Washington, D.C., can be a disconcerting place for a sports fan. Here, NHL playoff games fail to sell out. Here, it's impossible to watch the professional version of the national pastime in the national capital. Here, many residents root for every team but the home team because their family and cultural roots are embedded somewhere far from the Potomac's banks.
But if students see past the lack of local sports pride - the exception being the Washington Redskins, the NFL's most profitable team - they just might discover a sports junkie's heaven inside the Capital Beltway. And it's a heaven that, with some effort and solid planning, can be enjoyed on the college student's budget.
First, there's football. Redskins' tickets are nearly impossible to get - and never reasonably priced. But if there's a will, there's a way into Fed Ex Field on Sunday.
Last year, some AU rugby players worked as food and beverage vendors during one Redskins game. Meanwhile, other AU students intern or have interned for the Redskins in positions in which they work on Game Day.
But for those who can't get in at Landover, Md., there's always College Park, Md.
Some argue that Maryland Terrapins college football, which has gone to bowls the last three years, are a much better watch than the Redskins, and at about a fifth of the price.
Guest passes for Terps games are just $16. Any friends "studying" at the University of Maryland can order one online. Act a few days ahead of time and the passes shouldn't be sold out. The Metro stops at College Park, where free shuttle buses run from the station to Byrd Stadium.
While AU doesn't and probably never will have a football team, Georgetown and Howard do. The two 1-AA schools are an even more convenient fix for a football craving.
And those who crave basketball are in luck.
The NBA's Washington Wizards may seem pricey, but they routinely offer discount tickets to D.C. students. Also, for games against less prestigious opponents, scalpers at, MCI Center will often sell tickets well below face value.
Watching the title-contending AU Eagles battle in the Patriot League may be enough for the casual college-hoops fan. But there's more NCAA basketball out there if you want it. Georgetown and George Washington play in the Big East and the Atlantic 10 conferences, respectively, and entertain high-level opponents like UConn (Big East) and St. Joseph's (A-10). The MCI Center, where Georgetown plays, and the Smith Center, where GW plays, are Metro-accessible. And tickets cost about as much as dinner for one at Ruby Tuesday's.
In December, George Washington and Maryland co-host the BB&T Classic, a four-team tournament that typically includes two national powerhouses as guests. Tickets for the two-day tourney at the MCI Center start at $20. That's $5 per game to watch teams like Texas, Notre Dame and Gonzaga - past - big name participants.
But don't forget hockey in the winter. While NHL games are expensive in general, the Washington Capitals have a limited number of $10 nosebleed seats available for every game. Most nights, moving down from there is not a problem.
Again, scalpers can be an affordable alternative, with some offering tickets at around 40 percent of face value. And though the Caps don't publicize it very well, they do have a student discount for D.C. area college students sitting in the upper level at any regular-season game.
Baseball is the toughest sport to see from D.C., but it can be seen. The MLB's Baltimore Orioles offer $5 student tickets on Friday nights. There are specials other nights of the week as well. Otherwise, cheap seats are still reasonable at $9 per person.
Getting there isn't that tough on a weekday. Take the Metro to Union Station and transfer to the MARC Rail, which runs straight to Camden Yards until the early evening. MARC is closed on weekends.
Getting back is a bit more intricate. Take the Baltimore Light Rail to BWI, then a Metro Bus from BWI to Greenbelt, and then the Metro back to Tenleytown. This will be extra difficult Monday through Thursday, with the last train leaving Greenbelt at 11:30. Don't get stranded.
For those who crave college ball, again, AU doesn't have a team. But GW does, and its Mount Vernon fields are only about a mile down Foxhall Drive from AU - walkable, ironically, for all athletes except baseball players.
Don't like any of the major sports? There's still something for you to watch in or near Washington.
D.C. United, a professional soccer team in the MLS, plays games in the spring through fall in RFK Stadium. Cheap seats cost $16 at the door, but the club routinely offers discounts to groups and AU students, and is always looking for interns and volunteers. And unlike many soccer games in the States, United games are attended by passionate supporters and provide a good sports atmosphere.
The WNBA's Washington Mystics play women's professional basketball at the MCI Center in the summer and early fall. Since their inception, the Mystics have been one of the strongest WNBA teams in terms of fan support. Tickets start at $8.
Washington hosts the Legg Mason Tennis Classic each summer at the Fitzgerald Tennis center, near the east edge of Rock Creek Park. The ATP Tour event is a great way to see some of the world's best, without the pomp and circumstance of a grand-slam event.
The PGA comes to Montgomery County, Md., in late June, with the Booz Allen Classic played at the TPC at Avanel course. While not one of the most prestigious tour events, the tournament gives locals just about their only chance to see world-class golf played in the D.C. metropolitan region.
Last, but certainly not least, AU athletics provide students with opportunities to watch and play a wide variety of sports at the Division I level. In soccer, field hockey, women's volleyball, basketball, wrestling, track and field, tennis and women's lacrosse, the Eagles are always competitive, and admission is always free for students.
D.C., and AU itself, may not be steeped in the sports tradition of some other American cities. But it is a buyer's market for fans who can't get enough games into a given week. And it's a place that can cater to sports passions of almost any variety.
