Hours after the most decorated concert in the history of Oriole Park at Camden Yards and days after a lawsuit revealed an ugly power struggle within the Peter Angelos family, John Angelos has again said the Orioles aren’t going anywhere.
In a statement released by the team shortly after 6:30 a.m. Monday, the chairman and CEO of the club reiterated “the Orioles will never leave” Baltimore, citing the Maryland General Assembly’s recent bill promising $1.2 billion to upgrade the Camden Yards Sports Complex. A lawsuit filed by brother Louis Angelos last week argues John seized control of the club and the family estate despite their father’s wish for the brothers to control the Orioles equally with mother Georgia. Peter Angelos is 92 and in failing health, which includes “his mental abilities” in the words of the lawsuit.
The lawsuit includes more than one mention of John Angelos potentially moving the Orioles to Nashville, where he has a residence. The current stadium lease runs through the end of 2023 with the club having the option to execute a five-year extension by Feb. 1, 2023.
“There is nothing uncertain about the future of the Baltimore Orioles,” stated John, who also noted being appointed chairman and CEO of the Orioles “according to my parents’ expressed wishes” in the statement. “I want to assure our Orioles players and coaches, our dedicated front office senior leadership team and staff, and our devoted fans, trusted partners, elected, civic, and non-profit leaders, and our entire community, that the Orioles will never leave. From 33rd Street to Camden Yards, the Birds of Baltimore, the iconic team of Brooks, Earl, Jim, Frank, Cal, and Eddie, will forever remain in the only city that our family and our partnership group has called, or will ever call, home.”
While the statement assures the Orioles staying in Baltimore, it makes no mention of the potential sale of the club, which the lawsuit states is Georgia Angelos’ preference. And even if fears about the club being relocated are overblown, the long-term health of the Orioles in Baltimore is another story, especially considering the Angelos family’s track record over nearly three decades of ownership. The Orioles have enjoyed just seven winning seasons and five playoff appearances since Peter Angelos became principal owner of the club at the end of the 1993 season.
Below is the full statement from John Angelos:
“As I have said before, as long as Fort McHenry is standing watch over the Inner Harbor, the Orioles will remain in Baltimore.
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“My mother was born and raised in northeast Baltimore, attended city public schools at Eastern High School, and has worked with my father their entire lives to help the city, including by restoring the club to local ownership and preventing its relocation. For them, as for me, the Orioles will forever play at Oriole Park, and at no time ever have we contemplated anything different.
“Since I was appointed Chairman and CEO according to my parents’ expressed wishes, and voted as the control person for the team by the 30 Major League Clubs, I have taken significant steps to ensure that our beloved franchise’s future remains in Charm City. Just two months ago we celebrated the Maryland General Assembly passing a bill promising to put $1.2 billion into reinvesting and reimagining the Camden Yards Sports Complex, which includes Oriole Park, ensuring the team will continue to play right here in downtown Baltimore for generations to come. Maryland is committed to keeping our team in this great state, and I am equally committed to keeping the Orioles at the heart of our state. As stewards of “The Ballpark That Forever Changed Baseball,” we will continue to strengthen our community, generate another $10 billion in economic impact for the City of Baltimore and State of Maryland, and welcome another 70 million people to downtown Baltimore over the next 30 years and beyond. There is nothing uncertain about the future of the Baltimore Orioles.
“I want to assure our Orioles players and coaches, our dedicated front office Senior Leadership Team and staff, and our devoted fans, trusted partners, elected, civic, and non-profit leaders, and our entire community, that the Orioles will never leave. From 33rd Street to Camden Yards, the Birds of Baltimore, the iconic team of Brooks, Earl, Jim, Frank, Cal, and Eddie, will forever remain in the only city that our family and our partnership group has called, or will ever call, home – the finest city and birthplace of our national anthem of which we are enduringly proud and to which we are forever committed.”
