Talk Back

Talkbackers are absorbed by the new baseball stadium and price of tickets.

It seems to me that folks, appalled by the ticket prices at the Nats stadium, have failed to consider two points:

- Major League Baseball, like the NFL and NBA, long ago stopped looking to Joe Average to be the group of ticket buyers spending the most money on tickets.

- This is Washington.

Today's pro sports teams look to the corporate world to lease their suites and buy full season tickets to the best and most expensive seats in the house. I'm sure Ted Lerner was sincere when he said something to the effect that he considered himself a caretaker of a valuable commodity: Washington baseball.

The Lerners, however, are savvy business people. If they can bring a little joy to those of us who waited 33 years, they will be happy. Stan Kasten suggested that the big spenders help keep the less desirable seats at a more reasonable price level. I hope they sell out the suites, club seats and $300 seats soon so I can get to a game or two in 2008.

Charlie Sparacino, Bethesda

Charlie, they play 81 home games. You'll be able to see as many games as you want, at an affordable price.

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I am a native Washingtonian -- I grew up in Glover Park. I remember the Senators leaving for Minnesota, immediately replaced by an expansion team that a decade later left for Texas. I am pleased that we finally have a team again.

Last Sunday you printed a letter from someone complaining how "inconvenient" it is to get to RFK Stadium from his home in Germantown compared with the trips he made from his former home in Silver Spring.

RFK Stadium is where it has been for the past 45 years -- it did not move. The letter writer moved. Fans here complained about D.C. not having a MLB team for 33 years, but now create excuses to not attend games.

Jim Wise, Annandale

Point well taken.

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Danny Ferry did not hire Mike Brown as you wrote last Sunday. The Cavs owner, Dan Gilbert, hired Mike Brown and then hired Danny Ferry. Gilbert took some heat from the Cleveland media since the rule of thumb is to let the GM hire the coach.

As a Cavs fan, I believe while Danny had a good draft and signed Zydrunas Ilgauskas to a (new) contract, he failed miserably at the trade deadline by not getting a deal done for Mike Bibby. It's obvious what the Cavs are lacking, and Ferry did nothing to address that deficiency.

Tim Nealon, Alexandria

Boy, I'd love to have you as my ombudsman. The Cavaliers make the NBA Finals for the first time, and you're trashing the GM?