New Park, Same Attendance?

“The burst bubble is evident in Washington, where the Nationals might once have hoped for something approaching a Camden Yards-like boost from the sleek, $611 million ballpark that opened with a sellout on March 30. It's still early but, based on season-ticket sales, fans are staying away at a rate that has stunned industry observers, raising the question of whether baseball fans have grown jaded with their shiny new toys.

Nationals Park, with a capacity of 41,888, drew 20,487 and 23,340 for its second and third games, respectively, both on chilly evenings. That compared with crowds of 20,894 and 18,835 for the second and third games in their old stadium last year. The temperature was 70 degrees at game time last Thursday night for the fourth game, which attracted 24,549”-The Washington Post

This is truly shocking. It seemed inevitable that the Nationals stadium would pay for itself after only a few years. Looking at Camden Yards, Pac Bell Park(now AT&T) and most of the new stadiums of recent years they have been sold out at a high rate for years after its opening. The success of this stadium is crucial to the development of the Nationals as they need the revenue to attract stars and build credibility.

There are two reasons that come to mind as to why a brand new ball park has failed to sell even 60% of their seats since opening day. The first is the slumping economy and the threat of recession in the United States. Combine that with the growing cost of bringing a family to the ball park and it isn’t exactly surprising the average family won’t make it out on a week night to put down that kind of money. Maybe the Nationals and the rest of baseball should take a look at their attendance and their prices and adjust accordingly.

The other reason for the Nationals Stadium’s opening not being as successful as Baltimore’s or San Francisco’s is the lack of a long time fan base. Before Pac-Bell for decades there was Candlestick, before Camden Yards there was Memorial Stadium. There were pennants and World Series banners to take from the old stadium to the new in each case. This is something the Nats cant boast. The Giants and the Orioles were bringing fans back…where the Nats need to try and create new ones.

It is still an uphill battle for the Nationals after all.

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