[STADIUM] Not New, but Current One

[JayRockers!]

Nats' New Owners Hoping Changes Lure Fans to RFK (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/10/AR2006071000696.html) WashPost Article.

I'm sure everyone has been hearing about the "relaunch" of the Nats and RFK. Any implications/affect on the team that can actually get 12,000 seats filled on Wednesday nights? I mentioned in another thread how I made 2 laps of the stadium looking for the Guinness stand one Wednesday (I think) only to find it shut down, tucked away in a corner.

Are there exclusivity issues with some of these concession contractors, or are we just getting the short end as usual?

The team is also creating a "value meal" that will allow a customer to purchase a hot dog, beverage and bag of potato chips for $7.50 instead of the $10.50 it would cost if purchased separately.

The Lerners plan to introduce theme-based food courts, improve signage and music, and create an interactive "Fan Zone" in the ballpark. He said the team will attempt to cut long lines and increase choices by adding additional food stands and cash registers.

The team has hired a Pennsylvania-based firm to help train its game staff, including ushers, concession workers, ticket-takers and security.

Beginning July 21

· Bands will perform before games on RFK plaza and inside the stadium.

· A taxi stand will open near the D.C. Armory

· The Nationals will open a fan zone inside the stadium, with a virtual batting station, a speed toss, video home run derby, balloon artist, face painter and a photo station.

· The number of concession stands will increase by 100.

· The Terrace Food Court will open inside the stadium, offering seating and carrying food from local vendors.

· New concession items include: cheese steaks, half smokes, red hot dogs, bockwurst, bratwurst, Italian sausages and potato knishes.

Thx,

Jay!

[CHICO13]

I would imagine the funds the Lerner's are sinking into this venture is meant for Nats fans and Nats fans only. I seriously doubt you'll see any of those amenities at a DC United game. And as long as the DCSEC is hosing United with the shit lease they've been signing since day 1 I say do all your eating and drinking at the tailgates and spend minimal $$ on the inside.

[John L]

At the beginning of all this over a year and a half ago, I thought there was a 25% chance the Nats would leave town by 4-5 years - About 50% chance they would continue to such really badly - And given that, another 50% attendance would plummet and that the new owner would sour on the whole DC experience and leave DC with a big stadium he (the new owner) has NO vested interest in -

In their 2nd year, the Nats continue to suck - And attendance is plummeting

And now Lerner is resulting to gimmicks borrowed from the KC Wizards

[BigKris]

what it means is, even more warmed over but unsold food from nats games to be pawned off three days later on unsuspecting United fans. I'm predicting more cases of food poisoning than ever.

[GrillMaster]

I heard one of the improvements was sodding over dirt areas in Lot 8! Seriously!

GM

[CHICO13]

I heard one of the improvements was sodding over dirt areas in Lot 8! Seriously!

GM
Yeah, that might also mean NO PARKING on newly sodded areas. :rolleyes:

[DangerMouse37]

Get ready for a Star Wars halftime show...

Empire vs. Rebels, intergalactic jogo bonito!

[Sundevil9]

Get ready for a Star Wars seventh inning stretch...



FYP.



Honestly, I only think the concourse steamcleaning and the random landscaping is all that we'll truly see the benefit.


The problem I see, is the Nats and their grand plans for revamping RFK never seem to mention that there'll be paying customers in the stadium while the Nats are out of town. I wonder how much we can be put out these next two games.

[Lowecifer]

Not that it's any fun, but the most effective of those "relaunch" initiatives will prove to be the cab stand at the Armory. Seriously.

The only thing fun about going to a "baseball game" these days is getting hammered and trying to fill in the box score without an eraser. Too many roidrangers on display to make the actual play interesting.

[tallguy]

I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for any positive spillover from the Nats improvements at RFK that might benefit United supporters. Along these lines, how many of you noticed the following valentine from the new Nats ownership to soccer fans everywhere in last Sunday's George Solomon column in the Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/08/AR2006070800697.html

Alas, Section 112 at RFK had to suffice for me this week. The up-and-coming Florida Marlins were in town against a Nationals team that won two of three from Tampa Bay last weekend, apparently rejuvenated by their return to RFK after a disastrous (1-8) road trip. The Nats' rebirth, however, was not shared by the fans, whose indifference (most of the past seven home games barely drew 20,000) should concern the incoming Ted Lerner-Stan Kasten ownership team).

Still, soccer, even at the level of the World Cup, still remains uninteresting to many U.S. sports fans. "Don't care about it," said one friend who cares only about the other sport called football.

"The low scoring works against soccer," said Kasten, who before coming to Washington ran MLB's Braves, the NBA's Hawks and NHL's Thrashers for Ted Turner in Atlanta. "In the U.S., we have a need for action and excitement. In soccer, most of the action takes place in the middle of the field. Soccer doesn't even have many shots on goal. In hockey, at least they shoot on goal."

[fatbastard]

When i saw the guy yappin' about this on the news, I was just hoping that Stephen or KP went over and "offered to help", just to make sure the great things they did for the Nats fans didn't end up poorly affecting the United fans.
Plus, the United guys have had 10 years of complaints to pass along, instead of this guy's 5 months worth.

As with all the food changes they already made, it depends on the vendors if it helps us or not. Most vendors don't bother trying to open for soccer games. The ones upstairs can't. But some do, and I'm glad to see it. I never expected Red Hot & Blue to be open for soccer games as well, but they are, good for them.

Hiding the Guinness cart is just inexcusable behavior.

[scarshins]

"Who the f*ck is Kasten? WE DON"T CARE" :D

Well, there are more concession stands since the Nats came to town, less waiting.

[michael greene]

For all the crap we read about how poorly attended soccer games are in the US, it's a tribute to DCU fans that so many show up after 10 years of being neglected in RFK. Screw baseball fans if they need to be coddled to show up. And screw Tony Williams for pimping $611 million for a new stadium for fans who will stop showing up after the novelty wears off there too.

[AlecW81]

Anyone else find it just a bit humorous for Baseball people to call Soccer "low-scoring, and un-exciting"?
Don't get me wrong, I love going to baseball games, but it's purely for the atmosphere. What happens on the field is inconsequential. I honestly don't even view baseball as a sport anymore. There aren't too many "real" athletes in MLB anymore. The last great athlete retired in Baltimore not too long ago... but then he was also a soccer stud at Dematha.

[hala-cosmos]

Don't get me wrong, I love going to baseball games, but it's purely for the atmosphere. What happens on the field is inconsequential.

Atmosphere? What atmosphere?

[Darth Norteño]

I heard one of the improvements was them sodding off.

Fixed your post for wishful thinking.

[Nick_78]

I just don't understand why people have this apparently uncontrolable urge to knock soccer. Why is that? There are sports out there I don't particularly care for but I don't feel the need to ridicule it at every opportunity.

[SteveWWJ]

I am a fan of baseball too (though watching it on TV is akin to watching golf), but to say that baseball is high-scoring and exciting when compared to soccer is ridiculous. I mean if you like taking 3 hours out of your day to sit around watching guys stand around, I guess that could be exciting... uh.. ya... enthralling!

[DCSharksFC]

The last great athlete retired in Baltimore not too long ago... but then he was also a soccer stud at Dematha.

are u focking kidding me? is this seriously true? can i see a link with evidence?

if it is, one of my alltime favorite athletes is about to get dumped into a trash can cuz of wcac rivalries

[AlecW81]

Yes, Cal Ripken was a great soccer player at Dematha.

I've been searching for links but haven't really come across anything.
I remember him on the cover of an SI For Kids issue back before WC '94. Maybe they have an online archive.