Nationals Park Questions

[machpost]

Looks like the new scoreboard is now operational...

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4Gxpqux31Q/

[Mattionals]

Looks like the new scoreboard is now operational...

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4Gxpqux31Q/

I wish they would get rid of the old Nationals logo on top of the scoreboard.

[imref]

I wish they would get rid of the old Nationals logo on top of the scoreboard.

The non-functional clock is dumb too

[Mattionals]

The non-functional clock is dumb too

Yea, just replace it with a curly W, or even better, the interlocking DC.

[madj55]

It’s my fault for expecting more from this group. Should’ve known it was just going to be an updated version of the old one when the DC council said it’d be “state of the art”. Same exact size and surrounded by the same sun faded advertisements and stadium signage that hasn’t been updated or cleaned since 2008. They removed the stars from the non-functioning clock, but kept up the Nationals lettermark that they haven’t worn or used in any capacity since 2010.

I see people blaming this solely on the Events DC group who maintains the space - but if the Lerners aren’t spending any money on the field, the least they could do is contribute to upgrading the stadium they got for free.

[imref]

OTOH, it is still miles better than the scoreboard in Camden.

[machpost]

It is disappointing that it's the same size as the old one. And does it really make any difference if it's 4K now? At the distance most people will be viewing it from, they'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between 4K and whatever resolution the original board had. At least it should be quite a bit brighter. The old scoreboard had grown noticeably dim over the past few seasons.

[Senatorswin]

OTOH, it is still miles better than the scoreboard in Camden.

I was surprised when I went to Camden Yards last season how bad the scoreboard was. Small and hard to read.

[varoadking]

More testimony that they aren't even trying anymore...

[imref]

I was surprised when I went to Camden Yards last season how bad the scoreboard was. Small and hard to read.

Audio is awful in the park as well. We were there for the 40th anniversary game in 2022 and it was impossible to hear the speakers as well as the audio from the videos that they showed for players who couldn't attend in person.

[imref]

Scott Allen of the Washington Post tweeted about a bunch of changes at the park from today's media tour:

https://x.com/ScottSAllen/status/1772270813028274427?s=20

[imref]

316 seats are fantastic. Highly recommend.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

316 seats are fantastic. Highly recommend.

sun?

[varoadking]

sun?

We sat up there once back in 2012 or 2013, IIRC...the worst thing was that I felt like I was gonna fall out of my seat and into the Diamond Club seats with the seemingly extreme forward pitch of the 3rd level. 

It was sunny, maybe a bit too sunny actually, but certainly OK for $18.  Quite a bargain for a night game, actually.  I think they were maybe $10-$12 on the secondary market back in the day...dunno...

It was a short walk down to the 2nd floor for a decent array of concessions...easier than in Section 222 where we sat for Game 3 of the World Series, though thankfully there's no sun under the roof there.

[imref]

sun?

We got to our seats around 3:30 and they were in the shade already.

[imref]

So we got out of the Navy Yard metro at about 3:00 or so yesterday. The line for the CF gate went all the way up half-street to the bullpen. But, that was for the middle entrances. If you walked all the way up to N street there were much shorter lines to the right or left of the main line.

There was also something called a "Go-ahed Entry" entrance that had no line whatsoever. It links your selfie photo to your MLB Ballpark app, and if your tickets are linked to the app, it allows you to walk into the stadium by just scanning your face.

We bought our seats on Seatgeek and they were automatically linked to my MLB Ballpark app, so we could have used that entrance if I had enrolled. The system is supposed to work at most ballparks. There are go-ahead entry lines at the 1B gate and RF gate as well. This is a really nice system for give-away days when there are limited quantities available or just big crowds.

Details:
https://www.mlb.com/nationals/ballpark/information/go-ahead-entry

[RobDibblesGhost]

Audio is awful in the park as well. We were there for the 40th anniversary game in 2022 and it was impossible to hear the speakers as well as the audio from the videos that they showed for players who couldn't attend in person.

Went to OPACY for the first time in several years last July and, while it's a great park, the audio is awful, the videoboard and scoreboards are low quality and the seats down the lines aren't angled towards home plate so iyou have to tilt your head to see. Not a great fan experience.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

And the OPACY "Maryland dog" is like eating priapically served cat food.  There's Boog's at least.   

Went to OPACY for the first time in several years last July and, while it's a great park, the audio is awful, the videoboard and scoreboards are low quality and the seats down the lines aren't angled towards home plate so iyou have to tilt your head to see. Not a great fan experience.

[PowerBoater69]

Has anyone else used the Go Ahead entry? It works great, we just walked in. No line, no security, no tickets. Well almost. My wife was carrying a bag from Chipotle, which got searched, but they let her bring it in. For true security free entry you can't have a bag. The other issue is I had to show that I was enrolled in the Ballpark app before walking in because they've had more people walking in who aren't enrolled than those who are.

One tip, it takes your picture before you might be ready, so be ready, that's the picture that will come up when you walk in all year.

[machpost]

Last night the Go Ahead Entry was down completely at the first base gate. The biggest problem I've found with it is that big groups of people line up for that entry, only to be turned away when not one of them even knows what Go Ahead Entry is, slowing down everybody behind them. But when it works, it's a breeze to just walk right in.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I sort of hate the idea of stored pictures and really haven't had much problems with security lines and scanning, so to me it seems like not worth it. OTOH, of course they have my picture when I enter (please take off your hat), so I should not be quite so paranoid. To set this up, is it go to the ballpark app, take a selfie, and upload it?

[imref]

Last night the Go Ahead Entry was down completely at the first base gate. The biggest problem I've found with it is that big groups of people line up for that entry, only to be turned away when not one of them even knows what Go Ahead Entry is, slowing down everybody behind them. But when it works, it's a breeze to just walk right in.

i posted above that there was no line for it for the ring giveaway game this past Saturday. I'm going to sign up.

[Natsinpwc]

If you only occasionally attend games and see a Go Ahead entry sign you are going to go for it.  Will take a while for people to adapt. 

[PowerBoater69]

I sort of hate the idea of stored pictures and really haven't had much problems with security lines and scanning, so to me it seems like not worth it. OTOH, of course they have my picture when I enter (please take off your hat), so I should not be quite so paranoid. To set this up, is it go to the ballpark app, take a selfie, and upload it?

That's what I figured, they already do facial identity on everyone entering the ballpark why not get the benefit. It took about 30 seconds to set it up in the ballpark app, one of the easiest enrollments I've done.

[PowerBoater69]

If you only occasionally attend games and see a Go Ahead entry sign you are going to go for it.  Will take a while for people to adapt. 

Yeah, probably best to have the Ballpark app open to show them your enrollment as you walk up, still quicker than waiting to scan your phone.

I wonder how much we're being scanned. Obviously facial recognition. But they must be checking for weapons as well or are we considered trusted. Real question is are they scanning for airline liquor bottles in my pockets?