While the Orioles are raising ticket prices for some games (and for all games if you wait until game day to buy tickets) the Washington Nationals are continuing their desperate attempts to attract more people to the ballpark.
The latest promotional packages (announced this month) are called the 2010 Grand Slam Flex plans. Fans can choose four games and receive a fifth game of their choice for free. Plans start at $68 per seat, and the team says this is the most affordable multiple-game option it’s ever offered. Here’s the breakdown:
- Zim’s Gold Glove Plan Fans can attend some of the biggest games and see some of the brightest stars. It even includes Opening Day vs. the Phillies.
- Hondo’s Heavy Hitters Plan Fans can watch the League’s premier power hitters take the field as the Nats look to blast their way to victory the same way that Frank “Hondo” Howard did.
- Beasts of the East Plan Fans interested in intra-division competition will love watching the Nats take on their NL East rivals and the Baltimore Orioles for some of the best marquee matchups of the season.
- Bang, Zoom Go the Fireworks Plan Fans can start their weekend off with a bang at Nationals Park each Friday while enjoying the game and family.
- The Promo Plan Fans can choose from the most popular giveaway dates the team has to offer so they can collect the three Bobbleheads or a NatsTown T-Shirt.
So … by offering the first three plans, the marketing staff is fully admitting that most people come to Nats games to see the competition. And if you buy one of those plans, chances are, you will see the Nationals lose. Except maybe against the Orioles.
Now, the Nats have made some decent moves so far in the off-season. They acquired second baseman Adam Kennedy for a one-year, $1.25 million contract, and they’re going after Yankees pitcher Chien-Ming Wang . Rookie pitcher Stephen Strasburg could also make an impact this year. But the Nats have made some good moves before (signing Christian Guzman and keeping Adam Zimmerman) and the team still hasn’t shaken its NL East basement dweller status.
The last two plans seem good to me — baseball is about the experience and family and the plans capitalize on that. But the first three seem dangerous...
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