Fredericksburg Nationals To Start Play In May, Will Have Fans

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — The Fredericksburg Nationals released the schedule for its long-awaited inaugural season. The team's first game will be May 4, and the Fredericksburg Nationals will play the first home game at the New Fredericksburg Ballpark on May 11.

The Fredericksburg Nationals are a Minor League Baseball team, the Low-A affiliate of the nearby Washington Nationals. The team was originally scheduled to begin play in the spring of 2020, but the 2020 Minor League Baseball season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The team's 2021 schedule includes ten home stands, starting in May and ending in September. In total, the team will play 120 games this year against other teams in the Low-A East league.

Nick Hall is the general manager and executive vice president of the Fredericksburg Nationals. "This year, we will definitely have fans in the stadium," Hall said. "And we will do it with safety at the forefront."

In Virginia, there are still limits on the number of attendees allowed at sporting events. On Feb. 22, the number of people allowed at an outdoor sporting event will increase to 250 attendees.

"We are working with local and state officials on distancing restrictions that they will put in place," Hall said. "We will make details available very soon."

The Fredericksburg Nationals will play their home games at the New Fredericksburg Ballpark, a $35 million, 5,000 seat stadium. "The only thing more exciting than finally seeing baseball, is the ability to put this amazing new stadium on display," Hall said. "This park is something all of Fredericksburg will be proud to call their own, and we can’t wait to be able to show it to everyone."

The Fredericksburg Nationals were formerly the Potomac Nationals in Woodbridge. In 2018, Art Silber, the owner of the team, received approval from the Fredericksburg City Council to build a new baseball stadium, with the City of Fredericksburg as its anchor tenant.

Three years later, the stadium and the team are finally read to play ball in Fredericksburg. "Fredericksburg has waited long enough and now it’s time for baseball to return," Hall said. "We couldn’t be any more excited to play ball here in Fredericksburg."