RFK

Here are a few words in praise of the eyesore that we call RFK and a denunciation of the people who staff some of its administrative functions.

The Nationals need a new home, both because RFK is outdated and because a new stadium will improve the team's revenue streams. But the stadium--both as a place to play and to view a game--is better than a lot of people assume. Yes, the paint is peeling, the feel of it is a bit dark and cramped, and the scoreboard can seem so far away that it's in another zip code. But the field looks great, the sight-lines are unencumbered, and the parking is plentiful (did the Skins really fill up all of those spaces?). Getting in and out by car is easy, unless you're coming to the stadium from downtown on a weekday, but there are enough alternative routes to make the trip to the stadium bearable. Getting to the stadium by Metro is easy, and the problems with taking Metro home appear to be easing. In other words, as far as playing and watching goes, RFK is an acceptable baseball stadium.

The problems fans encounter aren't with the stadium, but with the administrative functions. The concessions need substantial revision. There aren't enough concession stands, and no administrative person seems to have figured out that long lines generally indicate that demand exceeds supply, which means, in turn, that they should open additional stands selling that item. Lines are long everywhere, but they are ridiculously long on the upper deck when the stadium begins to approach capacity.

The concession stands also routinely run out of items--such as bottled water, napkins, and mustard--even before the game starts. Who is making the supply decisions? Has this person ever run a major operation before? Tony Tavares, President of the team, blames RFK, but does the team really need another stadium just to deliver an adequate supply of napkins?

The administrative offices also have the annoying habit of not returning fans' calls. We realize that the back offices can be busy, but not returning fans' calls is inexcusable.

What's driving these problems is the absence of a real owner. Frank McCourt, owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, fired senior marketing people who were running an operation that didn't return fans' calls. A real owner would do the same here and would either fire the concession company or demand better practices immediately. Unfortunately, we're not likely to have a real owner for some time.