The Sun has set at Camden Yards.
The iconic Baltimore Sun sign that has appeared on the scoreboard at Oriole Park at Camden Yards since its opening in 1992 has been removed, a team spokesperson told The Baltimore Banner. The team is continuing to evaluate options and is “having conversations” regarding what will replace the iconic sign, the spokesperson said, but is not in a position to share details yet.
The spokesperson also said The Baltimore Sun lettering within the vintage clock atop the scoreboard has also been removed.
The sign had grown synonymous with the ballpark, and the letters H and E were used to signify whether the scorekeeper had ruled a play a hit or an error.
A source with direct knowledge of the situation told The Banner that The Sun had not paid for the sign for “more than a few years.” The Athletic first reported in June the organization’s plans to change the advertising board on the scoreboard.
Dempsey’s Brew Pub and Restaurant, named for the former Orioles catcher Rick Dempsey, has been closed, and its signage on the B&O Warehouse has also been removed. Dempsey told The Banner that he was “disappointed but not surprised” that his restaurant would be shuttered. Dempsey, named the 1983 World Series MVP, serves as a community ambassador for the Orioles, maintaining a relationship with the team.
“I’ve received very little communication [about the restaurant] from the front office with the Orioles in a long time, so I suspected sooner or later they were probably going to move on from the restaurant, and they did,” Dempsey said.
The Sun’s publisher and editor-in-chief Trif Alatzas told the newspaper in a statement that the company was redirecting its marketing dollars due to “a change in pricing.“
“Our business division has partnered with the Orioles every year since the team arrived in Baltimore in 1954 and we look forward to continuing that relationship in meaningful ways,” he said.
The Banner did not immediately receive a response to an emailed request for comment Thursday.
There have been several notable changes at Camden Yards in the last year. The concession vendor will change this upcoming season, from Delaware North to Levy Restaurants. The most glaring change involved moving the left field wall back about 30 feet and raising the fence to 13 feet.
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