Nationals Park Questions

[English Natsie]

Or, perhaps, they've been seduced by the Dark Side...

[JCA-CrystalCity]

In a move designed to boost attendance and make it easier for fans to get home at a more reasonable hour, the Washington Nationals on Monday announced that evening home games will begin at 6:45 p.m. in 2024, 20 minutes earlier than the team has started evening games in the past.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/11/06/nationals-early-start-times/

[Five Banners]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/11/06/nationals-early-start-times/

Did they even poll anyone on this? The issue does not seem to be getting home earlier, especially after the pitch clock implementation. The issue has seemed increasingly to be getting people other than those coming directly from work downtown into their seats after parking or Metro-ing in.

That could be enough of a challenge at the previous time; with how quickly games wrap up now, this could make it easier just to not bother for plenty. Wouldn’t be surprised at all of this is being driven by negotiated time with stadium personnel as far as when operating / billing, opening, and on the clock versus fan consultation and consideration.

Keep finding reasons for people not to come. Rather than making it easier for fans to come, people can keep finding easier ways of not dealing with a logistically-challenged ballpark.

[machpost]

Did they even poll anyone on this?

I don't remember anything this year, but in past years, there have been questions about first pitch times in the surveys they send out to season plan holders. The most surprising thing to me is that the gates will still open at 5:30, which gives them 15 fewer minutes to sell beer.

[Natsinpwc]

Other teams have moved up starting times and have been ok. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I don't remember anything this year, but in past years, there have been questions about first pitch times in the surveys they send out to season plan holders. The most surprising thing to me is that the gates will still open at 5:30, which gives them 15 fewer minutes to sell beer.

probably crunched the numbers and figured they don't sell much early before games.

This does make it tough for folks who aren't downtown to make first pitch, and I could see a lot of straggling as people grab food on the way up to seats. The crowd won't be seated until the 3rd inning, I bet.

[Natsinpwc]

Can’t read the article. Is it just weeknight games? For an old fart TV viewer this is just great.  Still time for the early bird dinner special and go get home. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Can’t read the article. Is it just weeknight games? For an old fart TV viewer this is just great.  Still time for the early bird dinner special and go get home. 

I think they have very few Saturday night games regularly scheduled, but it seems that would be the night game time, unless it is a FOX game. Sunday would be ESPN time.

[Five Banners]

probably crunched the numbers and figured they don't sell much early before games.

This does make it tough for folks who aren't downtown to make first pitch, and I could see a lot of straggling as people grab food on the way up to seats. The crowd won't be seated until the 3rd inning, I bet.

Plus, people can leave at a reasonable time for most games. How often are entire crowds staying until the bottom of the ninth?

Just in terms of logistical considerations, a prime reason for a team back here versus those who were like ‘oh no Baltimore is fine, especially since they moved to Camden Yards from Memorial Stadium’ is that much of this market couldn’t be there until the second to the fifth inning depending on how traffic was that day. It really seems to reek of trying to shave down operating hours and maximizing contractor deals, etc..

[PowerBoater69]

Can’t read the article. Is it just weeknight games? For an old fart TV viewer this is just great.  Still time for the early bird dinner special and go get home. 

Here are the times. I like 6:45 on weeknights and I really like 4 PM on opening day, but I'm not a fan of the 4 PM starts on Saturdays. We have our youth sports league games on weekends and they often end after 4 PM.

[Natsinpwc]

Thanks.

Been a couple of years since I got to a game. Maybe this season.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I absolutely love the Saturday late afternoon games.   

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Here are the times. I like 6:45 on weeknights and I really like 4 PM on opening day, but I'm not a fan of the 4 PM starts on Saturdays. We have our youth sports league games on weekends and they often end after 4 PM.

woof. That stretch from 4/15 to 5/8 has the WS winner, the ALCS loser, 3 series against 100 win teams, and a series against another playoff team. That, and they play the NLCS loser earlier in April. Thank goodness for Oakland and Pitt.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Here are the times. I like 6:45 on weeknights and I really like 4 PM on opening day, but I'm not a fan of the 4 PM starts on Saturdays. We have our youth sports league games on weekends and they often end after 4 PM.

I absolutely love the Saturday late afternoon games.   

well, as between a 1PM saturday and a 4 PM saturday, you are missing those games for youth sports either way.  Looks like there's 2 scheduled Saturday nights, one in July and one in August. I imagine there will be some rainouts leading to games being moved to 1:35 and 6:45.

[Senatorswin]

That area should be hopping after the Saturday 4:00 games end. I like the 6:45 starts.

[GataNats]

No reason to make night games earlier.  Ridiculous

[1995hoo]

Guess I've attended my last weeknight game except, perhaps, for holidays (I see a June 19 game at 4:05 PM), unless I decide just to suck it up and arrive late, which I don't like to do.

[imref]

the extra 20 minutes will make it tougher for those coming from the western end of NoVa

[Natsinpwc]

I would have just loved that starting time back in the day when I was working in DC and going after work.   

But yes more of a hassle for those coming in from the burbs. Although for some it may mean watching innings 3-9 instead of 1-7.   Bottom line is put a better product on the field and more will come. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

for those of you who still have red carpet items to pick up, the last opportunity is today 5:30-7:30.

[imref]

The scoreboard is gone.

[Five Banners]

I figured I’d drop by if I had a spare moment just to browse, and dropped by an ATM to get out what might be a reasonable sum, especially if they were things that could work as gifts. Found a few things and went to check out. Was told that they didn’t accept cash. 

I then doublechecked the emailed ad for this and didn’t see a word specifying that. They called over somebody that apparently was involved in running this, and there was no effort made to accommodate, so off I went with a full wallet. They certainly seem to make it easy for me to spend entertainment dollars elsewhere.

[machpost]

The scoreboard is gone.

It will be interesting to see what we get. I can't seem to find them at the moment but I've read conflicting comments regarding plans for the replacement scoreboard; someone said not to expect much of an upgrade as it's a 1:1 replacement, and someone else stated that it's rumored that the entire structure is being redesigned, including the clock and everything.

They've also been steadily replacing the lights around the top of the ballpark as well.

[imref]

I figured I’d drop by if I had a spare moment just to browse, and dropped by an ATM to get out what might be a reasonable sum, especially if they were things that could work as gifts. Found a few things and went to check out. Was told that they didn’t accept cash. 

I then doublechecked the emailed ad for this and didn’t see a word specifying that. They called over somebody that apparently was involved in running this, and there was no effort made to accommodate, so off I went with a full wallet. They certainly seem to make it easy for me to spend entertainment dollars elsewhere.

My son picked up a couple of old bobbleheads but that was about it.

Nobody wants to take cash anymore, too difficult to manage and monitor.

[Five Banners]

My son picked up a couple of old bobbleheads but that was about it.

Nobody wants to take cash anymore, too difficult to manage and monitor.

Yep, things definitely seem to be moving along to another system where things are easier for them to manage and monitor.