One month later...
I'm still peeking at my old haunts, waiting for the day that the North Shore Spirit page goes dead... seeing what the kids are up to at The Fraser Faithful... watching to see if Nashua can actually come through with its promise to come back in 2008.
But I've also been reinvesting myself emotionally with the Potomac Nationals. I renewed my season ticket package, happy that the game times had been moved to more reasonable times of 7:05 and 6:35, grumbling a little that the price had gone up 10%. Last year, after all the "hook" was getting on board for a new ballpark in 2008. Well, that got killed and there are significantly fewer perks this year, although it does appear that they were smart enough to raise the price of parking to hammer home how much my "free parking pass" is worth.
But this is still Northern Virginia, and an $11 ticket is pretty damn cheap for a ballgame. The still-not-sponsored Nationals Stadium will make that even cheaper, as the parent club fully intends to soak the capital schmoozers for all they're worth and yes, you and I will be paying for it, via the tax writeoffs. I'll go to a couple of games, but I don't expect to suffer the longer drive very often. Everything I've read or seen says that parking will be a nightmare. Somehow, I also doubt I'll be able to go to Opening Day. Just a hunch, but I suspect the front-runners and politicians will squeeze out the real baseball fans.
Comparing the schedules that have been released thus far, I'm pleased to see that there are weekend games in either Frederick, Bowie, Hagerstown each time the Baby Nats are on the road. Perhaps next year, I'll hit the two closest Atlantic League teams in York, PA and the intriguing Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, though it'll require a sitting on the Wilson bridge or a day game or both.
One month later, it hurts a whole lot less. Having options and something to look forward to is a BIG part of the reason.
But I've also been reinvesting myself emotionally with the Potomac Nationals. I renewed my season ticket package, happy that the game times had been moved to more reasonable times of 7:05 and 6:35, grumbling a little that the price had gone up 10%. Last year, after all the "hook" was getting on board for a new ballpark in 2008. Well, that got killed and there are significantly fewer perks this year, although it does appear that they were smart enough to raise the price of parking to hammer home how much my "free parking pass" is worth.
But this is still Northern Virginia, and an $11 ticket is pretty damn cheap for a ballgame. The still-not-sponsored Nationals Stadium will make that even cheaper, as the parent club fully intends to soak the capital schmoozers for all they're worth and yes, you and I will be paying for it, via the tax writeoffs. I'll go to a couple of games, but I don't expect to suffer the longer drive very often. Everything I've read or seen says that parking will be a nightmare. Somehow, I also doubt I'll be able to go to Opening Day. Just a hunch, but I suspect the front-runners and politicians will squeeze out the real baseball fans.
Comparing the schedules that have been released thus far, I'm pleased to see that there are weekend games in either Frederick, Bowie, Hagerstown each time the Baby Nats are on the road. Perhaps next year, I'll hit the two closest Atlantic League teams in York, PA and the intriguing Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, though it'll require a sitting on the Wilson bridge or a day game or both.
One month later, it hurts a whole lot less. Having options and something to look forward to is a BIG part of the reason.
posted by Wooden U. Lykteneau at
5:58 PM
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