Batter Up!
This Sunday marks the first game of the Washington Nationals baseball team in the new Nationals Park. There has been much controversy surrounding the stadium, such as whether the stadium would displace the residents near the stadium and issues surrounding parking. Today, the Nationals host the Atlanta Braves and expect a crowd of around 41,000! President Bush will throw the opening pitch and the game will be televised on ESPN starting at 8p.m. However, the first real test for the stadium will be the first weeknight game on April 7 at 7:10 p.m.
In terms of getting there by public transportation, only the Green Line goes near the stadium, but crowding on the metro is expected at on other lines as well. You can take the "Nats Express," which is a free shuttle that will take fans from the free parking in Lot 8 at the RFK Stadium to Nationals Park. Street parking will be allowed on certain streets near the stadium so please try to pay attention to the street signs.
If you want to find out what the fans are saying about the new stadium, take a look at www.washingtonpost.com/stadium. If nothing else, the concessions at the stadium will definitely have some favorite Washington vendors, such as Ben's Chili Bowl, Hard Times Cafe, and Red Hot and Blue. If these places are anything like their brick and mortar counterparts, the food will be a draw in itself.