Will the Washington Nationals agree to pay to keep Metrorail open late durng the playoffs?

Right: Nationals fans arrive via Metro at the Navy Yard station in Southeast Washington. Washington Times image.

Were I a city government, I would include a provision in my contracts with professional sports teams to require them to plan for the extension of transit operating hours on an as needed basis.  DC did not do that with the Washington Nationals baseball team.

It didn't do that with the teams in the Verizon Center either.  But the Verizon Center does have a contract with WMATA to run late if games run late.

Two years ago, when the Washington Nationals were in the playoffs, the team declined to contract with WMATA.  Instead, to garner publicity, Living Social paid for the service ("Metro will extend service during Nationals playoff stint," Post).

This is relevant again because yesterday the Washington Nationals clinched the division title and will be in the playoffs.

See:

-- "Incentives vs. requirements: stadiums/arenas and transportation demand management" (2012)
-- "Upping our "short game" on transportation demand management planning for sporting events" (2011)
-- "Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Transportation Demand Management" (2006)
-- "An arena subsidy project I'd probably favor: Sacramento," (2014)