Overview:

Nationals Park - Washington, DC

As a season ticket holder, I’ve made about a dozen visits to Nationals Park since it opened on March 31^st, 2008. The Park is located in Washington, DC and is situated on the bank of the Anacostia River. The specific location was selected as a compromise reached between MLB and the DC Council during negotiations to relocate the Montreal Expos to Washington. The DC Council wanted to build a new stadium in the parking lot next to RFK Stadium to take advantage of land already owned by the city; MLB wanted to use a site called the Benjamin Banneker Overlook which would have taken advantage of the views of the Washington Monument and other DC landmarks. Both sides agreed to the current site and the DC government hopes to be able to use the ballpark as a focal point to revitalize the area around the ballpark. Currently, there is little besides the ballpark to draw people to that neighborhood.

Nationals Park - Home Plate Entrance

Depending on how you arrive and where you arrive from, Nationals Park has a number of gates from which to enter (look ma, no dangling participle). If you arrive via boat or water taxi, you can enter via the grand staircase and come in at First Base. If you arrive via Metro – as many fans do – you’ll arrive via the Centerfield Gate. Entering via the Centerfield Gate allows fans the opportunity to enjoy the large plaza area. The Nats pregame show is broadcast from a tent in the plaza, and there are often bands playing out there to create a party-like atmosphere. You’ll also find the two tiered Red Porch/Red Loft restaurant and bar.

Food and Beverages:
Being a new stadium, there are a multitude of choices for food and beverages. The most popular place in Nats Park is the Red Loft. It is a bar located high in the centerfield area and is the place to be for the young fans of the Nationals. The Miller Lite Scoreboard Walk is located on the same level as the Red Loft and is a good place to catch a pregame beverage. Adjacent to the Scoreboard Walk is Five Guys Burgers and Fries which always seems to have a long line of people. The signature item in the ballpark is the Chili Cheese Half Smoke from Ben’s Chili Bowl. Ben’s is a DC institution and has several locations within the ballpark.

There are food stands throughout the stadium; besides what I have already mentioned, there are all of the ballpark staples sold here: hot dogs, sausages, pizza, ice cream, soft pretzels, you name it. There are also several full service bars through the stadium – so, if a cold beer is not your thing, you can grab a gin and tonic to cool you down.

Two things to be forewarned about, the vendors that you see in the stands will not likely have much more than beer, soda, water, peanuts and crackerjack. I see a hot dog vendor in my section, maybe, every third game. Secondly, the quality of the food service is wildly inconsistent. Food stands open and close from game to game without reason, some stands open late, the sausage stands never seem to have brats or kielbasa, and when they do, they are “not ready yet.” Frustratingly, the past two games that I have been to, the beer stands that I was at had to “cash out” their register – so, everyone had to wait while the cashier emptied the register, counted out a set sum of money, and handed it over to a waiting supervisor. The supervisor was escorted by an armed DC Metro police officer.

The Mascots

Shortly after the Nationals moved to DC, they announced “Screech” the baby bald eagle as their mascot. Apparently, he (she?) is popular with the kids, but the costume made Screech look like a fat chicken. In 2009, the second year in Nationals Park, they re-outfitted Screech and the mascot is now leaner and intended to look like a “teenaged” bald eagle. To me, it still looks like a chicken – just a skinnier one. As long as the kids like the mascot, I really don’t care much either way.

Nationals President Mascots on the White House Lawn

The Nats also have 4 other mascots: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abe Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt. In the middle of the 4th inning, the Presidents enter from a gate in centerfield and race around the warning track to a finish line near first base. Initially, the Nationals made an effort to find new and creative ways to keep Teddy from winning. Lately, it seems like they even try any more and Teddy just loses; he has yet to win a race.

Gear:
The Nats have a large team store in centerfield that is accessible from outside the ballpark, and is open during non-game days and of course, during games. They also have a second smaller store behind home plate within the ballpark that is open during games. There are also stands throughout the stadium – there is even a merchandise stand in the club level. There are plenty of opportunities to separate fans from their dollars at Nationals Park. However, the prices at Nationals Park include a 10% ballpark tax that the DC Government collects to help pay for the construction of the ballpark.

The Game:
As far as Nationals Park goes – there are no unique architectural features like Baltimore’s Warehouse, of the Western Metals Building in San Diego. Nevertheless, it is a very solid ballpark. It has plenty of openness in the concourses – in fact, you will almost always feel outside. In the lower bowl of seating, you can maintain your view of the game while getting your concessions as the concourses are open to the playing field side. And when they are now – as is the case behind home plate – you’ll have a view outside of the stadium.

When it was installed, the video screen was the largest HD screen in the USA. The HD screen is 47 high by 101 wide and is situated in right center field. Seating in right center field will not have a view of the scoreboard, but the ballpark is ringed with 600 feet of electronic ribbon boards that provide the basic needed information. The ballpark also features an electronic out of town scoreboard on the fence in right field.

The Ballpark has very nice sightlines.  The lower seating bowl is rather flat and deep. Much of the second and upper levels are set back from the field. This distance is mitigated by the small amount of foul territory. So, the upper levels still offer an excellent view of the game. Despite the small amount of foul territory, the outfield distances are not extreme in either side of the spectrum, and in the first one and a half seasons, Nationals Park has played fairly neutral – favoring neither hitters nor pitchers.

Atmosphere:
The seats are your basic plastic ballpark seat and don’t offer a lot of extra leg or shoulder room. In the club level and in the preferred seating areas, seats are padded and more comfortable. The sections are wide and the aisles are not moderated by the ushers, so, it seems like there are always fans standing up for one reason or another.

Washington, DC went 33 years without a baseball team to call their own, so, there are a lot of new fans and a lot of other team’s fans depending on the opponent. Washington DC’s allure as a tourist site and its proximity to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston mean that it seems like a road game for the Nats on many nights. Over time, the Nats will build a tradition and a fan base – just as soon as they can win some games. When you win, attendance spikes.

The Verdict:

Washington Nationals Inaugural Logo

Honestly, I cannot think of anything that I would change. Sure, the DC Government (responsible for the design and construction of the ballpark) could have made the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building more visible from the ballpark, but the reality is that if the area gets revitalized, those views would eventually be blocked by new construction. Some folks complain about the parking garages that surround the Centerfield Gate, DC was committed to providing a specific number of covered parking spaces, and those needed to be built in time for the stadium’s opening. In my opinion, the parking garages are preferred compared to one developer’s preference to build 9 stories of condos and mixed use retail on top of underground parking.

This a very solid new-school park. It has great sightlines, There are lots of food and beverage choices. You can enjoy the game as a hard core baseball fan, or as a family seeking more of an entertainment experience.

And if anyone knows what order the teams are displayed on the banners that drape the garages, drop me a note.

91/100

Petco Scoreboard

Made our 1st visit out to Petco, and it’s everything that people say it is. It’s in San Diego, near the southern tail end of the newly revitalized “Gaslamp District”.  Gaslamp is another word for “incredibly overpriced tourist trap restaurants, but there’s literally nothing better in downtown SD than a Jack In the Box to compete with, so what the hell?”  Surprisingly, there were much better deals on food in the ballpark itself.

We entered from the 7th Ave side, which brings you in along the left field line, where you can work your way across the outfield, to our seats on the 1st base side.  After you cross the the warehouse building, which is an odd experience, you’re transported to a great open concourse that almost feels like you’re not really even inside the park.  There’s a wiffle ball field for the kids, a berm for blankets and overflow seating that’s about as far away from the action as the Wrigley rooftops, but provides a clear view of 90% of the field.

Food:
I made the obligatory stop at Rubio’s Fish Tacos, the signature dish at the ballpark. but far and away, the best deal to be had is the 5 for $5 stand…  For $5, you get a hotdog, soda, small popcorn, small peanuts and a cookie in a small cardboard tray. The line is long, but it’s totally the best deal I’ve ever seen on ballpark food. While my travelling companions both got the 5 for $5, I almost ordered another one just for the sheer value of it.

The Friar

Gear:
Unbelievable array of gear in the fan shop, especially amazed at the amount of mustard and yellow merch that’s still available.  I think they believe it’s as “retro-cool” as the Houston Astros rainbow explosion jerseys, but they’re wrong.  the only thing cool about old Pads gear is the Swinging Friar.

The Game:
The Western Metals Building is an extremely cool ballpark feature, and to my knowledge, the only non-pole foul pole in the majors.  It doesn’t come into play often, but it’s a beautiful feature to the park. Traversing it from the concourse is a confusing experience though. Any newcomer who ventures there is going to think they’ve made a mistake.

Park has very nice sightlines.  From 1B, you get a well angled view of the batter and pitcher, and as the night sky settles in, the ball is clearly visible against the  grass and the night sky.  Fairly good amount of foul territory, and it’s a well documented cavern to hit out of.

LF Corner Petco Park - Western Metal Building

Atmosphere:
Seats are comfortable, although not a ton of leg and shoulder room.  Aisles can tend to be fairly long, so there’s a lot of “excuse me’s” getting in and out between innings. The interior concourses don’t allow for park views when you’re in line for a beer, unless you’re out in the OF concourse. Petco is immaculately clean though, and the concourses are wide enough that even when crowded, they’re not claustrophobic.

The Verdict:
Classic new-school park. Great weather year round, and a SoCal casual attitude made this a very pleasant night at the ball game.

87/100