Need a change of scenery from Bender Arena or Reeves Field? Maybe you just want to see non-AU sports like baseball and football. Here’s a quick guide to D.C.’s major sports venues.
Verizon Center
How to get there
One of the easiest D.C. sports venues to get to is the Verizon Center, which hosts the Capitals, Wizards, Mystics and the Georgetown Hoyas men’s basketball team. Students trying to get to the arena from AU’s main campus need to take the shuttle from campus to the Tenleytown Metro station. Once there, they’ll need to hop on the Red Line and plan on getting off at the Gallery Place-Chinatown stop, about a 15-minute ride. After arriving at the stop, there will be signs within the station pointing towards the Verizon Center.
Why or why not to go there
However, AU students might want to think about eating at the Terrace Dining Room before heading over for a game. In late July, ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” provided a comprehensive list of health inspection summaries at stadiums and arenas that hosted teams in the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB in 2009. 100 percent of the vendors at the Verizon Center had critical violations, meaning each stand had at least one thing going seriously wrong.
An excerpt from the report reads, “Mice droppings, a critical violation in Washington, were found at at least 10 vendors.”
Ted Leonsis, owner of the Capitals and Wizards, issued a statement on his blog, tedstake.com.
“I was surprised and disappointed by ESPN’s recent industry-wide report and ratings related to the cleanliness of professional sports venues, including Verizon Center,” said Leonsis. “I will personally get involved in the process and the solutions.”
For our sake, let’s hope so.
FedEx Field
How to get there
FedEx Field is home to the Redskins and is one of the largest stadiums in the NFL with a seating capacity of 91,704, according to Sports Illustrated. In order to get to FedEx Field using the Metro, students need to travel on the Red Line and arrive at the Metro Center station. The next step is to transfer onto the Blue Line and get off at the Morgan Boulevard stop. After exiting the Metro gates, the walk is a mile to the stadium - making the trip a total of over one hour.
Why or why not to go there
Unfortunately, the stadium itself leaves something to be desired. Despite being large and in a football-crazed market, Sports Illustrated ranked the stadium No. 28 out of 32 NFL stadiums in terms of “NFL Fan Value Experience” in a 2007 story.
“FedEx Field looks like a big slab of concrete that exudes no sense of history, leaving long-time fans feeling like strangers,” the Sports Illustrated report read. “You never get the sense of the neighborhood surrounding the stadium,” the report continued. “There’s absolutely nowhere to hang out before or after the game.”
Nationals Park
How to get there
To get to the two-year-old stadium, students need to take the Red Line to the Gallery-Place Chinatown stop. Once there, the Green Line needs to be taken to the Navy Yard station. The stadium is only a few blocks way, access is easy, and the trip takes about half an hour.
Why or why not to go there
The stadium itself isn’t exactly a beauty from the outside but inside nice sightlines, comfortable seating and an open, airy atmosphere make the watching experience pleasurable enough.
Unfortunately, the stadium’s red seats are often overrun with fans for out-of-town teams, making home become enemy territory, especially if the Phillies or Mets come to town.
When at Nats Park, make sure to look for transplanted famous D.C. eating spots like Five Guys and Ben’s Chili Bowl. Sure, it’s not the real thing, but for a baseball game, it’s tough to beat a half-smoke.
Views from within the ballpark, especially of the U.S. Capitol dome in some seating areas, can enhance the viewing experience.
ttomea@theeagleonline.com
