Natasha Cloud #9 (L) and Aerial Powers #23 of the Washington Mystics celebrate after defeating the Connecticut Sun to win the 2019 WNBA Finals at the Entertainment & Sports Arena on Oct. 10, 2019 in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images/Rob Carr) Part of the fun of supporting a local sports champion is wearing the championship T-shirts and hats the players wore immediately after the game. But for Washington Mystics fans determined to pick up swag the next day, it’s been tough. Though fans at the Entertainment and Sports Arena were able to purchase the gear immediately after the team won the WNBA Finals over the Connecticut Sun, as well as during Friday afternoon’s celebrations at the arena, longtime and bandwagon fans didn’t have the option to pick up morning-after championship swag at their local sporting goods store. Unlike when the Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup in 2018, local Modell’s and Dick’s sporting goods contacted by WTOP had no immediate plans to sell Mystics championship gear Friday. Even a visit to the Capital One Arena team store, owned by Monumental Sports, which also owns the Mystics, didn’t have championship gear on hand Friday morning. Owner Ted Leonsis suggested fans buy their championship gear online.
Serious question, Ted. What needs to be done to make morning-after gear available for longtime and bandwagon fans who aren’t at the arena? https://t.co/ldTGP3S1Yb
“It’s a shame that sports such as women’s basketball are viewed in such a light that fans don’t have immediate access to championship gear,” said Steve Winter, president of Brotman/Winter/Fried Communications. “It’s an issue that’s faced by all sports teams that are considered ‘second tier’ — lacrosse, minor league baseball, even to some extent professional soccer,” he said. “Mystics fans should be able to wear — proudly — their WNBA championship swag.”
As DC develops Capital One Arena traffic plan, residents worry it will be ‘complete havoc’
As D.C.'s Department of Transportation is working on a plan for managing traffic and parking around Capital One Arena, some community members are expressing concerns about possible restrictions that could be included in it.
The agency is putting together a Transportation Operations and Parking Plan, which will be used to make sure people can go to and from home, work or events quickly and safely. It'll aim to minimize the impact of restrictions on residents and businesses, organize pick up and drop-offs involving taxis and ride-share vehicles, and encourage the use of public transportation, such as Metrorail or Metrobus, according to a transportation plan shared during a community meeting this week.
