Nationals taking fan-driven approach to ballpark implementations

The Nationals are interested in what the fans have to say.

In his first season with the organization, president of business operations Jason Sinnarajah emphasizes an active listening approach.

“What we're really honing in on and the focus is, how do we be fan-friendly, how do we listen to our fans, and how do we get better every single game,” said Sinnarajah, who most recently served as the Kansas City Royals senior vice president and chief operating officer.

The Nationals have begun hosting focus groups with ticket holders to foster discussion and learn fan feedback. Sinnarajah already has met with single-game ticket buyers and season-plan holders.

A question posed to each group was, what should the Nationals do better?

“We hear all kinds of feedback,” said Sinnarajah. “It could be the food, it could be how we do the promotions, the music. Everybody has an opinion. The biggest thing that we want to do is that they feel heard.”

The Nationals implemented fan feedback to start the season. During an event in January, fans expressed their opinions on beer prices. At the time, there were only 25-ounce beers sold at the concession stands at Nationals Park. The stadium has been offering a 16-ounce beer option for $8.99 since Opening Day.

From making ballpark-wide implementations to zooming in on specific fan experiences, Sinnarajah heard from a small group of season-ticket holders who preferred a dedicated entrance. The Nationals now offer one in left field.

“In the aggregate, what we're trying to do is, for fans that are coming in April, and then May, June, July, August and September, that we're getting better every game,” said Sinnarajah.

This Friday, the Nationals kick off their 2026 Postgame Summer Concert Series. Taio Cruz is the first performer, followed by Jason Derulo on July 24 and Jordan Davis on Aug. 7. The objective for Friday and Saturday games is to feel like an “amplified” event.

On May 15, as an example, the Nationals hosted Hot Dog Night. The first 20,000 fans in attendance received a “Bad Day to be a Hot Dog” hat, the ballpark concessions offered a variety of hot dog menu items and more than 28,000 hot dogs were consumed inside the stadium.

“We can't control what happens on the field, we can't control whether we win or lose, but we want to create Friday and Saturday to be more event-driven,” Sinnarajah said. “We want to make it a cool experience for everybody. But we also want to draw in newer fans, Generation Z fans, and get them to enjoy Nationals baseball, get them exposed to the product.”

Nearly five months since he was hired in early January and two months into the 2026 season, Sinnarajah is appreciative of the feedback he has received and open to what he will continue to learn from the fans.

“I've been blown away at how welcoming the fans have been, how supportive they've been, and honestly, how honest and forthright they've been with their feedback,” Sinnarajah said. “They don't hold back. I get all kinds of DMs, and I’ve really enjoyed it. So I hope they see that we're making an honest attempt to be better every day for them.”