On Friday, May 4th, the Philadelphia Phillies traveled to DC for a three game series against the Washington Nationals. The weekend was dubbed "Take Back The Park" by the Nationals organization in response to previous years when the fans from Philadelphia created a home field advantage for the Phils 3 hours from home.
Since that series, times have certainly changed in both DC and Philly. The Nationals are holding an almost 2 month lead of first place in the NL East while the Phillies are in the midst of throwing in the towel, having a firesale before the trade deadline hits at 4pm today.
So this weekend is no longer about Taking Back The Park. It is about Keeping The Park Hot. Check out the chart below:
Right after that Phillies series attendance dropped as the team fell out of first place. However, only 2 games in that time fell below the 2011 average numbers, a 2 game series against the Padres. Since that Phils series attendance has been high, several series topping the 35,000 mark. And with the Nats going strong into August and closer to the playoffs, the attendance numbers should continue to stay high.
Nationals Park no longer needs gimmicks like $1 hot dog night to get fans into the seats. The team is winning and the fans are showing up. So when you hear people say "take back the park" again this go-around, you can tell them there is no need. The park has already been took.
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