What Nationals games are like for a dog
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Alfredo the Spinone Italiano. Photo: Gabe Hiatt/Axios
The Nationals are 62-72 and have a 0.1% chance of making the playoffs, according to Baseball-Reference.com. Let's meet some good dogs.
Why it matters: Pups in the Park is a happy day at the stadium no matter what the standings look like.
- I went to Nationals Park on Tuesday to see how the promotion has grown.
State of play: Dog tickets cost owners $10, all of which goes to the Humane Rescue Alliance.
- There are six Pups at the Park games this season, so fans get multiple chances to attend.
💉 How it works: Dogs can enter (and get a spiffy bandana) once owners show their vaccination records.
- The pups are seated on the lower level in front of the Right Field Plaza.
⭐️ One star drew a line for photos: Natty, the official team dog, who was celebrating his 6-month birthday.
- The Golden Retriever-and-Labrador mix even has his own sponsor, Eukanuba dog food, which set up giveaways and agility challenges.
🌳 The stadium crew brings in sod squares for "pet relief areas," plus water coolers and bowls.
- One employee played doggie bouncer, stopping pups from entering the rest of the concourse.
👔 The best-dressed dog I spotted was Alfredo, a Spinone Italiano with wiry white hair, in a Nationals print Hawaiian shirt and a blue-and-white ball cap.
- "A neighbor got him the hat," his owner said. "We didn't have time to put a curly W on it, but it works."
The stadium played "Who Let the Dogs Out," because of course they did.
Valerie Krebs, the team's vice president of communications, brought her two rescue dogs, Jack and Teddy.
- The game falling on a $5 Tuesday was not lost on Krebs — a lot of dogs enjoyed cheap hot dogs.
- There's no doggie beer available — yet — Krebs tells Axios.
🏟️ The Nats are 1-4 in Pups at the Park games this season, including a 3-1 loss to Colorado last night.
- Krebs didn't know if the theme night had a meaningful effect on attendance.
- Only 13,876 fans showed up yesterday, about a third of capacity.
🧠 It's all about creating an experience fans will remember fondly — regardless of the final score.
- "Baseball is fun. Dogs are fun. For someone like me, this is like a perfect night," Krebs said.
What's next: Dogs are invited back for the season finale against the Mets on Sunday, Sept. 27.