OT: interesting move for the Mystics

[Vowelguy]

Just saw that Mystics will be moving out of the Verizon Center to a new smaller facility in 2019.

The former St Elizabeth's Psychiatric Hospital campus (one-time home of John Hinckley Jr) is being redeveloped. The west campus will be the new Dept of Homeland Security, with the east campus getting a 5000-seat arena that will house the Mystics and serve as a training facility for the NBA's Wizards.

Whereas the Verizon Center is right in the middle of the city and on top of a subway station, St E's is located across the river in the southeast neighborhood. I haven't been over there, but its reputation is *not* good. Clearly there is hope for some gentrification, but I gotta wonder what attendance is gonna be like after they move.

 

[Orangutan]

Washington's current attendance figures are some of the most blatantly fake in the league. Hard to know what the "real" figures are but I don't think their attendance is too great to begin with.

 

[UcMiami]

Probably got a great deal on the facility as they will be the 'headline act' there and a smaller more intimate facility may create a better game experience for the fans - in any gathering place, filling it to near capacity creates a better vibe, even if the numbers are smaller. Put a party for 1000 on in a venue that has a capacity of 5000 is sure to be dead, while the same 1000 filling a place with capacity for 1200 will be rocking. Critical mass is very real.

 

[Vowelguy]

Probably got a great deal on the facility as they will be the 'headline act' there and a smaller more intimate facility may create a better game experience for the fans - in any gathering place, filling it to near capacity creates a better vibe, even if the numbers are smaller. Put a party for 1000 on in a venue that has a capacity of 5000 is sure to be dead, while the same 1000 filling a place with capacity for 1200 will be rocking. Critical mass is very real.

No doubt that a smaller, newer facility will be nicer on the inside. The issue is the location. Ok for a weekend afternoon game, but I can't see many folks wanting to go there on a weeknight -- not near jobs or food and possibly unsafe.

 

[MilfordHusky]

The new arena was announced last September, I believe. The smaller size will be more intimate, but I question whether it is TOO small. I would think that 8,000 or so would be better. I also wonder about the location. Gallery Place at the Verizon Center is abuzz with activity and where the Yellow/Green and Red lines intersect. It is a GREAT location, though it wasn't until Abe Pollin spent $200M to build the arena. Southeast D.C. needs a LOT of help (think Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven). I think the new arena will be near the Congress Heights stop on the Green line, so that should help. I'm hopeful, but not especially optimistic.

Orang is right about the false gate numbers. I've been there when they have announced 7,00o+, which may be double the actual numbers. In the early years, the Mystics had 10,000-15,000 or so actual attendance, but they gave away a large share of the tickets.

We'll see how this works. I strongly prefer the facility and especially the location of the Verizon Center.