FREDERICKSBURG — Fans will have a chance to rename the Potomac Nationals as the Minor League Baseball team moves from Woodbridge to Fredericksburg.
Team owner Art Silber says he’s open to a name change and plans to listen to the community in the coming months about proposed team names. Silber plans to include “Fredericksburg” in the team name.
The Potomac Nationals, also known as the P-Nats are a Class A Advanced affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Silber says “Nationals” is still being considered in the potential team, there is some concern because, well, the nickname “F-Nats” could become the root of potential jokes, he said.
Fredericksburg City Council members and Mayor Mary Kathrine Greenlaw have heard multiple suggestions for a name for Fredericksburg’s new baseball team.
“I’ve received many emails about the P-Nats coming to Fredericksburg,” Greenlaw said. “Many of the emails are about the future name so please keep those ones coming.”
Fredericksburg Baseball has already received an outpouring of support from the city. A total of 1,260 fans have already become members of the “Founders Club,” who will be the first to choose seats for season ticket plans.
The team’s new stadium, to be built next to the Fredericksburg Expo Center on Gordon W. Sheldon Boulevard, will be complete with 13 box suites. The team had already sold 12-and-a-half suites before the groundbreaking ceremony Sunday.
The final half suite sold during the groundbreaking ceremony.
“It’s unheard of to sell every suite a year before the stadiums opening,” said team co-owner Seth Silber.
Art Silber plans on marketing to the Fredericksburg market but hopes that Prince William County residents will still follow the team and come to the new, $35 million state-of-the-art ballpark.
“I’m hoping residents from Prince William will still come out and support team,” Art Silber said. “It’s a manageable 30-minute drive to the ballpark.”
Some Prince William residents are upset that the team is leaving the county after not being able to secure a funding deal with the Prince William Board of County Supervisors for a new stadium at Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center in Woodbridge.
“It’s a little frustrating that it’ll be hard to attend P-Nats games after this season,” resident Sam Buysse said. “I’ll either have to sit in traffic on a Friday or Saturday Afternoon in the summer or I’ll have to spend more money on a Washington Nationals ticket.”
