If the Baltimore Ravens are going to open the NFL season on the night of Sept. 5, they'll need Major League Baseball's help. It's unclear at this point if they'll get it.
The Orioles -- who share parking-lot real estate with the Ravens -- have a game scheduled on the Thursday night the NFL plans to lift the curtain on the 2013 season with the defending Super Bowl champs as the main attraction.
MLB had been silent on the issue until Tuesday.
"From a baseball competitive standpoint, it would be very difficult to change times," MLB senior vice president Katy Feeney said, according to The Associated Press. "We're talking about September."
September is the home stretch of baseball's playoff chase, of course. The Orioles fancy themselves contenders and believe they will be playing meaningful games in the final month of the regular season.
If MLB wants to work with the Ravens and the NFL, it has several schedule options. Still, each one comes with some logistical hiccups that Bud Selig & Co. might rather avoid.
"There's not a lot of wiggle room," Feeney said.
If you're into the narrative that this situation doubles as a high-stakes showdown between two corporate giants of sport, go right ahead. For the time being, we'll view it as a temporary conflict over a parking lot.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.
