08 start, but he's not allowed to speak on the subject unless the team is getting paid for it.

But because I'm getting soft in my old age - and because I'm tired of seeing 10,000 people in the ballpark - I'll go ahead and do the team's marketing work for them.

This time, though, I think I should send them an invoice.

EDIT:  Oh, while I'm serving as the team's quasi-Marketing Director, I will also let all of you know something else you haven't heard this week...Daniel Cabrera will be appearing at Chick-Fil-A in Marley Station Mall this Saturday from 11am-1pm.  Go on by and say "hi" and get an autograph or picture with him.