Stop - New Usher Policy

[PowerBoater69]

People standing up and blocking other fan's view during the games is one of the biggest complaints at Nats Park so I understand why the team has created the new rules to try to resolve the issue, but the current policy is a complete cluster foxtrot.  The ushers hold people up at the top of the sections until an at-bat has ended, causing a jam up of fans, half of which are clueless and the other half annoyed as hell.  Me being part of the latter group, I start yelling at the usher to get out of the way.  The problem coming when the at-bat ends and the usher then starts checking people's tickets to see where they sit, moving things at a snails pace.  Followed by the slowest moving ticket holders setting the pace down the stairs as the long group trails behind and play starts again.  So that by the time most people arrive at their rows the next batter has entered the box and play has resumed just in time for everyone to have to get up and block people's views, exactly as this failed policy has been intended to prevent.


The problem is clueless fans, so holding people up only makes things worse.  Signs and announcements are the only way to resolve the issue.  Allow people to head down whenever they are ready, but let them know that it's best to try to time their entrance into the row until a brief stoppage in play.  Just as big of an issue is people in no rush to sit down, shaking hands with friends, setting down their stuff, and dealing with people in their seats.  I had to yell at a couple couples the other night to sit down because they were just standing around chatting, oblivious to the fact that we had men on base with two outs.


One final thing that annoys me is that this problem is associated with DC area fans, I've been to plenty of ballparks and seen the same issue in other places, and at Nats Park as often as not it's the out of town fans who are the worst offenders.


Bottom line for ushers, stop stopping me, or at least speed up the concessions workers since 95% of the time they're to blame for me getting back late.

[Kevrock]

My usher doesn't check tickets after the stop sign.

I HATE people trying to get to their seats in the middle of an AB, so I'm kinda glad they are doing something. That said, it takes so long to get down to my seat that the next AB has already started so I'm interrupting an AB anyway. So... this all seems a bit pointless.

Before the stop sign policy I would just stand on the concourse and watch until there was a break.

[Tokeydog]

Personally, I don't leave till a half inning is over and I don't return until the current half inning is over.  Just plain respect for those around me.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Simple solution: conduct the ticket checks off to the sides.

The ushers at Nats Park are often brain-dead, so it doesn't surprise me that they wouldn't simply use this common sense solution.

[Displaced Bucco]

I think the problem is actually worse here than other places.   Not judging by the number of people returning to seats, but the number of idiots who get up in the middle of an at bat or even while the pitcher is in his windup.  I do agree the new usher policy just seems to make it worse.

Another thing that drives me nuts is the number of people who don't show up until the 3rd inning and then come down the aisle in the middle of an at bat...if you don't care about the game enough to show up until it's a third over, why the rush to get to the seat???!!!

But overall, it is great to see attendance up.  We'll eventually build baseball fans here who know how to behave during a game!

Oh yeah, and enough with the wave.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I think the problem is actually worse here than other places.   Not judging by the number of people returning to seats, but the number of idiots who get up in the middle of an at bat or even while the pitcher is in his windup.

Definitely didn't see much of it in Seattle, which isn't exactly known as a sports Mecca.

[PowerBoater69]

My usher doesn't check tickets after the stop sign.

Right, this is half the problem, it wouldn't be so bad if they checked tickets while holding people up, but doing two things at once does not seem to be part of the deal.  They're for the most part competent so I'm not sure why they can't pull this off.

I HATE people trying to get to their seats in the middle of an AB, so I'm kinda glad they are doing something. That said, it takes so long to get down to my seat that the next AB has already started so I'm interrupting an AB anyway. So... this all seems a bit pointless.

Before the stop sign policy I would just stand on the concourse and watch until there was a break.

Right again, people getting up mid at-bat is just as bad as people returning, so they are only addressing half of the issue, signs and announcements are the better resolution.  In the big sections on the lower level I usually move quickly down the stairs to my row.  The find an empty seat or crouch down and wait for the at-bat to end before entering the row.

[Displaced Bucco]

...find an empty seat or crouch down and wait for the at-bat to end before entering the row.

God bless you, Sir!  I wish even one in ten Nats fans would do that!!

[PowerBoater69]

Another part of the solution is for regular fans to be less polite about the whole thing, let people know when they are breaking ballpark etiquette.

[BigMeech]

Yeah, the part about checking the tickets each time is pretty stupid.  They obviously know that they have already sat you. 

I understand why they make them wait in between at bats though.

[Slumpbuster]

I met an usher who works the lower sections who finds seats for us just before 1st pitch. Pretty good gig....pay for the $15. seats and sit in the $50. seats!
The practice of only letting people down at innings end is a good one though. With all of the good sight lines at Nats Park it's no problem to see all of the action while waiting to head back to your seat.
There are a few ushers I have encountered that have attitudes but most of them are great.

[PowerBoater69]

I met an usher who works the lower sections, ..., who finds seats for us just before 1st pitch. Pretty good gig....pay for the $15. seats and sit in the $50. seats!

I know an usher or two with the same policy.  Is that his real name?  If so why not edit it out, no reason to get the guy busted by management after he hooked you up.

[PowerBoater69]

Yeah, the part about checking the tickets each time is pretty stupid.  They obviously know that they have already sat you. 

I understand why they make them wait in between at bats though.

The issue with checking tickets is really only at the beginning of the game.  But if you read the previous messages I think that it's clear that waiting until the end of an at bat to start walking down the stairs is completely useless and actually makes the problem worse.

[MarquisDeSade]

Ive finally gotten to the point where I tell people to wait when they get up to get food t shove in their fat faces. People get upset but keep their mouths shut.

[Slumpbuster]

Good thought pwrboater....done.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Ive finally gotten to the point where I tell people to wait when they get up to get food t shove in their fat faces. People get upset but keep their mouths shut.

Classic MDS

[RyanZimsKazoo]

Ive finally gotten to the point where I tell people to wait when they get up to get food t shove in their fat faces. People get upset but keep their mouths shut.

Surrrreeee you have.

[MarquisDeSade]

Surrrreeee you have.

I did it today and I'll do it again. Most people stop and dont say crap, some of them whine but stay where they're at.

[BigMeech]

The issue with checking tickets is really only at the beginning of the game.  But if you read the previous messages I think that it's clear that waiting until the end of an at bat to start walking down the stairs is completely useless and actually makes the problem worse.

I see the reasoning behind why they make people wait but yeah, they shouldn't do it. 

I don't know if it was my particular usher, but I kept having my ticket checked each time I left my seat to go get food or go to the rest room.  They even checked it during the fifth/sixth inning IIRC so it isn't just limited to the beginning of the game.  It's especially frustrating when you have a handful of food and you have to reach into your pocket to get your ticket out each time, especially considering that my ticket was a big piece of paper that I used for my Stubhub tickets.

Maybe it was because it was the home opener and it was the usher's first day on the job but yeah, it was frustrating.

[MarquisDeSade]

Our guy in 308 was hilarious. He checked them once for us but stopped people that he deemed annoying just to make them mad.  Dude took trolling to a new level.

[Displaced Bucco]

I don't get why they check so much on the gallery level, it's not like there's a bunch of the K-street crowd trying to sneak up and sit with us low-lifes!

[lastobjective]

How often do ushers check tickets? I've only been checked twice - once when I had 400 level seats and another time when I got a 100 level seat. They never checked the tickets again after that first time. I also try to slide down to the 300 or 200 level after a few innings if the ballpark isn't too crowded and I've never gotten checked.

I actively try not to leave my section to get food, however, because they hold you up during a play. I get annoyed, can't see crap, and people are pressing up against me. I do appreciate what they're trying to do, just seems like the wrong way to do it.

[Obed_Marsh]

I find it fairly amusing since I always waited anyway. Granted the user in my area has the sense to check the tickets prior to a break in play or I am already walking past the people left digging in their pockets because my ticket is already out.

[GburgNatsFan]

You can do this and be polite. But you gotta be sitting right next to the people getting up. I have said to people that have shuffled by eight seats to make me stand "Next time, please wait until between at bats so I get to see the game."

Another part of the solution is for regular fans to be less polite about the whole thing, let people know when they are breaking ballpark etiquette.

[MarquisDeSade]

Didn't we do that at the Yankees game?   Some assclown tried during the July 4th game and got pissed when I told him to wait.