2012 attendence and fans

[Obed_Marsh]

Smarter fans? How could you possibally notice that? Are you surveying the crowd? Or are you leaping to conculsions based on what people happen to be saying in your section or the beer line you happen to select?

[MarquisDeSade]

This year it was on a weekend, last year it was mid-week, which would inflate the numbers for 2012.

You're forgetting about Memorial Day.

[PowerBoater69]

You're forgetting about Memorial Day.

How does Memorial Day factor into a comparison of 2011 v 2012 attendance?

[MarquisDeSade]

That game was a sellout.

[OldChelsea]

That game was a sellout.

Actually it wasn't - Memorial Day 2011 (30th May) vs the Phillies (assuming that's the one you're talking about) - the only time the Nats have been home for Memorial Day in the Nats Park era thus far - drew 34,789.

[MarquisDeSade]

Really?  That's very strange, I thought it was a sellout.

[OldChelsea]

Really?  That's very strange, I thought it was a sellout.

What's even stranger is that this 34,789 figure is a Nats Park record for any federal holiday (that is, the date on which the holiday is observed and we feds get the day off) - we haven't even broken 35k, let alone sold out:

2008
Memorial Day - 28,552 vs Brewers
Fourth of July - away to Reds
Labour Day - 28,393 vs Phillies

2009
Memorial Day - away to Mets
Fourth of July (observed Friday 3rd) - 33,982 vs Braves
Labour Day - travel day

2010
Memorial Day - away to Astros
Fourth of July - 29,234 vs Mets
Labour Day - 20,224 vs Mets

2011
Memorial Day - 34,789 vs Phillies
Fourth of July - 32,937 vs Cubs
Labour Day - 25,518 vs Dodgers

[santanaf]

What's even stranger is that this 34,789 figure is a Nats Park record for any federal holiday (that is, the date on which the holiday is observed and we feds get the day off) - we haven't even broken 35k, let alone sold out:

2008
Memorial Day - 28,552 vs Brewers
Fourth of July - away to Reds
Labour Day - 28,393 vs Phillies

2009
Memorial Day - away to Mets
Fourth of July (observed Friday 3rd) - 33,982 vs Braves
Labour Day - travel day

2010
Memorial Day - away to Astros
Fourth of July - 29,234 vs Mets
Labour Day - 20,224 vs Mets

2011
Memorial Day - 34,789 vs Phillies
Fourth of July - 32,937 vs Cubs
Labour Day - 25,518 vs Dodgers

I think that's a simple fact that many people that might otherwise attend a game on a Fed holiday are off on a long weekend or family trip.

[Baseball is Life]

Smarter fans? How could you possibally notice that? Are you surveying the crowd? Or are you leaping to conculsions based on what people happen to be saying in your section or the beer line you happen to select?

You cannot be this literal in real life. It's just an opinion, dude. He's allowed to have it.

[OldChelsea]

I think that's a simple fact that many people that might otherwise attend a game on a Fed holiday are off on a long weekend or family trip.

That is no doubt part of it; also weather (the Labour Day match against the Dodgers was an overcast, but not rainy itself, prelude to a meteorologically disastrous series), logistics (Metro can really be a trial on the Fourth) and of course the quality of the Nats baseball (which was pretty dire most of those years) may play a part. Still odd though given the afternoon holiday scheduling - it'll be interesting to see how our (thus far) improved team draws on the Fourth and Labour Day this year (we're away to the Marlins on Memorial Day this year).

[Gleason2]

Those sorts of things are part of why I called it "strange" in my post below that the crowd sizes have been so small.  I've seen tons of Nats hats around town and the sports talk radio guys are now talking about the team on a regular basis.

Yeah, I've also noticed a lot more Nats talk on the radio this year.  That's a welcome development, even if a lot of those radio guys still seem to know far less about the team than anyone who posts on this board.

[MarquisDeSade]

What station are you guys listening to?  The Fan is 24/7 Landover ForeskinZ. 

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Marc Fisher was sitting in for Kojo on WAMU last week and had an hour on ballpark food.

What station are you guys listening to?  The Fan is 24/7 Landover ForeskinZ. 

[Gleason2]

What station are you guys listening to?  The Fan is 24/7 Landover ForeskinZ. 

That's not really true.  Danny Rouyeh (?) and Holden Kushner talk Nats quite often.  And the Junkies in the morning talk about the Nats noticeably more than they have in previous years (though, admittedly, that is a pretty low bar).  Those are the only shows I listen to on that station, though, because I can't stand any of the rest of them, so I can't comment on the other hosts.

[Obed_Marsh]

You cannot be this literal in real life. It's just an opinion, dude. He's allowed to have it.

Sure his experience with fans may be better but it is subjective at best, based on personal experience and an incredibally small sample size. It is sloppy thinking to take limited personal experience and apply it universally. This is not incongruent with acknowledging opinion, it is simply noting flawed basis of it. In real life, most of the people I know avoid dopey generalizations so it doesn't really come up.

[PowerBoater69]

That's not really true.  Danny Rouyeh (?) and Holden Kushner talk Nats quite often.  And the Junkies in the morning talk about the Nats noticeably more than they have in previous years (though, admittedly, that is a pretty low bar).  Those are the only shows I listen to on that station, though, because I can't stand any of the rest of them, so I can't comment on the other hosts.

Dukes talks Nats too.  Zuckerman calls into 980 on a regular basis.  And the weekend guys always cover the Nats.  A big increase this year.

[hammondsnats]

it's not an issue.  if the team keeps playing well, the house will be packed this summer.

besides we haven't had this much excitement around the team since '05 and we are missing a few key players.

[Baseball is Life]

Sure his experience with fans may be better but it is subjective at best, based on personal experience and an incredibally small sample size. It is sloppy thinking to take limited personal experience and apply it universally. This is not incongruent with acknowledging opinion, it is simply noting flawed basis of it. In real life, most of the people I know avoid dopey generalizations so it doesn't really come up.

Man, you must be really fun at a cocktail party.

You are the one who is taking his personal opinion and applying it universally. He's just saying that's what he observed.

[HerndonNat]

Those sorts of things are part of why I called it "strange" in my post below that the crowd sizes have been so small.  I've seen tons of Nats hats around town and the sports talk radio guys are now talking about the team on a regular basis.

For my family it's because we have been busy on weekends with my son's baseball and the weekends we haven't been busy the weather sucked.  Also I have no desire to go to a midweek game during the school year.  I'm sure I'm not the only person in this area with the same problem.

[PowerBoater69]

For my family it's because we have been busy on weekends with my son's baseball and the weekends we haven't been busy the weather sucked.  Also I have no desire to go to a midweek game during the school year.  I'm sure I'm not the only person in this area with the same problem.

Those factors are mostly constant, excerpt for the weather which was worse last year.

[Obed_Marsh]

Also I have no desire to go to a midweek game during the school year.

Coming from Herdon I could see where it would be a long haul. Do you think the Silver Line will change that?

I am not sure why exactly but I expect attendence to go up a little bit as the Metro expands.

[santanaf]

In our season ticket group it's interesting to see which games get picked first vs last. This year, beyond the obvious Yankees, O's, and Phillies series, it seems like evening games almost always go first. Friday night, then weeknights, then weekends. People don't really care about holidays or anything. Then weekday games, and last of all, Saturday day then Sunday day games. We sit in section 135 (in front of Tripp, the blue suit dancing guy), so day games can get really hot with the sun in your face.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

EvRYbudDIEClapUrHans!  who needs a crowd to get loud when there the PA folks can do the noise pumping at inappropriate times?  And how does Hans feel about being slapped so much?

Games I've been to, there is more noise that is not PA stimulated.  for example, the PA folks will do their Hans number, the noise will die out, then a let's go Nats chant will start, or clapping, or something.  Then they'll do a different rhythm, that'll die out, then the noise will start.  Specifically, I think this was the case in the Friday Phillies game, and it was my impression earlier. 

I really hate the PA when they start a Let's Go chant when we are in the field.

As for attendance, there are at least 9 big draws remaining on the schedule: The Os series, the NYY series, and at least one weekend series with the Braves.  You can tell the anticipated big series by the rcr / ticket exchange black out dates.  We've only hit I think the OD and Take Back the Park blackouts.  The RCR has added a black out for 6/2 Dierkes Bentley.  I'm thinking we'll maintain over 25K and not that it is artificially pumped up early and we'll pay later.

[Galah]

Sure his experience with fans may be better but it is subjective at best, based on personal experience and an incredibally small sample size. It is sloppy thinking to take limited personal experience and apply it universally. This is not incongruent with acknowledging opinion, it is simply noting flawed basis of it. In real life, most of the people I know avoid dopey generalizations so it doesn't really come up.

wow....how many different ways was I supposed to say it was my opinion???
Yes, it's based on those few stragglers who I happen to sit near by in the ball park and over hear in the beer line, you found me out!

[OldChelsea]

Here's how all the 2012 home fixtures stack up attendance-wise thus far:

40,907   Thursday 12th April 2012 vs Reds [home opener; 7th highest attendance at Nats Park all-time]
39,496   Saturday 5th May 2012 vs Phillies
35,489   Saturday 14th April 2012 vs Reds
34,377   Friday 4th May 2012 vs Phillies
33,058   Sunday 6th May 2012 vs Phillies
26,959   Friday 13th April 2012 vs Reds
26,745   Saturday 21st April 2012 vs Marlins
25,679   Sunday 15th April 2012 vs Reds
[25,332 - 2012 SEASON AVERAGE to date]
24,640   Friday 20th April 2012 vs Marlins
23,902   Tuesday 15th May 2012 vs Padres
22,675   Tuesday 1st May 2012 vs Diamondbacks
19,656   Thursday 3rd May 2012 vs Diamondbacks
19,434   Monday 14th May 2012 vs Padres
18,045   Thursday 19th April 2012 vs Astros
17,886   Tuesday 17th April 2012 vs Astros
16,274   Wednesday 2nd May 2012 vs Diamondbacks
16,245   Monday 16th April 2012 vs Astros
14,520   Wednesday 18th April 2012 vs Astros