The popularity of the Washington Capitals brought on an interesting situation earlier this week.
The Washington Mystics were slated to play at home Thursday night and fans wanting to attend the game were buying tickets.
But when it appeared obvious there would be a watch party at Capital One Arena, some fans of the Mystics were selling their tickets to Capitals fans for the watch party, confirmed an employee of Monumental Sports.
So Monumental Sports switched the start of the Mystics game to 4 p.m. Thursday with the four-time defending champion Minnesota Lynx. Fans wanting tickets for the watch party had to go online to get them and they sold out quickly. So there was no charge to attend the Mystics game.
Once fans entered the building Thursday, be it for the Mystics game or the watch party, they could not leave and re-enter, said the employee.
The Mystics game drew a season-high 8,587 fans as Minnesota won 88-80 after trailing by 10 points at one point.
Washington coach Mike Thibault said “the atmosphere was great.”
“I hope we made some new fans tonight. If you didn’t enjoy that game you are playing not going to be a basketball fan,” he said.
The coach said he planned to stay at the arena for the watch party. The Mystics and Capitals are both owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
Mystics star Elena Delle Donne said she wished “it was like that every night.”
“It felt like a playoff atmosphere,” she said.
“The atmosphere was amazing and I wish it was like that every night. It felt like a playoff atmosphere”- Elena Delle Donne on the energy surrounding the Capitals watch party
— DH (@dhusktimes) June 7, 2018
Please read our comment policy before commenting.