Exchange Rate: Nats Holding Fan Apparel Conversion Day Sunday

By Eric Fisher, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

The Nationals, who are playing host to the regional-rival Orioles this weekend, Sunday will hold a “conversion day” promotion in which the first 10,000 fans turning in a logoed product of another team will receive a free Nationals cap made from recycled, organic material. The ExxonMobil-sponsored promotion is typically the province of expansion or newly-relocated clubs, as opposed to a franchise in its fourth season in DC after moving from Montreal. But club officials said fan development efforts remain in the early stages, necessitating the move. To that end, the Orioles this year have outdrawn the Nationals among DC-area TV viewers, with the Orioles’ average 0.8 rating on MASN in DC so far this season rising 60% from last season and now surpassing the Nationals’ average local rating of 0.5, down from a 0.7 last year. “We’re still building a fan base, and in a lot of ways, we’re still in our infancy,” said Nationals Senior VP & CMO Tom Ward, who conducted a similar effort while working for the Predators. “This market went without baseball for 33 years, and there are a lot of fans still sort of MIA. We’re also trying to create a regional rivalry in this area [with the Orioles]. It should be a lot fun, and we’re nearing a sellout for the game.”

ORIOLES OK WITH MOVE: The Orioles, the obvious target for the promotion, said they were not upset by the move. In fact, the club’s mascot will participate in the Nationals’ popular Presidents race, reversing the prior interleague series in Baltimore in which the Nationals’ mascot, Screech, made public appearances in the Inner Harbor. “The Orioles have a long, storied and dedicated fan base that has stood the test of time,” said Orioles Dir of Communications Greg Bader. “We expect to see a lot of orange at the ballpark this weekend.”