WASHINGTON — The start of baseball season means the return of Washington Nationals fans to Navy Yard. With the team rebuilding and crowds thinning late last season, there is growing concern among business owners in the area about how big a financial boost they’re going to see this year.
“Not to be funny but I would say it’s game changing,” said Jeremy Gifford, owner of Walters Sports Bar, about the impact big gameday crowds can have on his bottom line.
Gifford has watched Navy Yard explode from 1,000 residents when Nationals Park opened in 2008 to 18,600 today, according to data from the Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District.
“So yeah, our off-game day business is, you know, three, four, five [times] what is was, you know, four years ago. But nothing replaces 30,000 people coming down to watch a game and going out for eats and drinks before and after.”
“Last year was kind of rough,” said John Fitzgerald, a long time Nationals season ticket holder.
After suffering through a league worst 107 loss season, Fitzgerald decided he wasn’t coming to as many games this year. He cut his full season plan to a half game package.
“Last year, you could really tell attendance was down with a lot of the trades and performance,” Fitzgerald said.
In 2022, Nationals attendance was down to 2,026,401, the lowest level in more than a decade, not counting pandemic-impacted seasons, according to Baseball Reference. One early season front end of a doubleheader, drawing a dismal 9,261 fans.
Hours before first pitch, great seats were still available right on the Nationals website for the opening day game. Secondary sites offering tickets for around $20 with fees.
In a response to a question about attendance for the upcoming season, the Nationals told WUSA9 it does not disclose information on Season Plan Holder numbers.
A Nationals spokesperson added that the team is continuing with fan favorite promotions to enhance the game day experience.
“We deliver a great experience at the ballpark every day. Economic times are tough and we know our fans have a choice when it comes to where they spend their entertainment dollars,” the spokesperson wrote in an email to WUSA9.
“Every season helps our season for 81 game days or nights,” said Michael Stevens, President of the Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District.
Stevens said if nothing else, bars and restaurants around the ballpark can at least count on the visiting teams’ fans showing up.
“Heads in the beds, butts in the seats, in the restaurants or in the hotels, doesn’t matter what jersey they wear, they are all fans,” Stevens said.
Gifford said the explosion of new businesses around Nationals Park cuts both ways.
While it is a positive sign of growth, it also means more hands trying to grab a share of that Nationals gameday pie.
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