Tim Kurkjian is a well-known baseball insider for ESPN. But long before he was covering baseball for a living, the D.C. area native was a fan of baseball in this city.
He graduated from Walter Johnson High in Bethesda in 1974 and the University of Maryland in 1978.
Today, when the Nationals take the field for their home opener against the New York Mets, there is a good chance Kurkjian will be in RFK’s press box.
It is a stadium Kurkjian went to as a kid to see Senators games and he has strong feelings about what is going on with the Nationals. We spoke about the 2006 season and what the future holds for his home team in its second season.
Jim Williams: What are your impressions of the Nationals as someone in the business of baseball?
Tim Kurkjian: Well, first of all I will tell you that it is a miracle that this team has been so successful on the field and at the gate. Don’t get me wrong, this is a great baseball area. But with a terrible TV deal, little marketing, no owner and all the fighting between the city and Major League Baseball, that they could contend and draw so well simply is a testament to the baseball fans of this area.
JW: What about the future?
TK: The Nationals will be one of the premier franchises in all of baseball. MLB absolutely must get an ownership group in here as soon as possible. That will allow the new group to spend money on marketing and get players to improve the team. The new ballpark on the Southeast Waterfront will be a great place to go and this team has a wonderful future.
They must resolve the TV issue as soon as possible so that fans can see the games. I had to get DirecTV at my home in Maryland to see the Nats.
Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer.
