This season I attended both the Orioles and the Nationals opening day and there were quite a few differences between the two.
The entire city of Baltimore and beyond was in the city for the Orioles game. It was a Friday game, and people took off for Good Friday, it was the 20th anniversary of Camden Yards, and the weather was beautiful and sunny. At the bar I couldn't even walk because people were packed like sardines.
Lots of people took the day off for the Nationals game too. But it was a Thursday game and it was chilly. There were a bunch of people sitting in that weird "lounge" area talking, like there wasn't even a game going on. People were eating at tables that didn't even have views of the game. There were hundreds of empty seats.
The term "opening day" actually means something in Baltimore. In DC, not so much.
A lot of it is because DC fans are different from Baltimore fans, but a lot of it is also the lack of a full game experience. For the first few years at RFK we had 0 bars to go to and it took an hour to get on a metro. Then they built the new ballpark and we now have 1 bar/parking lot to go to and it sucks. Baltimore has several bars right outside the stadium, and another bunch only a few blocks away. Baltimore has like $2 Natty Boh and DC has $8 Bud Light.
And hours before the O's game, the fans were packing the stadium and streets. In DC people roll up in the 3rd inning and leave in the 7th. Nobody was around to watch the extra innings win.
Hopefully one day DC can catch up to Baltimore
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Nats: Was offered a ticket by several different people
O's: Couldn't find a ticket
Nats: People scalping tickets for $40
O's: People selling standing room only tickets for $100 each
Nats: Semi-Full stadium, lots of people chatting
O's: Full stadium, lots of people watching baseball
Nats: Bud Light $8 at the ONE bar outside the stadium
O's: $3 Natty Boh at one of the many bars outside the stadium.
Nats: Lots of pink shirts, Philly's hats, Yankees jackets, etc...
O's: Everyone wearing orange
Nats: People talking about the latest Starr Jones news
O's: People talking about old Cal Ripken stories
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