Congressional Baseball Game Ticket Sales Skyrocket after Shootings – Roll Call

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Updated 1:36 p.m. | Tickets to Thursday’s 56th annual Congressional Baseball Game were selling at a rate of 500 per hour, the morning after a gunman opened fire at the Republican team’s practice session.

More than 18,000 tickets had been sold just before noon Thursday, the game’s organizers said. They are on track to raise more than $1 million. 

Last year, the game, which pits congressional Republicans against Democrats, raised $500,000 for its charities. Before Wednesday’s shooting, the game was on track to raise $650,000, according to Congressional Sports for Charity.

[Members Thrilled That Congress Will Still Play Ball]

Proceeds from the game benefit the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, the Washington Literary Center, and the newly added Capitol Police Memorial Fund.

C-SPAN will air the hallowed bipartisan tradition, with pre-game coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. 

For members of the media asking about for credentials, the game’s press office said because of the “unprecedented media requests,” they were “trying to accommodate as many reporters as possible.”

“There will be a designated seating area for print media. There is no access to the press box, but wireless internet is available at the stadium,” the press office said in an email after midnight Thursday.

This is the first year attendees can pre-order reserved seats to the game for $15, as oppose to the $10 general admission seating, a change made earlier this year.

The pre-game concert sponsored by Anheuser-Busch is on the Budweiser Terrace at Nationals Park from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The first pitch is at 7:05 p.m. and gates open at 5:30 p.m.

Correction 12:42 p.m. | An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the rate by which charitable contributions had increased.