The New Nationals Ballpark

My company got a bloc of tickets to the Washington Nationals game this past Friday, so now I can finally answer the question "Have you been to the new ballpark?" after 378 times (or so).

Now, bear in mind, I'm one of the very, very, very few Red Sox fans who will tell it to you straight: Fenway Park is a triumph of emotion over reason, save for the economic reality that the team owns the property outright and can squeeze far more money out by putting lipstick on the pig that it is. It's small, cramped, and has terrible sightlines beyond the box seats.

That written, the most and common and most specious comment I've heard from DC fans (oxymoron not withstanding) is that the new park isn't as nice as Oriole Park at Camden Yards. This is like saying your wife isn't as pretty as Miss America.

I was more than pleased with what I saw. Wide concourses. Plenty of concessions, both in number and variety of foods. Multiple team stores. Playground for the kids. A Playstation Arcade. An interactive baseball-themed arcade.

About the only thing anyone could reasonably complain about were the prices, but the savvy baseball fan already knows that's where the real profits are. And I didn't find them to be that far out of line with what you'd get charged in a major metropolitan ballpark.

So without further ado, some more pics...



View from CF.


View from 3B.


View from HP.


As advertised, the 4500 sq. ft. high-def scoreboard is amazing.