Aww Cute, The Nationals are Trying to Keep Us Out of Citizens Bank Park South

I received no less than seven emails either informing me about what you are about to read or forwarding the email the Washington Nationals sent to fans today. Here, take a look:

Screen Shot 2012-02-03 at 11.19.45 AM


Huh
. How about that– a PR move to show fans that the Nationals really do care, unlike previous seasons when they actually appealed to Phillies fans to make the 90-minute trip south.

Here's what Nats COO Andy Feffer told Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post:

“Frankly, I was tired of seeing it,” Nats COO Andy Feffer told me this week. “Forget you, Philly. This is our park, this is our town, these are our fans, and it’s our time right now.”

“We’ve heard it enough, we’ve seen it enough, and I don’t like it any more than anyone else,” Feffer said. “We’re trying to build a team here, and nothing irks me personally or the people here more than to see another team’s fans — particularly Philly fans — in our ballpark, holding up signs. That’s not the way it should be. And I think we’ve got an opportunity here to do something different.”

“Look, this is what a rivalry’s about,” Feffer said. “The Phillies and Nationals should be that rivalry that people get fired up about, and that’s ok. I want Phillies fans to acknowledge that we’re a legitimate contender and that we’re for real. And you know what? If Phillies fans are a little bit irked, that means they’re paying attention.”

 

No, no– we're laughing.

This isn't even their first attempt this offseason to TAKE BACK THEIR PARK.

Back in November, we told you about their ticket plans, which included games against the Yankees and Phillies, that would be made available before single-game seats went on-sale. This all meant that Phillies fans wanting to invade D.C. would be stuck with tickets for games against the Reds, Rays and Orioles, too. Good luck with that, Nationals. Assuming they don’t sell out any of those games with just their own fans, tickets will eventually go on-sale for all of us to buy. And, if not, then you can probably get them below face value on StubHub or Crossing Broad Tickets. Remember, folks, this was the team that ran a BOGO on 2012 season tickets. And sold $1 tickets. And used Groupon.

Either way, one thing we can certainly be sure to take over is that #OurPark hashtag. Go!

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33 Responses

  1. The saddest part is, even in two or three years when the Nats are winning the East every year, they’ll still never sell out. DC’s just not a sports town because no one there is actually FROM DC.

  2. More reason for Phils fans to go down and take over CBP South. Already have someone in DC who is going to purchase tickets for us and he is a Phillies fan

  3. I bet they loved the Phillies fans money spent on concessions and parking and whatever else down there, bet our fans payed for their ball park bills cause they don’t have any fans because they suck. Instead of worrying bout keeping us out maybe they should try to put together a team better then our Triple A club. Idiots.

  4. As a DC resident, I will be “taking back the park” by purchasing as many tickets as I can and giving them to Philly fans. Screw you nationals.

  5. I live in the DC area now, you should forward me that email and I’ll go and bring a bunch of other Phillies fans with me as well lol

  6. Most comical part of that email?
    “while supplies last.”
    Yes, because each Nationals fan should be concerned about these tickets flying off the shelves, at 8 per game, by the other 63 Nationals fans that exist.
    That said, I’m jumping on the Twitters, right now, to blow up the #OurPark hashtag.
    I love us.

  7. This garbage is just a speed bump. Nothing stands in the way of a determined Philly sports fan!

  8. How pathetic. I hope all their draft picks bust more than a bukkakke flick and we contine to assert our Alph maleness all over this division with our continued fan support and incoming TV deal.

  9. Maybe this is a clever marketing attempt. Challenging a notoriously passionate fan base then makes said fan base get all pissed off and say “oh yeah wait till next game when even more of us are going to invade!” Ends up in sold out games and a happy organization making money.

  10. Do they know that most of the Phillies Fans that go to the games down there…..Live down there. Another Nats Epic Fail.

  11. Buy stock in stubhub. We’re gonna go big down there this year!! Quick someone start making shirts!!

  12. John, I thought of the same thing. But any chance to knock down the few Nats fans there are, AND fill another team’s stadium, AND see our Phils play is worth their backhanded attempt at selling out the stadium.
    I mean, shit. We wouldn’t want them to run out of money and not be able to pay Jayson Werth and lose out on all those jokes, would we?

  13. thanks for the heads-up. Purchasing tixs. 😉 VA resident and proud Phils fan. Got to love the PHILS satellite ballpark.

  14. They keep trying these promotions to “take back their park” but they forget that people need to actually buy them before we get a chance at them. And I wonder if they know stubhub exists

  15. That’s not what the group ticket sales rep said when he called me last week about bringing a group down for a Phillies game again.

  16. As a guy who runs tours for fun, under a small business, i’m utterly disgusted by reading this. Bus after bus of tourism brought into the DC area over the last few years since the park opened and this is our Thank You? I just emailed my rep asking for a complete refund of any deposits and now they have fun in an empty park.

  17. This whole thing is laughable. The rocket scientists in the gNats’ front office should count their lucky stars that ANYBODY visits their park, regardless of who those paying customers root for. Even more hilarious was that Feffer clown saying, “Look, this is what a rivalry’s about”. Rivalry? Excuse me? The Phils have won NL East five years running, the gNats still have that Montreal Expos stink on them and haven’t finished higher than fourth the whole time. What a bunch of morons running that team!

  18. Ever consider the fact that this MAY just be a very clever marketing ploy by the Nats??? Look at this – 30+ comments and this is only a blog. The Washington Post’s article that you cited had over 250 comments, several of them being from Phillies fans saying they would “answer the call” and they would find tickets through their “DC connections” and to hell with the Nats!! Umm… yeah, isn’t this exactly what any business owner wants? Fired up opponents who are annoyed by the thought that they are being “banned” somehow? Hell yeah. It’s brilliant. As a DC resident, I appreciate your patronage and tax dollars so whatever – come one, come all. But I will say that the booing from Phillies fans does get ridiculously obnoxious.

  19. This is clearly an attempt at reverse psychology. If you really want to piss the Nats COO off. Let them have their park. He wants us to break our necks trying to buy tickets so he’s trying to make us feel like we can’t. We’ve given them enough money over the last few years, let them fend for themselves and see how well their extreme bump up in payroll this year works out.

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