Nats win the pennant when it comes to D.C. fundraising success

The Washington Nationals are proving that you don’t need a winning team to be successful in politics.

The five-year-old Major League Baseball franchise easily beat out the other major DC sports franchises - the Redskins, Capitals and Wizards - in being chosen as a location for political fundraising events. The team’s stadium, Nationals Park, was the site of at least 44 fundraisers during baseball games since its opening day in March 2008.
 

A review of data compiled by the Sunlight Foundation's Party Time! project shows that the number of fundraisers held during Nats games beat the combined total of parties held during games for the other area’s NFL, NBA and NHL teams, as well as the D.C. United pro soccer team.
 
Campaigns seem just as happy with the baseball team, spending the most money at Nationals Park. Since opening day in March 2008, campaigns have spent at least $392,000 on catering, tickets and rental fees at the stadium, according to data compiled by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
 
That figure does not capture the complete picture of the Nats’ season in fundraising either. The latest FEC reports have not detailed the busy summer season yet. Those are expected to be turned into the agency later this month.
 
Politicians of all stripes have used Nationals Park for fundraisers when the Nats have faced off against several teams, including the Boston Red Sox, the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies. House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), Sen. Bob Casey (D-Penn.) and Rep. Allen Boyd (D-Fla.) are among those who have scheduled fundraisers at the stadium, according to invitations collected by Sunlight.
 
The reason for the Nats’ success in political fundraising comes down to simple math. Its stadium is a short walk from Capitol Hill, a little more than a mile away. Plus, tickets to games are relatively cheap compared to other sporting events.
 
Monica Notzon, a partner at the Bellwether Consulting Group, a political fundraising firm, said Nationals Park makes the most sense in her profession.
 
“Logistics and cost,” Notzon said in an e-mail. “Timing is great and people can be outdoors and casual. Plus it's America's sport!”
 
The Redskins and the Wizards were tied for the runner-up spot, with their stadiums each  being the site of 13 fundraisiers, according to invitations collected by Sunlight.
 
In addition, campaigns have spent more than $82,000 since March 2008 on Redskins’ tickets, according to FEC reports.
 
The Capitals, the only Washington-area team to play in the post season in the past year, was the least sought after fundraising locale. Hockey games served as the background for  five fundraisers, including one by Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Penn.) during the Caps’ playoff battle against the Pittsburgh Penguins this year.
 
Much like sports games, rock concerts seem to be a familiar destination for political fundraisers.
 
Lawmakers stopped by FedEx Field to raise cash during Paul McCartney and U2 concerts. There were four such events at the Billy Joel and Elton John concert at Nationals Park. The most popular, however, was the Boss. At least 11 fundraisers were held at the Bruce Springsteen May 18 concert at the Verizon Center.
 
But despite the mix of sports and politics at the fundraisers, it seems no one in the political world enjoys soccer, according to data compiled by Sunlight.
 
Not one fundraiser was held during a D.C. United match, according to the watchdog group’s database of more than 6,000 fundraiser invitations. In addition, not one campaign spent money on D.C. United tickets or gear since March last year, according to FEC data.