Nationals FINALLY lower ticket prices

by yardyoder on Jan 22, 2009 9:37 PM EST

From USA TODAY

"WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals lowered individual-sale ticket prices on 14,000 seats for 2009 on Wednesday after ranking near the bottom of the National League in attendance during their new ballpark's debut season.

The team didn't raise prices on any of the 41,888 seats in Nationals Park.

Prices were not changed for the stadium's most expensive seats, including those right behind home plate that cost $300 or more and often were empty when providing a backdrop for TV cameras.

The Nationals, whose record of 59-102 was the worst in baseball, averaged about 29,000 fans per home game in 2008, when they moved from RFK Stadium to their nearly $700 million new home. That put the team 13th in attendance in the 16-team NL, and 19th in the 30-team major leagues.Individual-sale ticket prices were cut by $10 or more in more than 4,500 seats, including 3,000 in the ballpark's lower bowl."

Thank god. I was honestly starting to get worried. The ticket prices were high in general, much less for a team that didn't field a product anyone wanted to see. I couldn't see the team matching even the poor attendance they had last year with the current economic recession if prices stayed the same. People are going to be cutting back on luxuries, and a $25 upper deck outfield ticket is certainly a luxury.
Aside from not having an established fan base, I feel most Nats fans just had trouble adjusting to Nationals Park. RFK was great in many ways. It was incredibly accessible, incredibly cheap, and had its own charm. Let's not forget that RFK was home to many championship teams of both the Redskins and D.C United.
I think the lowered ticket prices will help the team build the fan base it truly needs. The team wont win this year, but if people can associate Nats Park with a good time, and not a whole in their wallet, they may be more likely to go back.
Now just to fix the problem behind the plate....

www.TheNatsBlog.com

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I demand a discount on my season tix!

I hope this will reduce the flood of “carpetbagger” fans who drown every game with the NL East (except the Marlins, of course). I know it won’t, but still…

"Next year we'll make it better." -- Mannyger Acta

by Doghouse on Jan 22, 2009 10:23 AM EST reply actions

Doghouse

What’s a Carpetbagger fan?

" PLEASE! CHANGE THE PATCH! "

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Jan 22, 2009 5:21 PM EST up reply actions

The people who cheer...

“Let’s Go Mets!” at Nationals Park instead of “Let’s GO Nats GO!!!” (the Nationals’ Official Team Cheer)

- if I may interpret the words (comedic stylings) of Mr. House.

"Nothin' wrong with my leg, I'm just B-boy limpin'" - MCA

by Patrick Reddington on Jan 22, 2009 8:07 PM EST up reply actions

Are you playing with my emotions?

1986 – Let’s go Mets go! was our rally cry. Don’t believe me, go ask Joe Piscopo. :-)

" PLEASE! CHANGE THE PATCH! "

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Jan 22, 2009 8:37 PM EST up reply actions

No toying with emotions, that was sort of a compromise...

…between the “Go Habs Go” cheer I tried to bring down from Montreal as in “Go Nats Go” and the “Let’s Go Nats” that was preferred by some around here…thus…

“Let’s GO Nats GO!!!” – which I don’t like so much now that i know it’s Mets-esque…

Thanks a lot, Lou.

- Peter Griffin should have never given Joe Piscopo that weight set. (Another in a long line of obscure references brough to you by Federalbaseball.com)

"Nothin' wrong with my leg, I'm just B-boy limpin'" - MCA

by Patrick Reddington on Jan 22, 2009 9:08 PM EST up reply actions

Nothing provides confidence like

a smaller waste line and a bulging bicep. :-P

I wanted to save you before you tried pushing that; “Let’s GO Nats GO!!!” war cry on the uneducated. I can see it now at Nats ballpark during a Nats / Mets game. For those Mets fans who wouldn’t end up choking on their hot dog or peanuts, they’d be laughing hysterically because they’d be surprised that the Nats fan base didn’t come up w/something original. Then again, they just might be ~~flattered~~ pissed off.

I don’t even know why the Mets fans want to even be affiliated with this video. The same kind of imagination that went into this video is emblematic of this season’s inaugural patch design. Oy wey!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psbWfNFbqC8

" PLEASE! CHANGE THE PATCH! "

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Jan 22, 2009 11:00 PM EST up reply actions

Lower Ticket Prices

It’s interesting that you happened to create this thread. Earlier today I was responding to a Padres thread that discussed what the Padres organization is doing to try and lure fans to Petco this season along with keeping their current fans from attending fewer games.

For those who are unaware, John Moores, current – but not for long - owner of the Padres is in the midst of a divorce and as a result has had to slash payroll. That has a direct impact of what kind of team is going to be on the field for ‘09. The current economic situation in the country may (most likely will) have a negative impact on fan attendance for ’09. Not just for the Padres, but I’m assuming for almost all ballclubs throughout MLB. You couple those things together and I’m sure it was a no brainer for the Padres organization to try and establish some incentives for their fans to come out to the game.

You bring up an intersting point when you state:

…if people can associate Nats Park with a good time…

I lived off and on in San Diego for thirteen years. The venue that is Petco Park is fantastic. Right downtown, surrounded by restaurants, bars, nightclubs, shopping and condominiums. Those conditions topped with year round great weather make it an enjoyable event to go to. Not just a game.

With the projected completion of “Half Street” (adjacent to Nats ballpark) in 2010, the games will be much more enjoyable to go to because there is something to do before and after. As for ‘09, well, the game is all Nats fans have. Hopefully, they’ll be worth attending. I’ll be there in the cheap seats! Cheap seats but great sight lines.

Sources:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2009/01/21/sports/padres/z7570137b5dbb59ba88257545003ab17c.txt
http://www.halfstreet.com/

" PLEASE! CHANGE THE PATCH! "

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Jan 22, 2009 5:41 PM EST reply actions