Guest Conduct Policy

The Washington Nationals and Major League Baseball are committed to creating a safe, comfortable and enjoyable sports and entertainment experience. Please review the Guest Conduct Policy below and enjoy your visit to Nationals Park.

The following guidelines have been established for guest behavior:

• Be a team player – restrict movement in the aisles and other seating areas to breaks in the action.
• Standing or sitting in the portals, tunnels and stairs, as well as sitting or climbing on the railings, is prohibited.
• ADA seating platforms are for guests with tickets for those areas only.
• Tops, bottoms and footwear are required for admission and must be worn at all times.

Within all ticketed areas, our staff will proactively support a family-friendly environment, free from the following behaviors:

• Disruptive behavior, including foul or abusive language, obscene gestures, or use of Derogatory Language (see below)
• Interference with other guests' ability to experience the event
• Any disruption to the progress of the event by guests' actions, including interference with a ball in play
• Irresponsible or underage consumption of alcoholic beverages or the facilitation of underage drinking
• Intoxication, diminished capacity or other signs of impairment related to substance abuse
• Fighting, horseplay, excessive taunting or threatening remarks or gestures
• Throwing objects
• Attempts to enter the field or to cause objects to enter the field
• Sitting in a location other than the guest's ticketed seat or failure to produce a ticket on request
• Accessing areas without a proper ticket, pass and/or credential or misusing tickets, passes and/or credentials
• Displays of affection not appropriate to a public, family setting in the District of Columbia
• Obscene or indecent clothing or clothing that denotes or connotes obscene or indecent messages
• Violation of the Smoking & Tobacco Policy (see below)
• Non-compliance with requests from ballpark staff or the police regarding ballpark operations or emergency response procedures
• Trespassing, soliciting, peddling and loitering
• Use of wheeled footwear, hoverboards, or skateboards
• Vandalizing, damaging or otherwise defacing any part of the Nationals Baseball Stadium Complex*
• Any other action deemed dangerous or inappropriate

The ballpark staff has been instructed to work in unison with guests and to intervene when necessary to help ensure that the above expectations are met. Guests are encouraged to report any inappropriate behavior to the nearest guest experience representative, security personnel or Guest Services staff member.

Behavior in violation of the Guest Conduct Policy may result in the guest being ejected without refund, barred from the Nationals Baseball Stadium Complex, arrested by police, being subject to possible prosecution and/or having his/her NATS PLUS Membership and/or Season Plan(s) revoked. All NATS PLUS Members and Season Plan Holders are responsible for their conduct as well as the conduct of their guests and/or persons using their tickets. NATS PLUS Memberships and Season Plans, as well as Individual Game Tickets, are revocable licenses. The Nationals reserve the right to revoke ticket privileges for any reason and at any time during the season. The Nationals will notify in writing the NATS PLUS Member or Season Plan Holder of record of any report of fan misconduct.

To discreetly report unruly behavior or security issues during the game, guests are encouraged to text "NATS" along with a brief description of the issue and the location to 69050.

Nationals Park is a completely non-smoking and tobacco-free facility per District of Columbia law. There is no exception for electronic cigarettes or any other type of smoking device, or for smokeless tobacco or any other type of marijuana or tobacco product.

The Nationals will not tolerate the use of "Derogatory Language" at Nationals Park. Derogatory Language means abusive and/or offensive language that is betting-related or that is concerning another person's race, color, ethnicity, sex, gender, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or national origin. Guests are encouraged to report any use of Derogatory Language, whether it is directed at players, players' family members, umpires, other baseball personnel, staff members, or other guests, to the nearest guest experience representative, security personnel or Guest Services staff member.

The Nationals will not tolerate the use of “Derogatory Language” at Nationals Park. Derogatory Language means offensive language concerning another person’s race, color, ethnicity, sex, gender, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or national origin. Guests are encouraged to report any use of Derogatory Language, whether it is directed at players, umpires, other baseball personnel, staff members, or other guests, to the nearest guest experience representative, security personnel or Guest Services staff member.

Banners & Signs

The Nationals welcome signs and banners consistent with the following policies and encourage guests to show their team pride. To ensure that signs, banners and fan activities do not distract from the enjoyment of sports games or other forms of entertainment, the Nationals require all guests to adhere to the following policy within the ticketed areas:

1. Composition
Banners and signs must be handheld and must: (a) utilize only cloth, paper or other light flexible materials, and may not be comprised of or supported by wood, metal or other hard materials that could be dangerous in a crowded public setting, (b) not be affixed to or draped over any part of the baseball park structure, whether facing inside or outside of the baseball park, and (c) be no larger than 2 feet by 4 feet.

2. Display
Banners and signs may be displayed only (a) within the ballpark's seating area, (b) in a stationary manner, (c) in a manner that does not obstruct any person's view of the playing field or interfere with player or umpire sightlines, (d) so as not to obscure baseball park signage, equipment or advertising, (e) so as not to impede the operation of the ballpark, and (f) so as not to interfere with the game or jeopardize the safety of guests. Only one sign or banner may be displayed by each guest.

3. Subject Matter
a. The Nationals Baseball Stadium Complex* is a baseball park and entertainment venue in which guests gather for purposes of enjoyment of sports games or other forms of entertainment and is not a forum or place for use by the public at large for assembly and speech, for use by certain speakers or for the discussion of certain subjects. Therefore, all messages on banners and signs shall relate solely to one or more of the following subjects, without any unrelated collateral content whatsoever: (i) the game and institution of Major League Baseball; (ii) a Major League Baseball team; (iii) the on-field activities and/or performance of a Major League Baseball player, coach or manager; (iv) the acts or omissions of the management and other non-player employees of a Major League Baseball organization, but only to the extent that such acts or omissions may relate to or affect its team's on-field activities and performance; (v) the entity broadcasting a baseball game played at the ballpark and the acts or omissions of the announcers in doing so; and (vi) guests’ birthday, engagement, wedding, anniversary, get well, welcome home, congratulations or similar family-friendly greetings.

b. Additionally, banners and signs may not bear a message that (i) is slanderous, (ii) is obscene, vulgar or indecent and inappropriate for viewing by children, (iii) contains "fighting words" likely to provoke a breach of the peace, (iv) is presented for a commercial purpose, or (v) contains derogatory matter relating to race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, age, personal appearance, familial status, familial responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, source of income, status as a victim of an intrafamily offense, place of residence or business or any other category protected by D.C. law.

4. Removal
The Nationals reserve the right to remove any display of a banner or sign that does not conform to these limitations, or require a guest to immediately stop displaying the non-conforming banner or sign.

The following commercial activities are expressly prohibited inside the Nationals Baseball Stadium Complex* and all areas under the Nationals control or its agent(s)' control that require a ticket for entry, unless authorized in writing by the Nationals:

(a) Distribution of leaflets or other printed material;
(b) Distribution of products or performing of services, whether for a consideration or free; and
(c) Taking surveys or otherwise interfering with the free movement of guests.

The following restrictions apply with regard to expressive activities and assembly. Subject to applicable law, members of the public who so desire will be permitted to parade with placards and signs, distribute literature or engage strangers who wish to be so engaged, provided that such activities occur outside all ticketed areas of the Nationals Baseball Stadium Complex* and subject to each of the following conditions:

• Such expressive activity is not permitted inside areas under the Nationals' or its agents' control that require a ticket for entrance.
• Expressive activity may not disrupt the free flow of automotive traffic or pedestrian traffic (including access to box offices, all areas that require a ticket for entrance and office and retail areas) or otherwise cause a public safety concern.
• Commercial activities, including but not limited to vending and the sale of goods or distribution of goods free of charge, are not permitted.