Nationals vs White Sox, Game 3

[nats2playoffs]

ATTENDANCE at this match: 24,785  



This game is being repeated on MASN at 11:30 pm tonight
and 12:30 pm Friday afternoon. 
       

[Coladar]

Am I the only one surprised by attendance? Like, really, really surprised? Mayhap this has already been discussed in a thread I've glossed over, in fact I imagine it has to have been.

All the hoopla preceding the season, the fervor over the playoffs, etc. Harper absolutely freaking killing it, then desecrating "its" corpse as he grabs his crotch with one hand and hits a home run with the other. Undefeated!!!!!!! at home with six games!!!! 7-2 record.

Unfreakingbelievable April weather. Most years we bundle up like nuts for 7pm April games, temps dipping below 50. 80s, absolutely beautiful, perfect even, weather. Everything is perfect. They couldn't ask for a single variable to be improved.

The Sox aren't the Marlins fan-wise... Under 25k? I had been anticipating over 30k every night, and the number of empty seats is downright shocking. I'm not sure what more folks could ask for, but numbers that aren't *that* different from years past surprises me. April 2011, Giants night game drew about 21k. Last year, mid-April was mid-20ks at a glance. Odd.

[Tokeydog]

Weekday April game with school still in session.  That is about it for an excuse on the attendance.

[OldChelsea]

Am I the only one surprised by attendance? Like, really, really surprised? Mayhap this has already been discussed in a thread I've glossed over, in fact I imagine it has to have been.

All the hoopla preceding the season, the fervor over the playoffs, etc. Harper absolutely freaking killing it, then desecrating "its" corpse as he grabs his crotch with one hand and hits a home run with the other. Undefeated!!!!!!! at home with six games!!!! 7-2 record.

Unfreakingbelievable April weather. Most years we bundle up like nuts for 7pm April games, temps dipping below 50. 80s, absolutely beautiful, perfect even, weather. Everything is perfect. They couldn't ask for a single variable to be improved.

The Sox aren't the Marlins fan-wise... Under 25k? I had been anticipating over 30k every night, and the number of empty seats is downright shocking. I'm not sure what more folks could ask for, but numbers that aren't *that* different from years past surprises me. April 2011, Giants night game drew about 21k. Last year, mid-April was mid-20ks at a glance. Odd.

Complete Nationals Park April attendances (including those played in March), 2008-present:

45,274   Monday 1st April 2013 vs Marlins [season/home opener] - second-highest Nats Park (highest regular-season) attendance ever
41,290   Monday 5th April 2010 vs Phillies [season/home opener; highest of 2010]
40,907   Thursday 12th April 2012 vs Reds [home opener]
40,386   Monday 13th April 2009 vs Phillies [home opener]
39,434   Sunday 30th March 2008 vs Braves [season/home opener, ballpark debut]
39,055   Thursday 31st March 2011 vs Braves [season/home opener]
35,489   Saturday 14th April 2012 vs Reds
35,188   Saturday 26th April 2008 vs Cubs
35,154   Friday 25th April 2008 vs Cubs
33,795   Sunday 27th April 2008 vs Cubs
32,764   Wednesday 23rd April 2008 vs Mets
32,534   Saturday 12th April 2008 vs Braves
29,750   Thursday 24th April 2008 vs Mets
29,457   Wednesday 30th April 2008 vs Braves
29,091   Sunday 13th April 2008 vs Braves
28,766   Saturday 30th April 2011 vs Giants
[28,408 – 2013 REGULAR SEASON AVERAGE to date]
28,030   Friday 11th April 2008 vs Braves
27,240   Wednesday 7th April 2010 vs Phillies
26,959   Friday 13th April 2012 vs Reds
26,745   Saturday 21st April 2012 vs Marlins [Strasburg start]
26,269   Wednesday 3rd April 2013 vs Marlins
25,679   Sunday 15th April 2012 vs Reds
25,269   Tuesday 29th April 2008 vs Braves
25,123   Thursday 4th April 2013 vs Marlins
24,875   Thursday 14th April 2011 vs Phillies
24,785   Thursday 11th April 2013 vs White Sox
24,640   Friday 20th April 2012 vs Marlins
24,586   Wednesday 10th April 2013 vs White Sox
24,492   Thursday 10th April 2008 vs Marlins
24,412   Tuesday 9th April 2013 vs White Sox [lowest attendance of 2013 to date]
24,342   Wednesday 9th April 2008 vs Marlins
23,859   Friday 23rd April 2010 vs Dodgers
23,047   Sunday 17th April 2011 vs Brewers [‘traditional doubleheader’]
22,210   Sunday 3rd April 2011 vs Braves
21,941   Saturday 2nd April 2011 vs Braves
21,399   Friday 29th April 2011 vs Giants
21,212   Monday 7th April 2008 vs Marlins
20,494   Thursday 16th April 2009 vs Phillies
20,217   Thursday 8th April 2010 vs Phillies
19,860   Saturday 18th April 2009 vs Marlins
19,026   Friday 17th April 2009 vs Marlins
18,789   Sunday 18th April 2010 vs Brewers
18,673   Saturday 17th April 2010 vs Brewers
18,395   Sunday 25th April 2010 vs Dodgers
18,045   Thursday 19th April 2012 vs Astros
18,039   Saturday 24th April 2010 vs Dodgers
18,007   Thursday 30th April 2009 vs Cardinals
17,886   Tuesday 17th April 2012 vs Astros
17,234   Friday 16th April 2010 vs Brewers
17,217   Friday 15th April 2011 vs Brewers
16,974   Sunday 19th April 2009 vs Marlins
16,914   Wednesday 13th April 2011 vs Phillies
16,245   Monday 16th April 2012 vs Astros
15,567   Wednesday 22nd April 2009 vs Braves
15,519   Thursday 22nd April 2010 vs Rockies
15,431   Tuesday 21st April 2009 vs Braves
15,142   Thursday 28th April 2011 vs Mets
15,037   Tuesday 20th April 2010 vs Rockies
14,603   Tuesday 26th April 2011 vs Mets
14,520   Wednesday 18th April 2012 vs Astros [lowest attendance of 2012]
13,568   Wednesday 27th April 2011 vs Mets
13,413   Tuesday 12th April 2011 vs Phillies [lowest attendance of 2011]
12,464   Monday 20th April 2009 vs Braves [lowest attendance of 2009]
11,623   Monday 19th April 2010 vs Rockies
11,191   Wednesday 21st April 2010 vs Rockies [second-lowest attendance ever at Nats Park]

---

Translation: It was ever thus. Too many distractions in the early going - NHL, NBA, NCAA's; kids still in school; weather (it was pretty cold and windy up in TBSITH last night). Relax...with the better weather, kids out of school and fewer sports alternatives, the well-filled houses will return...

...not that they've been all that shabby in the six home fixtures we've had to date.

[maxrum]

Also Capitals game was last night. A lot of people went there as Caps approaching playoffs.

[OldChelsea]

Comparative dates on which the Nationals notched their seventh win, each season:

2013 - 11th April (9th match of season)
2012 - 14th April (9th match)
2005 - 16th April (11th match)
2011 - 17th April (14th match)
2010 - 19th April (13th match)
2006 - 21st April (17th match)
2007 - 22nd April (22nd match)
2008 - 24th April (23rd match)
2009 - 4th May (24th match)

[PowerBoater69]

24 K is a huge number for the Nats on a weekday in April, in past years those are the dates that showed how low the season ticket base was.

[loshjott]

It's completely possible that the 24,412 on Tuesday will be the lowest paid attendance all season.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

OC - I'll take the liberty to strikeout the games that are opening day or weekend

Complete Nationals Park April attendances (including those played in March), 2008-present:

45,274   Monday 1st April 2013 vs Marlins [season/home opener] - second-highest Nats Park (highest regular-season) attendance ever
41,290   Monday 5th April 2010 vs Phillies [season/home opener; highest of 2010]
40,907   Thursday 12th April 2012 vs Reds [home opener]
40,386   Monday 13th April 2009 vs Phillies [home opener]
39,434   Sunday 30th March 2008 vs Braves [season/home opener, ballpark debut]
39,055   Thursday 31st March 2011 vs Braves [season/home opener]
35,489   Saturday 14th April 2012 vs Reds
35,188   Saturday 26th April 2008 vs Cubs
35,154   Friday 25th April 2008 vs Cubs
33,795   Sunday 27th April 2008 vs Cubs
32,764   Wednesday 23rd April 2008 vs Mets
32,534   Saturday 12th April 2008 vs Braves
29,750   Thursday 24th April 2008 vs Mets
29,457   Wednesday 30th April 2008 vs Braves
29,091   Sunday 13th April 2008 vs Braves
28,766   Saturday 30th April 2011 vs Giants
[28,408 – 2013 REGULAR SEASON AVERAGE to date]
28,030   Friday 11th April 2008 vs Braves
27,240   Wednesday 7th April 2010 vs Phillies
26,959   Friday 13th April 2012 vs Reds
26,745   Saturday 21st April 2012 vs Marlins [Strasburg start]
26,269   Wednesday 3rd April 2013 vs Marlins
25,679   Sunday 15th April 2012 vs Reds
25,269   Tuesday 29th April 2008 vs Braves
25,123   Thursday 4th April 2013 vs Marlins
24,875   Thursday 14th April 2011 vs Phillies
24,785   Thursday 11th April 2013 vs White Sox
24,640   Friday 20th April 2012 vs Marlins
24,586   Wednesday 10th April 2013 vs White Sox
[24,492   Thursday 10th April 2008 vs Marlins
24,412   Tuesday 9th April 2013 vs White Sox [lowest attendance of 2013 to date]
24,342   Wednesday 9th April 2008 vs Marlins
23,859   Friday 23rd April 2010 vs Dodgers
23,047   Sunday 17th April 2011 vs Brewers [‘traditional doubleheader’]
22,210   Sunday 3rd April 2011 vs Braves
21,941   Saturday 2nd April 2011 vs Braves
21,399   Friday 29th April 2011 vs Giants
21,212   Monday 7th April 2008 vs Marlins
20,494   Thursday 16th April 2009 vs Phillies
20,217   Thursday 8th April 2010 vs Phillies
19,860   Saturday 18th April 2009 vs Marlins
19,026   Friday 17th April 2009 vs Marlins
18,789   Sunday 18th April 2010 vs Brewers
18,673   Saturday 17th April 2010 vs Brewers
18,395   Sunday 25th April 2010 vs Dodgers
18,045   Thursday 19th April 2012 vs Astros
18,039   Saturday 24th April 2010 vs Dodgers
18,007   Thursday 30th April 2009 vs Cardinals
17,886   Tuesday 17th April 2012 vs Astros
17,234   Friday 16th April 2010 vs Brewers
17,217   Friday 15th April 2011 vs Brewers
16,974   Sunday 19th April 2009 vs Marlins
16,914   Wednesday 13th April 2011 vs Phillies
16,245   Monday 16th April 2012 vs Astros
15,567   Wednesday 22nd April 2009 vs Braves
15,519   Thursday 22nd April 2010 vs Rockies
15,431   Tuesday 21st April 2009 vs Braves
15,142   Thursday 28th April 2011 vs Mets
15,037   Tuesday 20th April 2010 vs Rockies
14,603   Tuesday 26th April 2011 vs Mets
14,520   Wednesday 18th April 2012 vs Astros [lowest attendance of 2012]
13,568   Wednesday 27th April 2011 vs Mets
13,413   Tuesday 12th April 2011 vs Phillies [lowest attendance of 2011]
12,464   Monday 20th April 2009 vs Braves [lowest attendance of 2009]
11,623   Monday 19th April 2010 vs Rockies
11,191   Wednesday 21st April 2010 vs Rockies [second-lowest attendance ever at Nats Park]

---

I think it shows how bad things were in 2010 when these games are drawing 30%+ more than weekend games.  We have had the 5 of the top 13 non-weekend / non OD games this month.  A fair number of the higher draws (5) were when the park just opened.

[imref]

50% off Papa Johns today!

[cmdterps44]

50% off Papa Johns today!

what's the code again?

[imref]

what's the code again?

should be NATS50

[Nathan]

what's the code again?

NATS50 I think.

[OldChelsea]

OC - I'll take the liberty to strikeout the games that are opening day or weekendI think it shows how bad things were in 2010 when these games are drawing 30%+ more than weekend games.  We have had the 5 of the top 13 non-weekend / non OD games this month.  A fair number of the higher draws (5) were when the park just opened.

Noted - my main point was that the attendance situation in this White Sox series wasn't anywhere nearly as dire as Coladar was indicating. I went Tuesday and Thursday myself and actually found the turn-out quite impressive, all things being considered. Expecting April to bring packed or near-packed ballparks on the scale of the summer months is simply misguided, no matter how well the team did the previous season.

[tomterp]

Noted - my main point was that the attendance situation in this White Sox series wasn't anywhere nearly as dire as Coladar was indicating. I went Tuesday and Thursday myself and actually found the turn-out quite impressive, all things being considered. Expecting April to bring packed or near-packed ballparks on the scale of the summer months is simply misguided, no matter how well the team did the previous season.

The first weeknight series of April is typically the softest of the season.

Last year vs the Mets:

Starting Mon 4/9   16,245, 17,886, 14,213
2013 vs Sox   24,412, 24,586, 24,785

Increase in 2013 over 2012?  53%.  Nothing wrong with that.