Poll: fans riding high on Orioles playoff appearance, split on team owner

On the eve of playoff baseball in Baltimore, a new poll finds strong optimism for the hometown team and a plurality of people who approve of the job done by its owner.

“Following a magical seven months where the Orioles won more than 100 games during the regular season and captured the American League East, Baltimore City voters express optimism that their hometown team will make it to the World Series,” said Mileah Kromer, director of the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics and new season ticket holder. “It’s an exciting time to be a Baltimorean. Let’s go O’s.”

The Goucher Poll released Friday finds that 52% of those surveyed said they have paid “some” or “a lot” of attention to the Baltimore Orioles over the 2023 season. Forty-two percent said they have paid “a little attention” or “none” over the teams 162-game season.

The poll, done in partnership with The Baltimore Banner, was conducted between Sept. 19 and 23.

In Part 1 of the poll, released earlier this week, the survey found that some Baltimore City incumbents faced challenges in the upcoming 2024 election.

Part 2 was released early Friday.

The Orioles, who won 101 games and finished atop the American League East division, will appear in their first playoff game in seven years Saturday against the Texas Rangers.

The poll found that 72% of residents polled said they were somewhat or very optimistic about the team’s prospects for making it to the World Series later this month. That compares to 17% who said they were a little or not at all optimistic about the team’s chances.

The team last appeared in the World Series in 1983 when they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies.

The poll found city residents less enthusiastic about John Angelos, the chair and CEO of the team.

Thirty-seven percent said they approved of the job being done by Angelos. Another 29% said they disapproved and 32% said they did not know.

The Orioles are in the final year of a lease at Camden Yards. Angelos and the team have been engaged in negotiations for a new, long-term lease at the iconic facility.

Nearly a week after the poll was conducted, the team and Gov. Wes Moore (D) announced they had reached an agreement. A day later, the excitement of that announcement was diminished when it was reported that the team had not signed a 30-year lease.

Resulting coverage laid bare the less-than-final agreement. Instead, the team and state signed a memorandum of understanding. The document lays out a broad framework of items to be included in a deal. The memorandum is not legally binding and does not guarantee that the team will remain in the stadium though team officials and the governor have repeatedly expressed optimism about completing a deal.

Moore, speaking to reporters Wednesday, said he believed the coverage of the announcement and memorandum had been unfair.

“We now have the final framework that was necessary to move forward with finalizing the deal that will keep the Orioles for 30 years and mark my words and you can bet on it, the Orioles will be here for 30 years,” Moore said earlier this week.

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