Ranking the best in-game experiences for each MLB team

Washington Nationals: Presidents Race

Singing along to the Baby Shark song when role player Gerardo Parra comes to the plate has become the signature experience at Nationals Park this year, but it will probably be gone by next season. If the Nationals continue to torture their fans eardrums with that song for another season, then perhaps the league should consider moving them back to Montreal. My heart goes out to every parent of young children who thought a trip to the ballpark would offer them an escape from that song.

Nationals Park is one of the newer parks in the league, and at 12 years old, it still has that new-ballpark feel. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s anything to write home about. Nationals Park is not memorable in any way. It doesn’t have any great defining features and you can’t see any of the Washington landmarks in the distance. The only thing you can see beyond the outfield fence is a parking garage. It can also be a hassle getting to and from the park because the subway stops running before most games end.

The Nationals have tried their best to create a unique experience inside the park, but most of it feels contrived — like the dancers/cheerleaders that patrol many sections of the lower bowl. The Presidents Race is a hit, however. Giant caricatures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt race each other around the warning track. Sure, it’s a rip-off of the Brewers sausage race, but it’s a neat spin. The Nationals also add intrigue to the race by never letting Teddy win.

Overall, Nationals Park does offer a nice view of the action on the field, but the park still lacks individuality. That’s become a problem with some of the newer parks in the league, where it’s becoming harder and harder to add defining features to the retro-vintage template.