For several years (back to even the days of the Trappers) my wife and I have talked about going to a ball game at Telus Field. We finally made the leap to actually taking our young family to a game. The overall experience was fantastic. We couldn't have asked for much of a better game with an exciting extra innings Capitals homerun to top off the victory. The ball game and on field activities were very entertaining and the nature of the game allowed for some great family time in a relaxed atmosphere where we were able to visit and enjoy the time together.
But , there is much more to the experience than the game itself. Some good, some not so good. The $44 deal for 4 tickets complete with hot dogs and pops is an almost unbelievable value. To the benefit of the Capitals (and our family), we spent much more than this on popcorn, beverages and Capitals gear. Unlike the high prices found at many other venues, the reasonable prices here allowed us to get more for our money and we had extra funds left to purchase additional items in support of the event. In the end, we spent similar if not more money than at other venues, but were given a great deal more value in the process.
We chose this July 1 date as a family holiday experience partially due to the ball game, but also due to the Canada Day fireworks. Neither one disappointed.
The downside is that with all successful events, proper planning must be in place to handle the volume of people trying to enjoy it. We found that the area parking was a real hassle. The police were directing traffic in circles toward lots that were already full. In my opinion, certain lots should be reserved for people attending the ball game (especially those that have planned ahead and pre-ordered tickets to the game) - not just trying to go the area to get a spot for the fireworks. Once we were finally able to find parking, it was an easy walk with easy access to the ball park.
Once there, the only disappointment was the preparedness / staffing levels in the food lines. I don't believe the staff were ready for the volume of people that were in attendance. It was a 30 minute wait each time to purchase a snack or drink. Also of note is that the coupons for the hot dogs and pop said that they were only valid at concessions 2, 3, & 5. This added great confusion to everyone attempting to redeem the coupons because none of the concessions were labelled with a number. We were therefore left to wait in line in hopes that after the 30 minute wait that the coupon could actually be redeemed at that location. It turned out to not be an issue, however was a confusion that could have easily been rectified with a simple identifying number.
I expect that these few negatives are not typical during a normal, non holiday event game and will definitely take my family again. My hope is that these negative issues will not be repeated at that time and that the entire experience will be as positive as the overall event which would make me want to turn this into a more regular outing for my family.