Metro News Release
For immediate release: September 27, 2012
LivingSocial and Metro keep the trains running for baseball fans in DC throughout postseason
Company will underwrite late-night Metrorail service to get fans home quickly and safely after 2012 postseason games
LivingSocial, the local marketplace to buy and share the best things to do in your city, and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) today announced that they had signed an agreement to offer late-night Metrorail service for evening 2012 baseball postseason games in Washington, DC. Metro General Manager and CEO Richard Sarles joined LivingSocial CEO Tim O’Shaughnessy at a press conference at Navy Yard-Ballpark Station to announce the agreement.
“LivingSocial is in the business of creating great local experiences, and we want to be sure DC fans can enjoy the city’s first baseball playoffs in 79 years without worrying about how they will get home,” said O’Shaughnessy. “DC is our hometown, and we love this city. This is just a small way to say thanks to our local customers, merchants, and employees for making Washington such a great place for us to live, work, and grow.”
“We have a service agreement in place with LivingSocial to provide an additional hour of service for fans to get home following Nationals games during the entire postseason,” Sarles said. “We are delighted to be able to provide this service for Metro-riding baseball fans, thanks to LivingSocial, and we wish the Nationals the best of luck in the postseason.”
“This is a win-win for all parties involved and we appreciate everyone’s willingness to come together to prepare for such an exciting time in the city’s history,” said Gregory McCarthy, Vice President of Government & Municipal Affairs for the Nationals. “October baseball is back in the nation’s capital and we look forward to the positive impact this event will have on Washingtonians across the region.”
Under the terms of the agreement, which is standard for Metro late closings, LivingSocial will underwrite at least one hour and up to two hours of extended Metrorail service for all rides originating from Navy Yard-Ballpark station after home evening post-season games in October and November. (Extended hours only apply for Sunday through Thursday night games, as Metrorail already provides service until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.)
LivingSocial will underwrite the cost of the late-night service and will receive reimbursement for a portion or all of those costs based on ridership during the extra hour(s). Specific details regarding extended service will be available on Metro’s website, wmata.com, prior to each game.
About LivingSocial
LivingSocial is the local marketplace to buy and share the best things to do in your city. With unique and diverse offerings each day, we inspire members to discover everything from weekend excursions to one-of-a kind events and experiences to exclusive gourmet dinners to family aquarium outings and more. We help local businesses grow by introducing them to high-quality new customers and give merchants the tools to make our members their regulars. Based in Washington, D.C., LivingSocial now has more than 70 million members around the world.
News release issued at 5:05 pm, September 27, 2012.