First - I LOVE minor league ball and I have DEEP respect for the old-school minor league ball parks. BUT - the bad news here, it's just lazy.
The Good: Tickets are cheap and there isn't a bad seat in the house -- the park's not big enough to have a bad seat.
The Rest:
1. Parking is a reasonable $5.00 and it is small enough that it won't be a problem. +/- (depending on your point of view) you don't have to worry about foul balls in your windshield as you really aren't close to the ballpark at all.
2. Seats are good... close, and cheap. But not an ounce of shade to be had. I have seen games in ancient (and now defunct) Duncan Park (Spartanburg, SC), Anderson Braves Stadium (also defunct in Anderson, SC), Greenville Braves Stadium (likewise, in Greenville, SC), and Historic McCormick Field (Asheville, NC). All have good shade near the press box and offer friendly confines. P-Nats... it's pretty much a slight upgrade from your local American Legion field.
3. Food. Terrible and Expensive. It is just as pricey as downtown National's Park with $7 sausage, $4.50 for a slice of pizza, $4.50 for a soda, $5.50 for a Gatorade, $7/8 for a beer. The pizza was cold, the sausage fell apart, the funnel cakes are only good before the 4th inning. The waffle fries were good though... if not expensive.
4. Service. The folks working the counters and the stands obviously didn't like their jobs and could care less about having one. That is a problem.
5. Staff entertainment. A staple of minor league ball is the inter-inning silliness of dizzy bat, musical chairs, mascots, etc. Here, our friends at the P-Nats get a solid B+. The team seemed well equipped and marginally enthusiastic... But very little in-game interaction with the crowd. Uncle Slam, the mascot, could really take a lesson from the Asheville Tourists' mascot on how to get kids into the game (future fans guys).
6. Final negative - all concessions take cash only. 21st Century anyone? There are a whopping 2 ATMs for an additional $3 fee for cash pulls.. with telephone dial-up access and therefore significant security risk.
In an era where minor league parks have become min-cathedrals to the game (Augusta Greenjackets, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Greenville Drive, Winston-Salem... etc) Metro DC can do much better.
Eh. Give it 1.5 stars. read more