[Baltimore Sun] Maryland Stadium Authority agrees to smaller piece of Savannah Bananas pie
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The Maryland Stadium Authority is welcoming the Savannah Bananas to Oriole Park at Camden Yards this summer and is willing to take a smaller slice of the revenue.
The Savannah Bananas, widely considered baseball’s Harlem Globetrotters for their elaborate costumes and dances throughout the game, are scheduled to play at Camden Yards on Aug. 1 and 2 as part of the 2025 Banana Ball World Tour.
The stadium authority’s lease with the Orioles contains a provision for non-Major League Baseball events. Under the agreement, the organizer, usually the Orioles, as in this case, takes 10% for securing the event and the net revenue is split 50/50 with the stadium authority, which equates to a 45-55 ratio.
Instead, the stadium authority opted out of that agreement and consented to receive an 80% share of the 10% tax on the price of each ticket sold. The remaining 20% is provided to Baltimore City.
Any losses from only taking the admissions tax from these events is offset by the strong fiscal benefits to the state through tax revenues, economic activity, job creation and media exposure, while also providing entertainment for Marylanders and tourists, stadium authority officials said.
The stadium authority opted out of the original arrangement because it could be a disincentive for the team to have to attract the events and then split the money, officials said. The goal is to host more non-baseball events at Camden Yards.
“In most cases, they are doing more work and getting less money,” Michael J. Frenz, executive director of the Maryland Stadium Authority, said about the previous agreement at the organization’s monthly meeting on Tuesday. “At the end of the day, we’ll still be getting the admissions taxes and taking no risk.”
The stadium authority adopted the same strategy for recent concerts by Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen. The organization is adopting the same model for a Top Golf event at Camden Yards, where fans can play a round of golf at the stadium.
“It gives a greater opportunity to have a diversity of events at the stadium,” Frenz said, adding that he is confident that the Orioles will have more non-baseball events at Camden Yards, especially with Catie Griggs as the new president of business operations.
“I think they are going to have their eye on different ways of generating revenue,” Frenz said.
“We will work in collaboration with the Maryland Stadium Authority and other partners to explore opportunities for concerts and other events next year and in the future to encourage downtown visitation and create unique experiences beyond baseball at Camden Yards,” Orioles spokesperson Jackie Harig said.
Under the Ravens’ new lease agreement at M&T Bank Stadium, there is no provision for the Maryland Stadium Authority to opt in. The Ravens recieve 100% of the revenue from non-football events.
“They want to bring people to Baltimore too,” Frenz said “It helps them to a certain extent, but it also helps the city too. I think we know the Orioles and the Ravens are civic-minded in that way.”
Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com, on X as @ToddKarpovich.
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