Nationals Park infiltrated by Phillies fans on opening day
By Adam Kilgore/Washington Post Staff Writer
Before the Philadelphia Phillies clobbered the Nationals, 11-1, Monday, their fans scored an even more resounding blow. A significant portion of the 42,190 in attendance for opening day rooted for the away team, creating an adverse atmosphere for Nationals players and making some Nationals fans feel like visitors in their home park.
A Phillies fan named Brian Michael said it "felt like a home game." Washington Nationals Manager Jim Riggleman called it "a statement of where we've got to get to." And NationalsEnquirer.com, a prominent Nationals fan blog, called the day "one of the low points in the brief history of the Washington Nationals."
The phenomenon of a visiting team's fans infiltrating the opposing stadium is not unique to the Nationals, particularly in the cozy Northeast corridor. Camden Yards in Baltimore has earned the nickname "Fenway South" from years of Boston Red Sox fans packing the park for Orioles games. But the raiding of Nationals Park on opening day stung District fans.
"I don't think any of us care about losing 11-1," said Daniel Furth, a Nationals fan who attended. "But, really, to me, the atmosphere just ruined opening day. It just completely ruined it."
The Nationals did not discourage Phillies fans from coming in droves. If anything, the team may have encouraged them.
In December, Michael received a phone call from Bree Parker, a senior account executive in the Nationals group ticket sales office. She wanted to know if Michael needed to reserve tickets so he could watch his favorite team on opening day.
Michael appreciated the call. For the past four years, Michael had been arranging bus trips to Phillies away games through his Web site, PhilliesNation.com. Michael had also tried planning trips to Citi Field in New York for Mets games, and he always found them "annoying" to deal with. Michael already knew Parker from when she helped him the previous year. This winter, he did not even need to call, he said.
"They reached out to us," Michael said. "They were able to meet our needs for the tickets. It wasn't too much of a hassle or anything."
Michael secured about 530 tickets. Monday morning, he packed 275 people on five busses that motored south on Interstate 95. They parked in a lot they had rented thanks to a referral from Parker, who was away from her office Tuesday afternoon and could not be reached for comment.
I don't see why the Nationals players or their fans have any kind of gripe here. You want to stop opposing teams' fans from filling your stadium. Then win on the field and fill up the stadium. I'm certainly not going to blame the people of D.C. for not wanting to go watch the Nats. They suck. But you can't complain about a bunch of Cheesesteak eating buffoons agitating you at the game either. I'm sure the front office is working on improving the team but until then there are going to be some more 11-1 ass whippings and there still have to be some butts in the seats. So if those asses have to belong to fans of the other team - so be it.
In fact I love seeing home field advantage being tossed out the window. Of course I may be a bit biased.
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