Five of Our Favorite Upgrades at Camden Yards This Season

A sellout crowd. Sunny, 75-degree weather. Orange everywhere. The Oriole Bird bouncing around the seats.

Orioles season is so back, and courtesy of $135 million in public funds from the state, Oriole Park at Camden Yards has gotten some serious upgrades since the end of last season. Fans will notice the new amenities—look no further than the state-of-the-art scoreboard (more on that later)—but rest assured, the ballpark hasn’t lost its charm and character.

Of course, the roster got a refresh, too, with additions like veteran slugging first baseman Pete Alonso, who joins an O’s homegrown core intent on returning to the playoffs under first-year manager Craig Albernaz. 

On Thursday, with Orioles starting pitcher Trevor Rogers allowing only three hits over seven innings and new closer Ryan Helsey getting his first save, all the O’s needed from their offense to win was an RBI sacrifice fly from Colton Cowser and an RBI single from Blaze Alexander. 

After taking in the season opener from the field—as well as from the stands, Splash Zone, and the newly relocated Jim Henneman Press Box—we compiled five of our favorite new things at Camden Yards.

New Faces (and Walk-Up Songs) 
Upon signing a five-year, $155 million contract with the Orioles this winter—just the type of move fans have been longing for under Baltimore native David Rubenstein’s ownership—Alonso spent several weeks searching for a new walk-up song that would play before his at-bats at Camden Yards. 

In front of 42,134 fans on Thursday afternoon, we found out what he landed on—and it’s perfect.

Alonso walked to home plate to the crescendo of “Birds” by Baltimore’s own Grammy-award winning hardcore punk band, Turnstile. “It is perfect,” Alonso told us in the clubhouse after the game. 

Here’s how it came together: Alonso knows Turnstile guitarist Pat McCrory through mutual friends, and they met in December in Baltimore when Alonso visited town to take his physical and complete the O’s free-agent signing of him. An easygoing conversation in February, recorded by the O’s, hatched the idea to use “Birds.” 

“Turnstile is sick. They’re a great band,” Alonso said. “I know they’re a Baltimore band. Them winning a Grammy is big-time. I’m happy to represent.” 

The standing ovation that fans gave him before his first at-bat, as “Birds” played, was a “dream come true,” he said. “It’s such a blessing and I’m happy we got the win for them today. He added, “It felt like a movie today. There’s a lot of excitement with this group of guys and this team. You could really feel that from the fans. It was electric today.”

The good vibes didn’t quite carry into the batter’s box, though. At least not yet. 

Alonso struck out in his first two career Orioles plate appearances against Minnesota Twins starter Joe Ryan (and later flew out to the warning track in the eighth inning). But, hey, it’s early. The 31-year-old, who left the New York Mets, has a strong track record that suggests the hits will ramp up soon enough. 

The Scoreboard
Undeniably, the most noticeable difference at Camden Yards this season is the giant videoboard in center field. It’s two-and-a-half times larger than the previous scoreboard, which was the smallest in pro baseball. And it was dated. Even the eagle-ist of eyes could have trouble seeing the correct score in years past, especially during the day. But no problem anymore. 

Built by Daktronics, the board is now the 12th-largest in MLB, allowing fans at the park to easily view everything those at home might see on television, including the new ball-and-strikes challenge system. Plus it’s easier to see in-person exclusives, like a reimagined crab shuffle. (In related news, ICYMI, relish took the first live hot-dog race win of the year.) 

“The goal here wasn’t to go crazy or try to have the biggest in the country,” Orioles president of business operations Catie Griggs said of the scoreboard. “That’s not what Camden Yards is. We feel this is right sized for our ballpark.”  

Which still means big. For scale, it’s the equivalent size of 800 55-inch TVs. 

The Other Side of the Scoreboard
A giant image of a uniformed Gunnar Henderson at bat, part of a new multi-year sponsorship deal between the Orioles and Under Armour, now greets fans coming in off Gate H on Eutaw Street, with the tagline, “This is our yard.”  

Henderson saw it for the first time on Tuesday. “Pretty cool,” he said when we asked him about the signage, thanking both the Orioles and Under Armour. But is he comfortable with his sizeable stature—both real and symbolic—over the team (and fans) out in centerfield?

“Yeah,” he said, as if there was no question. “It’s really special.”

Now, for the next thing. A long-term contract between Henderson and the O’s…

A Lot of New TVs, and a Brand-New Sound System
No more squinting at the screens on the concourse for a peek of the action while you’re grabbing a dog or refilling your beer. There are now 600 modern TVs around the ballpark, programmable with on-demand video and other information (like what items are sold-out at concessions).  

And you can hear everything now, too. The stadium’s long-beleaguered sound system has finally been fully revamped with 900 new speakers. The radio broadcast piped in through the system—for example, on Thursday, the play-by-play voice of Brett Hollander—provides a great atmosphere while out of your seat. 

Something for Everyone, from Premium Club Access to Budget-Friendly Bites
Visuals and audio aside, many of the stadium upgrades appeal to higher-income clientele, most notably, the Truist Club. Replacing the old press box behind home plate, the ballpark’s first-ever premium club seats around 350 in an upscale restaurant-style setting. The price tag is around $15,000 for 40 games, according to O’s officials, which works out to around $375 per ticket. 

“We do want this to be a ballpark for everyone, we recognize there are people for whom this is the experience they wanted, and we weren’t able to offer it,” said Griggs, noting that Camden Yards was one of two MLB stadiums without a premium club previously. 

The club/suites level also got a refresh, most significantly with a pair of large bars overlooking the field at the end of the first and third baselines.

Throughout the stadium, new food items on deck include crab smash tacos; Yakamein (stir-fried udon noodles with grilled shrimp, onions, and hot dog slices in a soy sauce gravy); and a Japanese cheesesteak from Washington, D.C.-based chef Katsuya Fukushima, featuring a sweet soy broth and fresh toasted roll. (Highly recommend.) 

Thankfully, last season’s fan-favorite value menu is back, as well. Simple food and drink items (like the humble hot dog, peanuts, refillable soda cup, and 12-ounce domestic beer) are available for under $5. And many eats from local restaurants have returned for another year, as well, like Ekiben, Attman’s Deli, Stuggy’s, and, of course, Boog’s BBQ. 

A New Favorite Pre-Game Personality
We must mention one more favorite of the day—109-year-old Baltimorean Arthur Green, who tossed a ceremonial first pitch to a raucous ovation. Yes, 109. I chatted with him briefly before the game. He laughed with affirmation when I said he’s seen a lot of what’s happened in Baltimore.  

Green, a World War II and Korean War veteran, then ditched his walker to stroll onto the grass and effort a pitch toward Henderson at home plate. He was then greeted with more ovation by fans as he took his seat down the left field line. 

Yes, people, Birdland bliss is back at a refreshed Camden Yards. 

“The crowd was awesome,” Albernaz said after his first win as O’s manager, which really culminated afterward when players put him in a clubhouse cart and showered him with beer and soap. “The whole place was electric today. There was no down in the game. The whole day was awesome.”