I think the game will be on XM, Braves broadcast. Also, if you have the MLB internet package, you can listen that way. Can't believe the opener won't be a sellout...thats embarrassing.

Groins and Dizzy Spells - Just another Day in Viera --- Groins and Dizzy Spells are Good, Better in Viera!

I wonder how many people will actually show for opening day (and not just how many people bought tickets) - hopefully this late Spring surge will bring the numbers up.

I'd love to hear the opinions of Nats fans out there as to why opening day most likely won't be a sellout. What are the reasons and why in your opinion? Because last year wasn't a sellout either. Just curious...

Barry, with Hanrahan and Redding sent down, does this mean that Levale Speigner will be 5th starter/swingman if Simontacchi's still hurt? Does this help or hurt Bergmann?

Yeah, I'm a full season ticket holder. Guess when the tracking says I'm getting my tickets. FRIDAY. That's right, not even 3 days before opening day. I'm really pissed.

The Senators sold out opening game every year, and they were similarly good/bad.

I think part of it is the nature of the DC market... having tickets is not the same as going to the games... But my perception (from 4000 miles away) is that the team isn't on the city's social radar yet... I think part of it is the expectation that the Nats are going to lose 100+ games this year, so people aren't interested in sitting through a 9-2 loss.

The point that I think people are missing is that opening day (especially when you essentially have the first game of the season ANYWHERE (The whole Sunday Night Baseball thing is a crock... opening day is a day game, with bunting and unpopular politicians throwing out the first pitch)) is about the pageantry and ritual of another season. Heck, the Senators beat Vida Blue and the A's 8-0 on opening day in 1971, if that's not an opening day miracle, I don't know what is.

Buy your tickets, you whiners... it's not about winning and losing, it's about renewal. Didn't 34 years between games teach you anything?

According to the Nats chat room, there is a new sign up at RFK stating that fans are no longer allowed to bring their own food, drinks, and backpacks to the Nats games. When you speak with Stan the Plan, please confirm that this policy change is true.

I was worried about the new rules causing a back-up at the security check, but based on ticket sales lines are not going to be a problem.

Barry,

Can you also ask why the tickets are coming from Canada.....I would have thought finding a printer in DC area would have fit into the PLAN?

Also ask him if he regreats not spending some of that $30-40 Million in Salary he is saving this year over 2006 on some players that could help sell tickets in 2007. What is he doing with the cash if he is not getting tickets printed on time with at least some of the $

Ship date
Mar 23, 2007
Estimated delivery
Mar 28, 2007 by 4:30 PM

Ridiculous.

Just like the NATS.....ship by FED EX........Ground (not really FED EX but like the NATS, looks good but cheap and slow on the inside)

For some reason, I have been getting the Orioles emails along with the Nats emails... and it is interesting how they (the Orioles) are so far ahead of the Nats in terms of getting season tickets and single game tickets on sale.

I think this is one of several litmus tests of "The Plan..." I understand the delays when MLB was running things, but there's no excuse now. There are hints that then on-field product might be pretty good (eventually), but there's no sense alienating your best customers.

Customer service? More like lip service!

So it is the delivery company's fault? If they used another delivery company people would have had them when? a day or two earlier? That makes all the difference. Damb delivery companies cant deliver stuff before they are actually made? What is wrong with them?

While most people seem to have tracking numbers showing their season tickets are coming from the printer in Saskatoon, some (myself included) have a tracking number that originates from E. Capitol St., Washington, DC. Does that mean we're getting crappy old computer-printout tickets, like from Tickets.com?

Not that it matters, we'll get into the game and all, but when I front many hundreds of dollars, I'd love to get the good stuff!

I don't think anyone is blaming the delivery company. The fact is that they weren't shipped out until a week before the first game.

Here's why I haven't bought my opening day tickets yet, even though I have every intention of going: Went online to buy and found that for four $9 tix, the service charges came to $20. $20 on $36 worth of tix? No way. I was hoping to go down to RFK this weekend and buy tickets but can't find anything on their website about box office hours, and the phone number is just a recording saying that they are open M-F only. Service charges are truly getting out of control. My favorite is the charge to print your own tickets. Um--my ink, my paper. Shouldn't that one be free? Very very thankful that the downtown Nats store (supposedly) will be printing and selling tickets, though every time I drop by the guy who works there (very nice btw) says they'll be able to do tickets in "a week to 10 days."

I think it is because President Bush isn't going to be throwing out the first pitch. It would be a huge draw to see the President throw the first pitch of Opening Day, but without it, it doesn't seem so special.

Let's see -- mid-fifties, chance of rain; Florida Marlins, who don't draw in Miami, let alone here; no marketing to speak of; no marquee names (maybe someday, Zim, but not now); everybody and their dog saying this team will hoover; an almost 50 year old park with crappy food and worse service; and oh yeah, the people who sell you the tickets have their heads in some anatomically improbable place. I guess I can wait til game day to walk up.

re: attendance. day game during the week doesn't help. I also think the marketing lacks anticipation and excitement, is geared toward those of us who are already sold on the team, and frankly seems to target the upper middle class in northwest. Went to my dance class in northeast wearing my curly W cap AND t-shirt. Local girl in the class asked if I played tennis wearing all that "Wilson" stuff.

Market without a team for 34 years, few fans, worst team in the league, worst stadium in the league, day game on a business day...Low attendance is no great mystery.

IF I WERE KASTEN I would give a sell-out until Wednesday to materialize. If no sell out, I would declare OPEN GATE. Half empty stadium on opening day.... Shame on us. What are we? Tampa?

Opening Day being the same day as the NCAA National Championship game, esp. with Georgetown in it, certainly doesn't help. They did put out 10 promo dates on Friday so thats something but boy does this team look badly run right now.

the ticket fiasco goes to show that some things just haven't changed. kasten and the lerners should be embarrassed and the incompetence. and if they want attendance to increase, they *HAVE* to reverse this continued trend of not coming through.

and i'm in complete agreement about saskatoon. saskatoon? are the printers *REALLY* that much cheaper in canada?

i'd go to opening day myself (i was at the first two), but I just started a new job. can't take the time off. if it was a night game, i'd be there.

still it's tough to push a 1pm start on a monday with very little marketing (yet another promise that really doesn't feel like has been delivered on).

the only true positives i've heard this season relate to the new stadium. sounds like it's still on track and the owners are following Bos's advice and putting their own benjamins into sprucing it up (i like the cherry blossoms in the OF).

My tracking says shipped 3/23. Arrived 3:31 PM at FedEx Depot (MISSED CUT-OFF TIME). Thus they won't actually leave Saskatoon, yes, Saskatoon until Monday.

Riddle me this... I was told my tickets printed on 3/3. They don't get them in a box for almost 3 weeks AND THEN MISS THE CUTOFF TIME? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I've now sunk just under $50K in 3 years buying their tickets, and on average they've gotten them to me 2 days before the first game.

UNBELIEVABLE. Thank god for monopolies. If I ran my business like this in the real world, I'd have been out of business before the end of year 1.

DC is front-runner town and when people hear the nats are going to be horrible, they stay away. When the nats start winning, people will come. StanK may have miscalculated one thing: the braves had been around a long time and had a solid fan base. Starting the Plan in year 3 after mlb ownership sounds like a recipe for disaster with no stars to come out and see. That said, I'll be there opening day for the first time in 3 years.