Check out today's Wall Street Journal front page piece on DC Nationals restricting ticket sales to DC, Md and Va zips only. Team COO wants an all National fanbase in the ballpark. The funny thing is, the crowd is typically all decked out in red, so you can't tell if its Natl or Philly fans. And the Nats' CFO can't distinguish Nats vs Philly greenbacks in the coffers. Oh! And by the way, Philly Sports Fans are probably the best travelling fan base in the country. Too many work arounds for this "restrictive" ticket purchase policy to work
I don't get it!
Tim Bane
Lewes, De
Comment
As an Orioles fan I completely sympathize with the Nationals fans who get sick of their park being taken over. But I've always felt that what Nationals and Orioles fans should do is truck a couple of thousand people to Citizens Bank Park or Yankee Stadium and dish it out. This plan backfired...people knew how much these tickets were worth and there were 9,000 of them on StubHub the day after they went on sale!
This news is a bit old to me, I heard about the annoucement back in December or January. The zip code restriction was done for a month before the public on sale date for the rest of the single game tickets. I like the steps being taken to improve the atmosphere at the park, but it didn't seem to work. I could've used my brother's MD address if I wanted to go, but I thought it would be unfair to true Nats fans. At least they gave them a month limit to buy tickets and it was only this Mother's Day weekend series.
I was able to buy tickets for a couple of games in DC today and my zip code is in CT. Maybe its just the opening day of ticket sales that they restrict?
well, when I get around to going to a Nats game I guess I'll be scalping my tix outside the stadium since I won't be able to buy my own.
The funny thing about this is that I took a day off of work back when the Nationals tickets went on sale so that I could order tickets for the Yankees Nationals series for Father's Day weekend. The guy that I spoke too told me that he would guarantee me seats by the Yankees dugout if I ordered 10 or more (I didn't get 10!) but I would have to take a 12 game package since I was coming from NJ. He was going to give me a great deal on the tickets but there was no way I could take 10 tickets for 12 games. He also stated to me that they were just trying to fill the stands.
Now, I have not been to a Nationals game since 2008 and the stadium was empty. I do find it hard to believe that the Nationals have a hard time selling tickets since Strasburg and Harper are with the team.
Ever since my tickets were ordered, the same sales rep has called me a few times to see if I was interested in taking the drive down to DC for a game so that seats would fill. I think it's great, but unfortunatley my job gets in the way of going to more games a season!
When I was looking for the tickets in the first place, the Nationals website had posted something about cheaper tickets and free shirts when the Phillies were in town!
Cant wait for Fathers Day!
Tim,
I know exactly what you mean about Camden Yards, but from a Yankee Fan perspective! Any way, funny story for you......I took my wife and 1 year old son to Citizens Bank Park to see the Giants and Phillies back in 2007. I wanted to see Barry Bonds play one more time before he was finished! I live in north New Jersey and decided to take the train down. After a great day, at the game, we got back on the train to come home........to my surprise, nothing but drunk Red Sox nation taking the train back to Boston! I would of got away with it, except my son and I were wearing Yankee shirts! A train ride I will never forget!
"Philly Sports Fans are probably the best travelling fan base in the country"
Red Sox Fans, myself included, tend to disagree with you...I can see where he is coming from, having been at a Phillies @ Nationals game last year and having the home team player who hits a walk off grand slam booed by a majority of the fans...but you cannot ignore the positives of the $ coming in from the fans. Orioles fans have said the same thing for years when Camden Yards is transformed into Fenway South and its all red.
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