Citi Field

[jfvmets]

I have a pair for afternooon game tomorow mets cardinals in section 104 row 27 (which is row 4 according to mets.com seating chart) discount price.
send a PM if interested or email.

[Gary Dunaier]

Here's a photo of the view from Section 104, row 27, seat 14...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3635/3399991127_935e0dd5da_b.jpg
(Photo taken March 29, 2009. © Gary Dunaier. Link to upload on Flickr.com: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary_dunaier/3399991127/).)

[jfvmets]

Here's a photo of the view from Section 104, row 27, seat 14...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3635/3399991127_935e0dd5da_b.jpg
(Photo taken March 29, 2009. © Gary Dunaier. Link to upload on Flickr.com: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary_dunaier/3399991127/).)

Thanks gary for the pic.. Its an interesting view, looks like front row of the section...

[dstoffa]

ABSOLUTELY TRUE!!!

BTW I am thrilled I got 514/14 for the balance of the Weekend plan. Even though I think a playoff spot is not gonna happen the seats and schedule are as good as you can get for a plan. But unless next season the plan has a Yankee or OD I don't think I will renew

Well, I read an intersting blurb in USA Today. It would seem that MLB wants to move the schedule to the left, meaning that they are planning to begin the season on a Friday, and end it on a Wednesday or Thursday.... which would make for interesting plan sahekups.

If someone, say, like myself who has a weekend plan and a friday plan were to renew, and they don't reshuffle games, then I would expect to get OD as part of either the friday plan or the weekend plan, as the weekend plan has the 3 friday games that my friday plan doesn't... This won't help weekday plan sales unless they shuffle games next off-season.

Cheers!
-Doug

[islandxtreme26]

Grabbed my Billy Joel tix in presale - got Champions Club sec. 118, row 1, just left of home plate and above the net. Sweeeetttt.

Only time I'll ever sit there for $10/ticket.

[GordonGecko]

Grabbed my Billy Joel tix in presale - got Champions Club sec. 118, row 1, just left of home plate and above the net. Sweeeetttt.

Only time I'll ever sit there for $10/ticket.

You mean $12, the Mets just can't help themselves after all. I'm passing on this one, I just can't sit for three hours to watch a musicmentary

[GordonGecko]

Mets should have a season ticket holder appreciation day where you get 50% off everything in the park with your membership card. Shake shack burgers, merchandise, everything...

[Gary Dunaier]

Grabbed my Billy Joel tix in presale - got Champions Club sec. 118, row 1, just left of home plate and above the net. Sweeeetttt.

I called and tried for Delta 15, row 1, seats 4 and 5 (front row, directly behind the plate) but they were gone, so I won't be going. So the fake phony fraudster Billy Joel won't be getting any of my money, I need it more than he does anyway.

Billy Joel FEH.

[peterrod16]

If anyone has tickets to Sunday August 15th vs Phillies 1PM.
the time has changed to 8PM for ESPN.
has anyone purchase the Mcfadden's VIP package?
If so how was it and where did you sit.
Thanks

[ribant]

ABSOLUTELY TRUE!!!

But as always I wonder what some consumers actually are thinking.

At the last minute I had to cancel plans to go tonight, which s*cks since Johan is hot as hell right now.

Anyway I put my rather mediocre All Star pack tickets (528/7/aisle) on SH and less than an hour later they were gone at a small profit. The thing is there are many similar or better seats available on line, meaning you can walk up to the window and skip the fees.

Don't people shop anymore?

BTW I am thrilled I got 514/14 for the balance of the Weekend plan. Even though I think a playoff spot is not gonna happen the seats and schedule are as good as you can get for a plan. But unless next season the plan has a Yankee or OD I don't think I will renew

As it turned out I able to go last night.

The line was 10-12 deep at the ticket windows, but as soon as a Mets rep let the crowd know they could pick up prepays at the kiosk the lines all melted down to 4-5.

Plenty of seats available in all sections. PR was to be had in 530 land, PRI had most sections in upper rows and obstructed views. FWIW I have sat in 509/4/3-4 and 524/4/3-4 and the plexi really wasn't a big deal. So I grabbed 518/2/1-2 and they absolutely s*cked.

The freaking railing cut right over home plate, and the plexi covering the entire batters boxes made me feel like I was watching a TV in a store window.

Soon enough we found seats in the first row sans blockage and had a pretty good time.

I really think the word is out on all levels to treat the customer right. Long story short, we couldn't get a regular burger from the food stand under 522 since for some psychotic reason the chef would only make cheeseburgers. I politely complained to the supervisor who argued with the cook for a moment, and said he would get them for us from a different stand. A few minutes later he brought us two burgers and comped them along with the fries we ate while waiting.

The comment form has been used to compliment the sup's fine service.

[StadiumPage]

Well, I read an intersting blurb in USA Today. It would seem that MLB wants to move the schedule to the left, meaning that they are planning to begin the season on a Friday, and end it on a Wednesday or Thursday.... which would make for interesting plan sahekups.

If someone, say, like myself who has a weekend plan and a friday plan were to renew, and they don't reshuffle games, then I would expect to get OD as part of either the friday plan or the weekend plan, as the weekend plan has the 3 friday games that my friday plan doesn't... This won't help weekday plan sales unless they shuffle games next off-season.

Cheers!
-Doug

That assumes they open at home. It could easily be a 3 or 9 game road trip to start the season, with the home opener on Monday.

[locke40]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seEv20Wlg4c&feature=player_embedded

[SparkyL]

Fake Last Play epic major supernova ultra big time fail!

I know... I know... "Fake (whatever) fail!" has become one of my recurring bits... but in this case I'm dead serious.

Remember, July 16 was advertised as the last play at Shea, and when the show sold out, they added a second show two days after the supposed "last play." So the people who bought the July 16 tickets under the impression they were going to the last concert at Shea were essentially [CENSORED] up the [CENSORED].

Billy Joel feh.

I was one of those people who bought what turned out to be the first show. I was so pissed. Any we didn't even get Ringo Starr!! :(

Not to mention that the top of one of the light towers (the part with the lights themselves) totally covered our view of Billy Joel. How's that for an obstruction? So I have no need to go to Citi Field and watch the concert on a screen; I already did that during the live event. FAIL FAIL FAIL!

[headshoes]

Does anyone have a the Aramark "Empire Suite" Menu (options)?

I was shocked to the call the # on mets.com for the suite.. and when I asked about food.. I was told I had to call another number.. I did.. and never received the email..

[peterrod16]

headshoes i sent you a PM about the menu

[nygpologrounder]

Well, I am finally down to my last 4 Met games for sale. 4 Seats, Metropolitan Box, Section 113 (between home and 1st), Row 24 and parking. Tickets sold at cost.
Friday, August 27 vs. Astos
Monday, September 27 vs. Brewers
Tuesday, September 28 vs. Brewers
Thursday, September 30 vs. Brewers
Send me a private e-mail if interested.

[headshoes]

I still can't believe that I can not move my pairs at face for fri, sat, and sun..

Anyone else having trouble? I know its Arizona.. but I thought at least being the 1st weekend after the break + HOF Ceremony.. I would have gotten some bite..

[locke40]

Here are three photos from my trip to Citi Field this past Wednesday. Our seats were in Section 230 of the Empire Level. The 8th inning got really loud and exciting; unfortunately, the Mets lost, but it was still a fun night. Of course, all you can eat Shake Shack helped a lot!!

http://i.imgur.com/Bcdwv.jpg

http://imgur.com/yu89J.jpg

http://imgur.com/tAKFQ.jpg

[locke40]

Some more. I LOVED the view.

http://imgur.com/znpLd.jpg

http://imgur.com/dONLR.jpg

http://imgur.com/TFceK.jpg

http://imgur.com/woJhs.jpg

[D-Dubs]

Take the Field with the Mets

Regarding the posts from a couple weeks ago... My son and I got to take the field with the Mets on 7/10... video here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLo8tK3jcIs)... It was VERY cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLo8tK3jcIs

[stlfan]

Nice pics Locke. Wish my Cards would have fared better. One thing I noticed in your pics that I liked is the mini scoreboard with batter photo in the right field corner for those out in left center who cannot see the main board.

[Strawman]

I still can't believe that I can not move my pairs at face for fri, sat, and sun..

Anyone else having trouble? I know its Arizona.. but I thought at least being the 1st weekend after the break + HOF Ceremony.. I would have gotten some bite..

"Arizona" is kind of toxic right now with many people...maybe that's brought a lower demand.

[robardin]

I still can't believe that I can not move my pairs at face for fri, sat, and sun..

Anyone else having trouble? I know its Arizona.. but I thought at least being the 1st weekend after the break + HOF Ceremony.. I would have gotten some bite..

The problem is, they've spent July making the May/June surge into contendership look like a mirage. They went into the break dropping both of their last two series at home against measuring-stick contenders (Reds and Braves), and then came out of the break by going 2-8 on the West Coast, getting shut out four times and scoring only 2 runs three other times and getting swept by the D-Backs. Even in those two wins, one of them should have been a blown save by K-Rod but for a blown call at the plate in the 9th inning. Meanwhile, Pelfrey went from looking like an All-Star through his first 15 or so starts to looking lost in his last 8 starts, and instead of bringing in the much needed front-line starter in Cliff Lee or Roy Oswalt, we get to see them go to Texas and... urk... Philly. Oh, and now we get to see Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo back in the majors where few really wanted to see either one ever again.

The thing is, the Mets really WERE (and for the really optimistic, still are) close to being a contender. By doing nothing but watch players regress, and weak players resume major league slots at 2B and in the bullpen, while the Phillies swing a deal for Oswalt for Happ after several stints on the DL this year... Ouch.

[chedda man]

I still can't believe that I can not move my pairs at face for fri, sat, and sun..

Anyone else having trouble? I know its Arizona.. but I thought at least being the 1st weekend after the break + HOF Ceremony.. I would have gotten some bite..

where are your seats located?

[GordonGecko]

I still can't believe that I can not move my pairs at face for fri, sat, and sun..

Anyone else having trouble? I know its Arizona.. but I thought at least being the 1st weekend after the break + HOF Ceremony.. I would have gotten some bite..

maybe you're asking too much, you should sell at face or 5 bucks under

[chedda man]

Anyone have any decent tickets for tonight? Lookin for field seats, or caesar club.

[ribant]

Nevermind..

[locke40]

Nice pics Locke. Wish my Cards would have fared better. One thing I noticed in your pics that I liked is the mini scoreboard with batter photo in the right field corner for those out in left center who cannot see the main board.

Thanks. The Cardinals actually won the game I was at in the 13th, but we were gone by then. Yeah, from what I can remember, it usually shows exactly what is on the main board in centerfield, rather than what is being shown on the auxiliary board in rightcenter. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

[stlfan]

That was the game the Cards rocked Santana for 6 in the first then managed to blow the rest of the game but finally won it in the 13th. Sucks only coming away with only 1 win in the series. They've been so Jeckyl & Hyde this season. They open the second half winning 7 in a row against the Dodgers and Phillies, then crap it up the next week.

[LI METS FAN]

Take the Field with the Mets

Regarding the posts from a couple weeks ago... My son and I got to take the field with the Mets on 7/10... video here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLo8tK3jcIs)... It was VERY cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLo8tK3jcIs

terrific, my friend has taken the field as well and she loved every minute of the experience.

[JustinBerl]

Anyone interested in two tickets for Ike Bobblehead Night in Brooklyn on Monday? I'm going out of town and won't be back in time for the game. Asking Face for the Tickets ($16), They are in Field Box 11, Row I, Seats 8 and 9.

[dstoffa]

That assumes they open at home. It could easily be a 3 or 9 game road trip to start the season, with the home opener on Monday.

I can't recall a time when a team was forced to play their first nine on the road. I can see a three-game road trip to open a season, but not a nine-game one. It will be interesting to see what the Mets will do if indeed the home opener falls on a Friday.

Cheers!
-Doug

[StadiumPage]

I can't recall a time when a team was forced to play their first nine on the road. I can see a three-game road trip to open a season, but not a nine-game one. It will be interesting to see what the Mets will do if indeed the home opener falls on a Friday.

Cheers!
-Doug

Yep, I don't remember the Mets ever having that but it happens occasionally. (Yankees 2009). Of course, they haven't opened MLB on a Friday since the 1910's...

[GordonGecko]

Starting on the road is no big deal to me, the longer the delay means the more cold days you can put behind you

[dstoffa]

Yep, I don't remember the Mets ever having that but it happens occasionally. (Yankees 2009). Of course, they haven't opened MLB on a Friday since the 1910's...

Well, I was at Opening Night when the Mets opened at home in 1995 after the strike. They played the Cards, and IIRC, it was the only time the Mets opened at home on a Friday Night at Shea.. Granted, this OD wasn't scheduled to be OD, but it did happen.

Cheers!
-Doug

[tomkaz]

i didn't know doc was retiring as a met on saturday.


He will sign a one-day contract with the Mets Saturday at a Mets Hall of Fame charity luncheon (tax-deductible tickets are available by phone at (718) 803–4074 and online at Mets.com/HallofFame) that will allow him to retire a Met – something he said he always wanted.


http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/amazinstories/

Dwight Gooden is keeping busy, a phone in his ear as he sits at a table signing autographs for little leaguers. It’s in a hotel on this day, just days after he was signing autographs in Cooperstown.

Keeping busy keeps the mind off of other things. There are the obvious things, the stories that still litter the police blotter section of the newspapers nearly as often as he used to fill up the sports pages. But there are the other things that gnaw at him, things that you can’t help but think about. In Cooperstown he saw players – peers – honored and not one had more raw talent than Gooden. But he’s not honored there and likely never will be.

For Gooden, Sunday’s induction into the Mets Hall of Fame is as good as it will get and it is a long time coming. But he is well aware that he made the path much longer himself. Even as his troubles have surfaced – although he insists that the stories now have another side – the Franklin Lakes arrest in March when he was charged with driving under the influence of drugs and child endangerment or the recent claims by his wife that he had cut her out financially – and people close to him say it is not what it appears.

“A lot of stuff off the field I’ve been involved in - it’s my fault,” Gooden said. “But I have a good heart. Fans know I’m a good person. That makes me feel good. Stuff that comes out recently, false allegations with my wife, people look at the past and think, ‘Oh yeah, sure,’ but I haven’t been found guilty of anything. Now I want to be happy, see my kids grow up. The person they talk about now, that’s not me. They know my heart.”

There is always someone to speak up for Gooden, those who know him insisting that a good heart beats beneath all of the sordid stories. And if Cooperstown will never open its doors to him, the Mets have. Burned in the past they could have moved away, but the organization stood by him and still remain steadfast that he is welcome to the Hall of Fame and welcome forever.

He will sign a one-day contract with the Mets Saturday at a Mets Hall of Fame charity luncheon (tax-deductible tickets are available by phone at (718) 803–4074 and online at Mets.com/HallofFame) that will allow him to retire a Met – something he said he always wanted.

The drug problems that detoured his career ended his time with the Mets after 11 seasons. Suspended during the 1994 season and for all of the 1995 season, Gooden wanted to return, but he said that there was no coming home at the time.

“When I came back in 1996 I wanted to sign with the Mets, but they didn’t think it was appropriate,” Gooden said. “Every time I signed with another team I tried.”

But Gooden knows it’s his fault. The cocaine and alcohol troubles broke hearts in the Mets organization where he had grown up. But once he was done playing the door was opened by the Mets and Gooden resisted. He said other than coming to play with another team, he never stepped foot in Shea Stadium after 1994 until the last day of the stadium.

“I was upset with myself, everything that took place,” Gooden said. “I didn’t know how I’d be accepted. I felt I let fans down, the organization down. I hadn’t been back since ’94. It just never worked out. At Shea Goodbye, I was iffy whether I could go. Now I see what I’ve been missing all the time. I wish I spent more time there.”

The door was opened again when Mets C.O.O. Jeff Wilpon called him and told him he was going to be inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame, the induction to take place Sunday afternoon at Citi Field, going in with Daryl Strawberry, Davey Johnson and Frank Cashen. Maybe once he wouldn’t have felt ready to be a part of that, but now he is cherishing the opportunity.

“Even with the numbers I had, it still doesn’t seem real,” Gooden said. “It’s definitely a closing to my career. Obviously, the stuff off the field shortened my career, but this gives me a lot of closure, makes you feel you did do enough.

“The biggest thing is I get to share it with the fans that meant so much to me. Coming back for Shea Goodbye, the ovation was overwhelming. I get teary-eyed thinking about it. Sunday will be my way of saying thank you to the fans, my family. Even though I’m the one going in, a piece of them is going in with me.”

[headshoes]

My seats are 518 row 5.. Sunday is gone.. I was asking face on all 3 days

[GordonGecko]

My seats are 518 row 5.. Sunday is gone.. I was asking face on all 3 days

So I guess you're going to a couple games this weekend :)

[WASLOGE8]

I little off track, but here is what happened to the vomiting Philly fan (not to be confused with the running on the field and getting tasered Philly fan).....like they say, America's best fans!!!

PHILADELPHIA -- A 21-year-old man who intentionally vomited on a spectator and his 11-year-old daughter at a Philadelphia Phillies game was sentenced Friday to up to three months in jail and community service, which the judge suggested be fulfilled by cleaning ballpark toilets and trash.



Clemmens

Matthew Clemmens, of Cherry Hill, N.J., was taken into custody immediately after Family Court Judge Kevin Dougherty imposed the sentence, and several family members burst into sobs as he was handcuffed.

The spectator Clemmens vomited on and punched, Michael Vangelo, of Easton, said his daughter Mikayla is still traumatized.

"What really bothers me about the incident is that Mikayla refuses to talk about it," he testified.

The family has received offers from the team and complete strangers for tickets to future games, but "she does not want to go," said Vangelo, an Easton police captain. He said he also has not returned to Citizens Bank Park since the assault.

Clemmens pleaded guilty in May to charges of assault, harassment and disorderly conduct. He admitted he stuck his fingers down his throat and vomited on Vangelo and Mikayla at a Phillies-Nationals game on April 14.

Clemmens was sentenced to one to three months in jail, two years of probation and 50 hours of community service, which Dougherty suggested be served at Citizens Bank Park. The maximum penalty was two years in jail. Public defender Richard Hark asked for probation.

Clemmens sobbed as he read from a statement expressing remorse for his actions.

"I'm working every day to clear this black mark from me and my family," Clemmens said. "Give me the opportunity to show you who I am and not who I was that one afternoon."

His parents, acquaintances and grandfather -- who took a 27-hour train ride from Florida to attend the sentencing -- testified that he was a good person who volunteers in his community and made one uncharacteristically bad mistake.

Dougherty said he believed the defendant's apology was "feigned."

"Superficially you present yourself one way, but outside of the home you present yourself another way," Dougherty said, calling Clemmens a "mean-spirited and vulgar" young man who humiliated his family and tarnished the city's reputation.

Clemmens and his friend were cursing and heckling the Vangelo family from the first inning. Vangelo's 15-year-old daughter asked them to stop the profanity around her younger sister, prompting more heckling and cursing. The family was doused with beer when they rose to cheer a Phillies home run, and Vangelo eventually complained to security that Clemmens' friend was spitting, which hit his younger daughter's jacket and seat.

After the friend was ejected, Clemmens was sitting alone when he answered his cell phone and said: "I need to do what I need to do. I'm going to get sick," prosecutors said.

He then put his fingers down his throat and "projectile vomited," Vangelo said. He also punched Vangelo several times, causing his ear to bleed, before being tackled by other spectators and arrested.

Salvatore DeAngelis, manager of Phillies ballpark security, testified the team received thousands of calls, e-mails and letters from people asking "how something like this could happen."

"Initially there was some concern that it was an unsafe place to attend a game," he said.

Dougherty also ordered Clemmens to pay Vangelo $315, the cost of the five tickets for him and his family to attend the game. Vangelo said he intended to donate the money to the Easton Police Athletic League.

Neither Clemmens' family nor Vangelo would comment after the hearing. His daughters were not in court. District Attorney Patrick Doyle said the victims were satisfied with the sentence.

[Mister B.]

I little off track, but here is what happened to the vomiting Philly fan (not to be confused with the running on the field and getting tasered Philly fan).....like they say, America's best fans!!!



It's gratifying that this was actually taken seriously and adjudicated accordingly.

Forgive my cynicism, but I have to wonder - if the victim's father hadn't been a police captain, would it have played out the same way?

[GordonGecko]

It's gratifying that this was actually taken seriously and adjudicated accordingly.

Forgive my cynicism, but I have to wonder - if the victim's father hadn't been a police captain, would it have played out the same way?
I dunno man, I think he got off easy

[headshoes]

Just checking mets.com for the market on Sunday..
I was able to pull up 2 tickets in Prom INF 515 row 5...
I would have to think they are the full season seats, blocked until the home stand is near...

[Gary Dunaier]

Let's begin at the beginning, with the very first pitch of the game (Jon Niese to Felipe Lopez) from a most unusual vantage point, that being a flat-screen TV in the Mets Hall of Fame...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4838927507_073dd64179_b.jpg


Here's the Right Field Gate at the end of the first inning...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/4838930367_57f47025fb_b.jpg


A rare opportunity to meet the great Mr. Met without having to wait on line... just walk right up and say hello...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/4839543364_b599a338b2_b.jpg


Finally, Mr. Met leaves the meet 'n greet area, blissfully unaware of the harsh reality faced by those who leave Citi Field to enter McFadden's...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/4838932247_3991ba150e_b.jpg


Some actual game action for you: as Ike Davis waits to high-five him, Jeff Francoeur touches home after hitting a 3-run home run in the bottom of the 4th inning (photo taken on the Excelsior level next to section 306, just above the upper right corner of the auxiliary video board in right field)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/4839635214_d44eb44680_b.jpg


For the first time this season, I went up to the "Pepsi Porch" and got some views from up there. Here's the view from behind Pepsi Porch 305, row 14, between seats 8 and 9 as Albert Pujols bats in the top of the 5th inning...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/4839618694_2c00e8b33e_b.jpg


Game action as seen from the "Pepsi Porch": Luis Castillo scores the Mets' 5th run of the game on David Wright's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 5th inning (photo taken behind Pepsi Porch 304, row 14, seat 8)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/4839550534_8e5bf2c660_b.jpg


Here's the "Bridge Terrace" seating as seen from the "Pepsi Porch" (photo taken from the aisle next to Pepsi Porch 301, row 11, if you want to get technical about it)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4838949065_0b85df824a_b.jpg


More to come...

[Gary Dunaier]

For all you Obstructed View fans, here's an obstructed view from Promenade Reserved Infield 517, row 2, seat 2... at one point while I was sitting in this seat, the woman in the row ahead of me leaned forward and I couldn't see the pitcher...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4839563846_c640e82149_b.jpg


Mike Hessman's at-bat graphic on the Citi Vision screen just before making his Mets debut...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4838952165_f12c1c2f37_b.jpg


Put it in the books! Having just struck out to make the final out of the game, a dejected Albert Pujols leaves the plate as the Mets get ready to celebrate a rare victory (photo taken from Promenade Reserved Infield 518, row 1, seat 6)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/4839566596_d70a1191a9_b.jpg


Here's a nice view of the Left Field concourse as seen from the ramp leading down to the Left Field Gate...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/4838960465_7bedb415d6_b.jpg


Why does everyone love Mr. Met? He knows where the women are...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/4839576712_0a2996ab0b_b.jpg


Finally, a last look at the Mets Hall of Fame plaques in their original configuration, five days before before they add the plaques of Cashen, Gooden, Johnson and Strawberry... I was surprised to see that they haven't done any prep work to the area where (I presume) the new plaques will be installed... no vertical bars or anything like that... I'll find out for sure Sunday...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4838965361_80dbaf058b_b.jpg


My entire photoset from Tuesday can be found here (http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4838965361_80dbaf058b_b.jpg).

[mandrake]

Hey Gary, great pictures as usual. Your angles can sometimes give us new pictures, even after 1 1/2 seasons.
Besides the obvious obstructed seats in the Prom (and why I have never sat up there since the Red Sox exhibition).....I just can't see how people pay so much money to sit in a contrived area like the pepsi porch. That front row shot from the porch (with the railing ) is $72 for a gold game and $60 for a silver. The Cards were silver and Arizona is gold......who picked those colors ? (St Louis is always a good ticket as they are a traditional rival).

[mandrake]

Maybe prices will not be coming down in 2011 as the Wilpons face more money issues:

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE66T56U20100730?type=domesticNews

New York Mets principal owner Fred Wilpon was sued on Friday over alleged losses suffered by retirement plan participants at his firm Sterling Equities.

[dstoffa]

Maybe prices will not be coming down in 2011 as the Wilpons face more money issues:

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE66T56U20100730?type=domesticNews

New York Mets principal owner Fred Wilpon was sued on Friday over alleged losses suffered by retirement plan participants at his firm Sterling Equities.

When I read this, I immediately thought of "Punitive Damages" by the Jerky Boys. Sue you. Sue everybody.

Yes, Madoff was a crook. However, I would think that those responsible for investing the 401(k) monies were acting in good faith and in the best interests of the participants. I don't think the plantiffs have a leg to stand on. A 401(k) plan is not a defined benefit plan.

Cheers!
-Doug

[dstoffa]

Finally, a last look at the Mets Hall of Fame plaques in their original configuration, five days before before they add the plaques of Cashen, Gooden, Johnson and Strawberry... I was surprised to see that they haven't done any prep work to the area where (I presume) the new plaques will be installed... no vertical bars or anything like that... I'll find out for sure Sunday...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4838965361_80dbaf058b_b.jpg


My guess is that the plaques will be loose and on the field during the ceremony. They'll be installed during the road trip.

Cheers!
Doug

[GordonGecko]

Just checking mets.com for the market on Sunday..
I was able to pull up 2 tickets in Prom INF 515 row 5...
I would have to think they are the full season seats, blocked until the home stand is near...
It's probably obstructed by a giant railing in your face that's bolted between your legs.

[headshoes]

.... ...........

[jfvmets]

It's probably obstructed by a giant railing in your face that's bolted between your legs.

yes i believe these are obstructed by the pole... thats what the ticket office told me before.. but the mets do have a much better location reserved but not for season holders.. they have a pair of front row seats and more 2nd row seats on the setiocn 513-515 but not for sale for season holders.. Don't know why... only sold as the game day is close.

[peterrod16]

My guess is that the plaques will be loose and on the field during the ceremony. They'll be installed during the road trip.

Cheers!
Doug

well look what i found tonight before leaving citi field.
the plaques are covered for now and well be shown after the game tomorrow.
I got some great photos tonight.
Thank stubub section 124 row 4 seat 9 $80 bucks plus fees
i will post a link tomorrow with all my photos here is a preview of some.

[Gary Dunaier]

well look what i found tonight before leaving citi field.
the plaques are covered for now and well be shown after the game tomorrow.

http://www.baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=88519&stc=1&d=1280633623



Cool shot. Guess it didn't take too long for them to install the new posts and plaques. Presume the security guy is there to make sure nobody tries to peek or "cop a feel" (as it were) prior to unveiling. Wonder if the plaques will be covered before the game tomorrow. It would be dramatic if, during the ceremony, they had a live shot on the Citi Vision of the plaques officially being unveiled... wonder just how big the post-game crowds to see the plaques will be...

[peterrod16]

here are my photos from last night
descriptions will be added later tonight or tomorrow
http://www.flickr.com/photos/79998930@N00/sets/72157624629074374/
enjoy

[headshoes]

Well.. is 2010 season over? I think so... Who is NOT renewing for 2011??

[peterrod16]

Well.. is 2010 season over? I think so... Who is NOT renewing for 2011??

the question should be do you expect better seats and lower prices in 2011?
im going to renew my weekday plan next year

[headshoes]

I just wish for a price over haul.. and flat rate across the board.. yankees or pirates.. same price
The Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies are all flat.. Why not us?

I have to think the Caesars Club prices will take the biggest prices drops.. (There is NEVER anyone there)

The Ticket Sales Department Motto should be: How do we get the most fannies in the building every game?

Some BRIGHT ideas:
1. Give all ticket holders a discount, Partial (10%), Full Season (15%)
2. All full season ticket holders get 1 of every promo item shipped to their house (The Angels do this.. I believe you get all the items before the season)
3. Have like $5 Tuesdays (PROM OF).. Remember, an empty seat spends $0
4. FREE Media Guide has been taken away.. give me a coupon(s) for some free programs
5. FST's get an autograph ball by player... (Really. how much would this cost)
6. 1x per year.. get a "free upgrade" of seats.. Could work as a sales pitch to get better location for following year
7. The MVP Reception was a nice idea.. ALL FST should get in..
8. Be allowed to trade in tickets for mon-thurs (non OD, Yankees games)
9. Fire Omar, Jerry, .. clean house... new faces, voices



Back to this year.. I think we will gradually see ticket prices slide RAPIDLY .. especially by next week.. You may a philly contigency for those games.. but September will be a ghost town in citi...

[headshoes]

On a side note.. Did you anyone see this special at Mcfadden's? I spoke with "Stephanie" today.. they are all 100 and 300 level seats.. They give you the tickets DAY OF GAME, when you come in for HAPPY HOUR... Not a bad gig.. Get a nice buzz on before you see a horror show...

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x69/headshoes/PastedGraphic-4-2.png
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x69/headshoes/PastedGraphic-2-6.png

[alpineinc]

Don't know if this has been here before, but cool bumper on WNET-13 these days with a nice Citi Field aerial; screen grab here but it is a 2-second or so video shot.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj90/alpineinc/IMG_1668b.jpg

[Gary Dunaier]

Yeah, from what I can remember, it usually shows exactly what is on the main board in centerfield, rather than what is being shown on the auxiliary board in rightcenter. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

You are correct. The auxiliary board in right field shows the same image that is on the Citi Vision, with the exception of the linescore.

[mandrake]

I just wish for a price over haul.. and flat rate across the board.. yankees or pirates.. same price
The Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies are all flat.. Why not us?

I have to think the Caesars Club prices will take the biggest prices drops.. (There is NEVER anyone there)

The Ticket Sales Department Motto should be: How do we get the most fannies in the building every game?

Some BRIGHT ideas:
1. Give all ticket holders a discount, Partial (10%), Full Season (15%)
2. All full season ticket holders get 1 of every promo item shipped to their house (The Angels do this.. I believe you get all the items before the season)
3. Have like $5 Tuesdays (PROM OF).. Remember, an empty seat spends $0
4. FREE Media Guide has been taken away.. give me a coupon(s) for some free programs
5. FST's get an autograph ball by player... (Really. how much would this cost)
6. 1x per year.. get a "free upgrade" of seats.. Could work as a sales pitch to get better location for following year
7. The MVP Reception was a nice idea.. ALL FST should get in..
8. Be allowed to trade in tickets for mon-thurs (non OD, Yankees games)
9. Fire Omar, Jerry, .. clean house... new faces, voices



Back to this year.. I think we will gradually see ticket prices slide RAPIDLY .. especially by next week.. You may a philly contigency for those games.. but September will be a ghost town in citi...

Your suggestions make a lot of sense, so I doubt the Wilpons will take action on them.
The strange thing for me in 2010 is the Mets stubborn refusal to discount tickets like they did in 2009. The Yankees, yes the money machine in the Bronx, has discounted games all year. Through Yankees Universe alone, they discounted every game except Mets, Phils, Red Sox. Yet the pom pon squad defends the Wilpons by saying he is protecting the ST fan who paid full price. Somehow, NYY has many types of discounts and their FST's are not dropping their plans !

There has always been a small group on BF (and their group is getting smaller) who claim the Mets have to charge NYC prices. The Mets are no longer "NYC's" team and have not been for a while. The Mets play the role of the Islanders, and NYY are the Rangers..except they win. NYC has 4 teams: Yanks, Giants, Rangers, Knicks. These 4 are recession proof, and really don't have to win....their fans always show up. Look at the Jets fiasco with PSL's and compare them to the Giants. Try buying Rangers tickets and see how far your money gets you.

My wife is an OR nurse. During surgeries, doctors discuss a wide variety of topics including how expensive it is to go to Mets games compared to Phillies, Orioles, and Nationals games. These surgeons could easily afford Mets tickets at Citi, but balk at Wilpon's prices. And if people out there think it is so much cheaper to live in one of those other 3 cities, they should check out real estate prices. A friend of ours recently moved from Warwick NY (about 50 miles NW of NYC) to Spotsylvania, VA about an hour SW from DC and they were shocked by the high cost of housing there; but were pleasantly surprised by the cost of baseball both at Camden Yards and at Nats games.

The Mets will see a drop of a half million tickets sold this year compared to last season. This may be the only time in Mets history that the Mets had a better record than the previous season yet they had a drop at the gate. The Mets are dropping from 3.1 million to 2.5 million and some people on baseball fever think all is well in Wilponville. While it may never get as bad as the M Donald Grant days, I am old enough to know that the Mets drew 2.7 million at the start of the 1970's and under 800k at the end of the 1970's. Look at the huge declines at Camden Yards and the Jake in Cleveland...it was not too long ago that those places were sold out every night.

While the Mets are not discounting tickets yet...they have been giving out a lot of freebies. I had 2 freebies in section 131 for 7/28. I have 2 in section 107 for 8/11 from the Mets kid club; I also have 2 freebies in section 129 for 8/29 ..Build a bear day... for an earlier blood donation. Other fans have been getting Caesar's level. While I applaud the Mets for this, I just wonder why they can give tickets away yet they refuse to lower prices.

By the way, I purchased 2 tickets to the NYY game on 8/30. Face was $125, Yankees Universe discount dropped them to $50. Maybe the Wilpons can visit NYS and take some notes.

[islandxtreme26]

Cool shot. Guess it didn't take too long for them to install the new posts and plaques. Presume the security guy is there to make sure nobody tries to peek or "cop a feel" (as it were) prior to unveiling. Wonder if the plaques will be covered before the game tomorrow. It would be dramatic if, during the ceremony, they had a live shot on the Citi Vision of the plaques officially being unveiled... wonder just how big the post-game crowds to see the plaques will be...

Well Gary, you were right. There was a live feed on the scoreboard of the plaques being unveiled, very cool. I dont know about size of postgame crowd in HOF, but I went down to check out the new plaques after the 4th inning and it was not too crowded

[islandxtreme26]

Here are a few of my pictures from yesterday's game...
the rest are at http://picasaweb.google.com/chrisswann26/20100801MetsVsARIMetsHOFDay?authkey=Gv1sRgCLfIzbjS 1OHxZA#


The grounds crew prepares the field before the beginning of HOF Ceremony
88543


The black walls in the LF and RF corners were covered with blue signs for the Mets Hall of Fame
88542


Banner for HOF Ceremony hangs from the center field wall
88540


The grounds crew removes the banner from the center field wall after the ceremony
88541


The four new Mets Hall of Fame inductees pose for pictures at home plate after the ceremony
88544

[islandxtreme26]

A few more pics from yesterday -

The rest are at http://picasaweb.google.com/chrisswann26/20100801MetsVsARIMetsHOFDay?authkey=Gv1sRgCLfIzbjS 1OHxZA#


"Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is played on video boards during 7th inning stretch. The version used was played by Billy Joel at the "Last Play at Shea" shows...an obvious nod to the upcoming movie premiere of "Last Play at Shea" on 8/21/10
88546


Checking out the view from near the Mets Hall of Fame on-field graphic in front of the Mets' dugout
88549



The on-field parabolic microphone behind home plate is covered after each game, as per the hastily written note on it
88548



The Mets logo that now appears on TV during at-bats hangs behind homeplate in the Delta Club seating area
88545



This van, in the Official Parking Lot, is owned by Mets. It secretly doubles as not only a vehicle, but also as a Metaphor for the state of the 2010 Mets.
88547

[Mister B.]

A friend of mine's kid is starting grad school in Atlanta. 57 kids are going to tonight's Mets - Braves game. My friend's kid paid up front for all 57 tickets.

Wow, fronting the money for 57 tickets, very costly, very risky, you will agree.

Know how much the 57 tix cost? Take a guess.

Nope, too high, guess again.

Still too high.

The answer is..... $57.

First place Atlanta has one-dollar Mondays. They are renting a bus to take them to the game and back, and it's still only fifteen bucks a head.

I don't even know where to go with this.

[robardin]

First of all: I do plan on renewing, on the assumption (or rather, on the condition) that the Mets will move me closer to home in Prom Club, to sections 412-417. And/or give me a discount for buying a whole season up front again.

To increase single game ticket sales, they need to drastically re-price their seats, especially the Caesars level ones. A lot of people paying Baseline Box prices would move over to Field or Metro Box if the price jump weren't so crazy, so crazy that they're ending up giving away those tickets to day camps, blood donors and tie-ins to McFadden's to avoid embarrasing empty stretches there. Same thing for Caesars Bronze and Gold, and to a lesser degree, even Prom Club (especially PC Gold).

Then, to avoid a drop in ticket plan subscriptions, they need to do some combination of (a) opening up ALL seating levels to partial plans, (b) giving discounts to plan buyers the way most other teams do (including the Yankees), with a bigger discount for a full season plan than for a partial plan, and (c) for full season plan buyers, who are the best customers, actually giving them the best seats!

As jfvmets noted earlier, the mets do have a much better location reserved but not for season holders. As a current Prom Club STH, this infuriates me more than the overpriced Gold games. I think the seats are probably worth about $55, similar to Mezz Box at Shea, where they cost $39.30 on average in 2006 and jumped to $52.81 in 2008; but "Gold" games cost 62 versus 72. Given that this is now the "Upper Deck" that's a bit too much. $60 a ticket is something of a Rubicon and that's a big reason the last 2-3 sections of Prom Club on either side are typically pretty empty... But if that's the case, why are my season tickets in section 420, when 3 out of 4 times I can get much closer to home plate in Prom Club buying single game tickets ON GAME DAY?

Whether or not they sell out otherwise good sections like Prom Club may depend on their pricing scheme, but reserving better seats for single game buyers over full season buyers is not a price-point decision but a "gerrymander your best customers into disappointment" decision that seems difficult to defend.

By the way, I am well aware of the effect of selective memory, where people tend to magnify and dwell on things that upset them disproportionately to how often or how severely they actually occur. So I have been keeping a detailed log of price checks on Mets.com and StubHub for Promenade Club seats for EVERY HOME GAME this year. I have actual hard data showing that (a) I can indeed get "better seats for cheaper prices" (meaning, without buying 81 games up front) than my full season's subscription from the Mets themselves about 75% of the time (not even counting those times I can get better seats for equivalent or cheaper prices on StubHub), and that (b) without a discount, and without selling these seats out, and without any strong, convincing prospect for playoff games, there is no price savings versus market price either over a whole season except for Opening Day, the Yankees series and maybe 2 or 3 other games so far this year. They will have to fix one (and preferably both) issues to get me to come back.

Finally, if they restored sanity to the Caesars and Field level seats, like by cutting face value prices by up to 33% AND giving full season plan buyers a 10+% discount on face, I would actually upgrade my seats to Caesars Gold or Champions Club. Because Gold help me, I still love this team, I still like the ballpark and I still have too much willingness to fork over disposable income in their name, all to call myself a season ticket holder with the sweet Springtime dream of a deep post-season run... I just hate the prices and the lack of transparency in location decisions.

[Gary Dunaier]

I dont know about size of postgame crowd in HOF, but I went down to check out the new plaques after the 4th inning and it was not too crowded

I was down there around the same time, 4th or 5th inning (while I was there Gooden was being interviewed on SNY) and I can verify that it wasn't too crowded.


Banner for HOF Ceremony hangs from the center field wall

That banner was so much nicer than those freestanding photos they had during the "Shea Goodbye" ceremony, which added nothing to the festivities. When seen on the Citi Vision, the portraits of Strawberry and Gooden almost looked like "floating" images like they show on the news while the anchor is speaking.


"Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is played on video boards during 7th inning stretch. The version used was played by Billy Joel at the "Last Play at Shea" shows...an obvious nod to the upcoming movie premiere of "Last Play at Shea" on 8/21/10

Billy Joel FEH! Fake Last Play ultra mega super total extreme supernova fail big time!!!!!


Checking out the view from near the Mets Hall of Fame on-field graphic in front of the Mets' dugout

I got a similar view, but I was in the stands, just at the top of the steps leading to the photographers' pen. I had to wait a long time to get a shot without parents walking by, in front of me!

[tfc3rid]

Here in ATL, Braves have season tickets avaialble for $200 for the entire season...

I just ended up getting a half season plan for the Atlanta Falcons for $195 a seat for 5 NFL games...

[GordonGecko]

Amazing, and think that they probably turn a nice profit anyways. Makes you wonder how much the Mets & Yankees rake in behind the scenes at their exorbitant prices

[mandrake]

Here in ATL, Braves have season tickets avaialble for $200 for the entire season...

I just ended up getting a half season plan for the Atlanta Falcons for $195 a seat for 5 NFL games...

Wow, that is the price of a single game ticket that the Jets tried 3 different times to sell to me ! A special reduced Touchdown club corner ticket, with a reduced PSL of only $5K per ticket. Geez, what a bargain! I don't know how I passed it up.

I am going to California in 3 weeks and I am looking at Angels and Padres tickets. The two games I am looking at , Angels vs Tampa, tickets on stubhub start at 95 cents, and the Padres vs Arizona start at $6.

For a C-note, I could pick up the best seats in the house at either place on stubhub....and we are 3 weeks away from the game.

I know, California is a different market than Flushing is.....:disbelief:

[locke40]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zu_3Fk9F-4&feature=player_embedded

[LI METS FAN]

Here in ATL, Braves have season tickets avaialble for $200 for the entire season...

I just ended up getting a half season plan for the Atlanta Falcons for $195 a seat for 5 NFL games...

Are the Braves $200 season tickets available only for a couple of minutes on-line at the beginning of the season and then immediately get sold out? Or can you pick up $200 Braves season tickets at your leisure? If at your leisure, is it the local economy or fan apathy?

[Gary Dunaier]

Shea Bridge is located in Citi Field Stadium and is easily adjacent to BULL PEN GATE and BRIDGE TERRACE SEATING. Also if you take the word BRIDGE and the first letter from TERRACE and you eliminate the space between BRIDGE and TERRACE you have BRIDGET which is the name of a Girl. This is a fascinating fact if you are dating a Girl, or if you are Married to a Girl, whose name is Bridget.

[mandrake]

This is not a bad promotion:
SUMMER HIT & FUN PACK $99* PACKAGE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:
* 4 Tickets to any 2010 Padres regular season home game valued at $21 and under.
* SeaWorld Fun Card valid until Dec. 31, 2010. Enjoy a year full of fun and relive your favorite shows, attractions and seasonal events.

And neither is this...
Buy Padres FST for 2011 for $729. The tickets cost $9 for FST ; in 2010 they cost $14 for single game, and if you buy FST's for 2011 NOW....you get the rest of 2010 free !!!!!

(field reserved get a FST discount from $34 down to $22 !!!)

Do you think anybody in the Mets organization looks at what other teams are doing, including a first place club in California?

[islandxtreme26]

I got a similar view, but I was in the stands, just at the top of the steps leading to the photographers' pen. I had to wait a long time to get a shot without parents walking by, in front of me!

Photographic proof of the mythical Gary Duanier...he does exist !!

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5055/img5423tf.jpg (http://img205.imageshack.us/i/img5423tf.jpg/)

[tfc3rid]

Fan apathy... And those seats are always avaialble... Braves put major discounts on season tickets... Seating area is equivalent of the 501-503 sections at Citi.

You can pick up seats now prorated... Actually Full Season Tickets in the Upper Level are still avaialble Buy 1 Get 1 Free... You can get a seat in Row 11 behind home plate for $200 for the rest of the season...

The 2010 PRices for all 83 games... Now obviously deeply discounted for prorated tix...

FULL SEASON PLAN PRICING (PRORATED For 69 Games)
Seating Level Full Season Price Savings Over Single Game
Henry Aaron Seats $4,278 $916
Dugout $3,726 $778
Golden Moon Casino* $2,622 $502
Field $2,346 $364
Terrace $2,070 $502
Golden Moon Casino Pavilion** $966 $1,054
Field Reserved** $966 $1,054
Terrace Reserved** $828 $778
Outfield $966 $778
Upper Box $690 $226
Upper Box*** $414 $502
Upper Pavilion $207 $251

[tfc3rid]

Interesting thought here... Seeing the 'Hall of Fame' blue tarp on the RF and LF line... Now that blue on the black wall there doesn't look half bad, does it??

[Mister B.]

This is not a bad promotion:
SUMMER HIT & FUN PACK $99* PACKAGE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:
* 4 Tickets to any 2010 Padres regular season home game valued at $21 and under.
* SeaWorld Fun Card valid until Dec. 31, 2010. Enjoy a year full of fun and relive your favorite shows, attractions and seasonal events.

And neither is this...
Buy Padres FST for 2011 for $729. The tickets cost $9 for FST ; in 2010 they cost $14 for single game, and if you buy FST's for 2011 NOW....you get the rest of 2010 free !!!!!

(field reserved get a FST discount from $34 down to $22 !!!)

Do you think anybody in the Mets organization looks at what other teams are doing, including a first place club in California?

I think they painted themselves into a corner. They "almost" made the playoffs three straight years, 2006-7-8.
They cut capacity by 13,000, cranked up the prices (but not as high as the Yankees), and ratcheted up the scare tactics (buy FST or be locked out of CitiField forever.) Hello, 42,000 FST plus a waiting list.

Oops.

Injuries. Underperforming players. Bad economy. Madoff. Plenty of good seats available.

Sure they look at what other teams are doing, but will they really eat crow, start over, and radically cut prices and run big promotions to fill the park? I don't see it. They'll probably keep tweaking the prices and the club access and the promotions and the perks, but that's it. The basic structure isn't going anywhere, IMHO.

[mandrake]

One more team before I put the subject to rest. Look at St Louis, maybe the most successful team in the National League. Not only the prices (before anyone talks about the so called NY factor)....please just look at the discount for full season ticket holders ! Up to 43% !! The Mets give FST's ZILCH.


This is a little jumbled, but one should be able to figure it out....

Seat Location Ticket Price Total Season Price Savings Off Gate Price
Champions Club* $117 $9,477 over 20%
Bank of America Club* $92 $7,452 over 24%
1st and 3rd Field Box $42 $3,402 over 41%
Casino Queen Party Porch $38 $3,078 over 20%
Outfield Field Box $35 $2,835 over 22%
1st and 3rd Loge Box $34 $2,754 over 22%
Outfield Loge Box^ $30 $2,430 over 25%
Infield Terrace Box $28 $2,268 over 25%
Outfield Terrace Box $25 $2,025 over 28%
Pavilion Box $25 $2,025 over 28%
Infield Terrace Reserved $21 $1,701 over 32%
Bleachers $17 $1,377 over 43%
Outfield Terrace Reserved $14 $1,134 over 40%
* Price includes food and beverage
^ OF Loge Box Season Ticket packages include $5 per game in complimentary Cards Cash which adds up to over $400 on the season! For more info on Cards Cash, click here »

http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/stl/ticketing/season.jsp

[ribant]

This is not a bad promotion:
SUMMER HIT & FUN PACK $99* PACKAGE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:
* 4 Tickets to any 2010 Padres regular season home game valued at $21 and under.
* SeaWorld Fun Card valid until Dec. 31, 2010. Enjoy a year full of fun and relive your favorite shows, attractions and seasonal events.

And neither is this...
Buy Padres FST for 2011 for $729. The tickets cost $9 for FST ; in 2010 they cost $14 for single game, and if you buy FST's for 2011 NOW....you get the rest of 2010 free !!!!!

(field reserved get a FST discount from $34 down to $22 !!!)

Do you think anybody in the Mets organization looks at what other teams are doing, including a first place club in California?


Fan apathy... And those seats are always avaialble... Braves put major discounts on season tickets... Seating area is equivalent of the 501-503 sections at Citi.

You can pick up seats now prorated... Actually Full Season Tickets in the Upper Level are still avaialble Buy 1 Get 1 Free... You can get a seat in Row 11 behind home plate for $200 for the rest of the season...

Guys,

As much as I respect the both of you you have to understand demand is a big driver of prices and discounts.

I can tell you right now very few people in San Diego care about the Padres. They have to sell cheap to fill the park. Same in the ATL. And Pittsburgh too. When Atlanta was in its dynasty phase not very long ago they could not sell the place out. And with a good 1st place team now they still can't.

Believe me, no team owner in his right mind is going to give a discount on FST like the Pads and Braves are if they didn't think they had to in order to sell them. And this is the best of times for SDand ATL.

The Mets are in the worst of times and they are still have sold 300,000 more tickets than the Pads. And both teams fans came into the season not expecting much so heavy presale doesn't explain it. BTW they Mets are also 300,000 ahead of the Braves

The Pads most expensive ticket is $63, discounted to $44 for FST. You know the Mets pricing, so tell me which organization is pulling in more revenue. To a team owner thats the bottom line.

I honestly think the Wilpons look at the Pads and thank thier lucky stars they don't own them.

Believe me I would love to buy my Mets tix at small market, apathetic fan base prices, but I live in NYC and root for the Mets so I don't expect too.



Citi Field is empty because the team is mediocre at best and across the river is the World Champ. As expensive as non Prom seats are they would sell if the on field product was worth the price. maybe not to Joe Sixpacik, but to somebody.

[tfc3rid]

Oh I don't disagree that a lot has to do with marketplace and charging a price that folks can and will afford. For the Braves, it's difficult to get to Turner Field. And next season, the MARTA bus service that has been in operation for years is not gooing to be run... The only way to get to Turner Field will be to drive there or take MARTA and walk (VERY HIGHLY NOT RECOMMENDED)...

If the Mets were winnning like the Yankees, I don't doubt that the place would be full. However, if they clipped prices a la the Phillies or even Angels, I think the lower bowl would fill good or bad year... As for small market fan bases, the Angels and Phillies sell their Seasons and Plans are highly reduced prices... In addition, their single game prices are not terrible out of line... I know this City is New York and these are the Mets but surely, the revenue would come regardless if their prices were slashed say, 40% in the lower bowl...

[ribant]

Shea Bridge is located in Citi Field Stadium and is easily adjacent to BULL PEN GATE and BRIDGE TERRACE SEATING. Also if you take the word BRIDGE and the first letter from TERRACE and you eliminate the space between BRIDGE and TERRACE you have BRIDGET which is the name of a Girl. This is a fascinating fact if you are dating a Girl, or if you are Married to a Girl, whose name is Bridget.

I am not married to, or even have dated a girl named Bridget, and yet I find your insight on this matter both insightful and breath taking.

Do you also realize that if you take thye G, I, D, and E from bridge, ard the T from terrace, and use the G to start each syllable you get Gidget. A genre defining film starring the enchanting Sandra Dee whose last name can be spelled using the letters in BRIDGE and TERRACE.

The mind wobbles.

[GordonGecko]

Citi Field is empty because the team is mediocre at best and across the river is the World Champ. As expensive as non Prom seats are they would sell if the on field product was worth the price. maybe not to Joe Sixpacik, but to somebody.
Can't agree with that, no matter how good a team is people have their price. The Yankees picture will be very different next year, people have lost a LOT of money and the secondary market is completely flooded, so many will cancel their plans and there won't be enough new buyers to fill the void. So the Yankees will have to discount, and that's with a winning team. Both teams are going to take a hit from the wearing off of the novelty factor. Look at the Indians at Jacobs field then & now, even worse look at the Orioles at Camden Yards. Granted those teams suck, but people stopped being willing to pay the premium for the new place. Even the Green Bay packers have seen revenue decline each year since their renovation at Lambeau. I had season tickets in Mezzanine in Shea when the Mets were in first place for much of 2007 and people still didn't want to pay face value - and that's when tickets were about 4 times less in the same level.

[robardin]

Guys,

As much as I respect the both of you you have to understand demand is a big driver of prices and discounts. ... The Mets are in the worst of times and they are still have sold 300,000 more tickets than the Pads. And both teams fans came into the season not expecting much so heavy presale doesn't explain it. BTW they Mets are also 300,000 ahead of the Braves.

...
The Pads most expensive ticket is $63, discounted to $44 for FST. You know the Mets pricing, so tell me which organization is pulling in more revenue. To a team owner thats the bottom line. ... Believe me I would love to buy my Mets tix at small market, apathetic fan base prices, but I live in NYC and root for the Mets so I don't expect too.

Citi Field is empty because the team is mediocre at best and across the river is the World Champ. As expensive as non Prom seats are they would sell if the on field product was worth the price. maybe not to Joe Sixpack, but to somebody.

Not sure sure about the last part, though the first part is definitely a factor. The prices are set for a hot team (even if "second fiddle" in town, it's a Very Big Town) in a small ballpark. The team is not hot, and has been so anti-hot for so long (since the last week of 2007, basically) that it will take more than a month or two of contention to make it so.

While nobody should expect San Diego or Atlanta (or even Philly) style prices in NY any time soon, absent a sudden, marked, sustained and convincing improvement on the field (which the ongoing use of Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo alone belie, never mind Francoeur or the disappointing power of Jason Bay or the lackluster bullpen arms), the Mets will still need to lower ticket prices to sub-Prom seats to attract people on a single game basis. And for retaining season ticket and game plan buyers, offer if not discounts from face, at least make sure the season ticket buyers paying full face on the season actually get the best pick of seats.

Another idea: expand club access for season ticket holders specifically. Imagine if that "Season Ticket Holder VIP Card" doubled for access into any club at Citi Field! Or if they added the actual seating category to the card and granted a "one level upgrade" of Club Access, so that Prom Res holders could get into Prom Club, Prom Box to the Caesars Club, Baseline Box to Acela Club, etc., not based on the ticket but by flashing the card. That's one of those "we treat you special versus the single ticket buyers" gestures that costs them nothing, while not only getting them a higher retention rate of STHs but also probably gets those STHs to spend more as they visit the clubs (at least for a few times).

[mandrake]

Guys,

"As much as I respect the both of you you have to understand demand is a big driver of prices and discounts."


"The Mets are in the worst of times and they are still have sold 300,000 more tickets than the Pads. And both teams fans came into the season not expecting much so heavy presale doesn't explain it. BTW they Mets are also 300,000 ahead of the Braves"

"Believe me I would love to buy my Mets tix at small market, apathetic fan base prices, but I live in NYC and root for the Mets so I don't expect too."

"Citi Field is empty because the team is mediocre at best and across the river is the World Champ. As expensive as non Prom seats are they would sell if the on field product was worth the price. maybe not to Joe Sixpacik, but to somebody."


As someone who has rooted for this franchise for decades, METS attendance has never had huge demand. That is NEVER. They used to play in a huge multi purpose stadium that held 55,600. The Wilpons tried to create an artificial demand by reducing capacity by 15,000.

In 1970, after winning the WS, the Mets reached nearly 2.7 million at the gate. Every single season for the rest of the decade, the attendance decreased. This includes the 1973 pennant team: in millions 2.7,2.2,2.1,1.9,1.7,1.7,1.4,1.0,1.0, finally 800K in 1979.

In the 1980's it slowly rose, especially up 700K in 1984 to 1.8 million, up to 2.7 mil in '85, then...2.7 in 86, 3.0 in '87 and '88, 2.9 in '89, and then another long decline. The same trend occurred in 2000, and then it hit its all time high of 4 million in 2008.

Due to the shrinking of the new ballpark, the Mets dropped to 3.1 million, and now they are headed to about 2.5 million or so. The trend, historically, will be further drops for a while. This is a trend that can be traced back to 1962.....periods of drop offs over many seasons and then the upswing is much slower (usually). The Wilpons attempt at creating demand by reducing capacity has indeed painted themselves in a corner. The team on the field is mediocre; they are currently 12th at the gate and they are actually down to 10th as a percentage of capacity sold.

Recently, there was an article that said the Mets TV ratings were up this year, and that a Mets spokesman said that was usually a sign that attendance would go up in the future. That may have been true at one time, but other franchises such as the woeful Baltimore Orioles are seeing their TV rating rise by 12% this year......and that franchise is concerned that due to the high cost of attending games in person, people are turning to their HDTV's instead of going to games.

The small sample of fans on forums like this represent the most hard core fans. Sadly, I think there are many people in the metro area who no longer care about the Mets, or may have switched allegiances to the Yanks, Red Sox, or Phillies.

We are in the middle of the longest WS championship in NY National League history, going back over a century. I just don't see a light at the end of the tunnel.:dismay:

[ribant]

Can't agree with that, no matter how good a team is people have their price. The Yankees picture will be very different next year, people have lost a LOT of money and the secondary market is completely flooded, so many will cancel their plans and there won't be enough new buyers to fill the void. So the Yankees will have to discount, and that's with a winning team. Both teams are going to take a hit from the wearing off of the novelty factor. Look at the Indians at Jacobs field then & now, even worse look at the Orioles at Camden Yards. Granted those teams suck, but people stopped being willing to pay the premium for the new place. Even the Green Bay packers have seen revenue decline each year since their renovation at Lambeau. I had season tickets in Mezzanine in Shea when the Mets were in first place for much of 2007 and people still didn't want to pay face value - and that's when tickets were about 4 times less in the same level.


I actually meant to whack that line out of my post but forget to ,thats why it's a few lines down from the body of the post, but it's out there now so what ever.

Gordon, you need to keep a few things in mind
1. Not everyone buys FST's solly to scalp.
2. Scalpers expect to loose money on many to most games. but make it up on big matchups and the post season
3. The market was flooded last year as well. It was common for Stub Hub to have over 10,000 tickets on sale per game
4. Another good playoff run and every one will come back again.
5. We all have our point of price resistance, but it sure seems to be higher in NY than the rest of the country

[ribant]

As someone who has rooted for this franchise for decades, METS attendance has never had huge demand. That is NEVER. They used to play in a huge multi purpose stadium that held 55,600. The Wilpons tried to create an artificial demand by reducing capacity by 15,000.

In 1970, after winning the WS, the Mets reached nearly 2.7 million at the gate. Every single season for the rest of the decade, the attendance decreased. This includes the 1973 pennant team: in millions 2.7,2.2,2.1,1.9,1.7,1.7,1.4,1.0,1.0, finally 800K in 1979.

In the 1980's it slowly rose, especially up 700K in 1984 to 1.8 million, up to 2.7 mil in '85, then...2.7 in 86, 3.0 in '87 and '88, 2.9 in '89, and then another long decline. The same trend occurred in 2000, and then it hit its all time high of 4 million in 2008.

Due to the shrinking of the new ballpark, the Mets dropped to 3.1 million, and now they are headed to about 2.5 million or so. The trend, historically, will be further drops for a while. This is a trend that can be traced back to 1962.....periods of drop offs over many seasons and then the upswing is much slower (usually). The Wilpons attempt at creating demand by reducing capacity has indeed painted themselves in a corner. The team on the field is mediocre; they are currently 12th at the gate and they are actually down to 10th as a percentage of capacity sold.

Recently, there was an article that said the Mets TV ratings were up this year, and that a Mets spokesman said that was usually a sign that attendance would go up in the future. That may have been true at one time, but other franchises such as the woeful Baltimore Orioles are seeing their TV rating rise by 12% this year......and that franchise is concerned that due to the high cost of attending games in person, people are turning to their HDTV's instead of going to games.

The small sample of fans on forums like this represent the most hard core fans. Sadly, I think there are many people in the metro area who no longer care about the Mets, or may have switched allegiances to the Yanks, Red Sox, or Phillies.

We are in the middle of the longest WS championship in NY National League history, going back over a century. I just don't see a light at the end of the tunnel.:dismay:

I lived this history as well, but it does not refute my point that the Braves and Padres are small market teams with an apathetic fan base that despite being in first place and seemingly playoff bound with seats that cost a fraction of the Mets (and Yankeres) still pull less than the Mets ( and Yankees) and need to give big discounts to get fannies in the seats.

Any way you slice it The Mets sell more seats for more money than they do, and thats what ownership cares about.

[GordonGecko]

I actually meant to whack that line out of my post but forget to ,thats why it's a few lines down from the body of the post, but it's out there now so what ever.

Gordon, you need to keep a few things in mind
1. Not everyone buys FST's solly to scalp.
2. Scalpers expect to loose money on many to most games. but make it up on big matchups and the post season
3. The market was flooded last year as well. It was common for Stub Hub to have over 10,000 tickets on sale per game
4. Another good playoff run and every one will come back again.
5. We all have our point of price resistance, but it sure seems to be higher in NY than the rest of the country
What people buy the tickets for has no bearing as far as the teams are concerned for pricing. But if people who are losing so much stop buying, then demand goes down and the team has to adjust prices downwards too. Scalpers do expect to lose money on the regular season, but what happens when playoff tickets start going for under face? It used to be that you needed $1000 just to get in the door to a World Series game. These days $150 will probably do the trick if you time it right. For the Yankees last year was flooded too, but this year is much worse and even summer games go for well under face days before the game. When people don't renew and new buyers don't step up is when primary market prices start going down

[Paul W]

This van, in the Official Parking Lot, is owned by Mets. It secretly doubles as not only a vehicle, but also as a Metaphor for the state of the 2010 Mets.
88547

more evidence of the house of cards that sterling is, read about the world of fred-o, katz-man and jeffie...

http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4592:lwib-an-update-on-the-new-york-mets-plus-weekly-tidbits&catid=67:pete-toms&Itemid=155

[mandrake]

I lived this history as well, but it does not refute my point that the Braves and Padres are small market teams with an apathetic fan base that despite being in first place and seemingly playoff bound with seats that cost a fraction of the Mets (and Yankeres) still pull less than the Mets ( and Yankees) and need to give big discounts to get fannies in the seats.

Any way you slice it The Mets sell more seats for more money than they do, and thats what ownership cares about.

Well, then why did the Yankees, Phillies, White Sox, Dodgers, Braves, Twins, Padres, Cardinals all make moves to acquire players, while the Mets (who must be swimming in cash due to selling more seats at higher prices than everyone else except the Bombers) did absolutely nothing?:disbelief:

Do the owners care about winning?

[robardin]

Well, then why did the Yankees, Phillies, White Sox, Dodgers, Braves, Twins, Padres, Cardinals all make moves to acquire players, while the Mets (who must be swimming in cash due to selling more seats at higher prices than everyone else except the Bombers) did absolutely nothing?:disbelief:

Do the owners care about winning?

The Mets should have done SOMETHING to avoid looking like idiots (which is sadly the default projection). Still, never mind spending more money and prospects to bring in veterans in a trade which may not work out in the long term - of all the players moved around by those teams mentioned above, only Cliff Lee is really a top shelf pick-up, and he's a 4-month rental before going to the highest bidder (read: Yankees) - and which probably wouldn't put this team over any hump, it's got too many problems. What kills me is the team's unwillingness to clear deadwood.

OK, Jason Bay is stuck with the team for at least another 2 years and hopefully will someday resemble the player the Mets thought they were getting offensively. But as bad as seeing a team that was within 2 games of first place to start July 1st spiral downwards to go 9-18 through the end of August 1st (including 1-5 against the D-Backs in that stretch), it was made much worse to see not only the continued presence of Francoeur in RF, Alex Cora at 2B and a suddenly imploding Mike Pelfrey, but the return of Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez, who I truly never wanted to see in a Mets uniform ever again.

I can continue root for Pelfrey and Niese, and almost anybody they bring up at 2B and RF, such as Tejada or Fernando Martinez, and almost any lefty arm in the bullpen from any organization major or minor - and could live with Francoeur on the bench as a defensive sub and pinch hitter - but please, at least get rid of fan UN-favorites in Castillo and Perez!

[dstoffa]

I am going to California in 3 weeks and I am looking at Angels and Padres tickets. The two games I am looking at , Angels vs Tampa, tickets on stubhub start at 95 cents, and the Padres vs Arizona start at $6.


I was able to buy Club Level Seats, section 206 Row 5, at PetCo Park for a Saturday twi-night game on a bobblehead night give-away as a walk-up 3 hours before first pitch for $58. This is probably equivalent to Caesar's Gold seating.... Def not NY Prices.

Cheers!
-Doug

[ribant]

Well, then why did the Yankees, Phillies, White Sox, Dodgers, Braves, Twins, Padres, Cardinals all make moves to acquire players, while the Mets (who must be swimming in cash due to selling more seats at higher prices than everyone else except the Bombers) did absolutely nothing?:disbelief:

Do the owners care about winning?

Maybe not.

But they care about making money.

Winning and profitability are two different things and do not always go hand in hand. I have heard many rumours the Yanks are barely breaking even.

The Marlins almost went broke winning it all and now ownership is very happy keeping the team around .500 and turning a profit.

[ribant]

The Mets should have done SOMETHING to avoid looking like idiots (which is sadly the default projection). Still, never mind spending more money and prospects to bring in veterans in a trade which may not work out in the long term - of all the players moved around by those teams mentioned above, only Cliff Lee is really a top shelf pick-up, and he's a 4-month rental before going to the highest bidder (read: Yankees) - and which probably wouldn't put this team over any hump, it's got too many problems. What kills me is the team's unwillingness to clear deadwood.

OK, Jason Bay is stuck with the team for at least another 2 years and hopefully will someday resemble the player the Mets thought they were getting offensively. But as bad as seeing a team that was within 2 games of first place to start July 1st spiral downwards to go 9-18 through the end of August 1st (including 1-5 against the D-Backs in that stretch), it was made much worse to see not only the continued presence of Francoeur in RF, Alex Cora at 2B and a suddenly imploding Mike Pelfrey, but the return of Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez, who I truly never wanted to see in a Mets uniform ever again.

I can continue root for Pelfrey and Niese, and almost anybody they bring up at 2B and RF, such as Tejada or Fernando Martinez, and almost any lefty arm in the bullpen from any organization major or minor - and could live with Francoeur on the bench as a defensive sub and pinch hitter - but please, at least get rid of fan UN-favorites in Castillo and Perez!

Took the words right out of my mouth

[ribant]

What people buy the tickets for has no bearing as far as the teams are concerned for pricing. But if people who are losing so much stop buying, then demand goes down and the team has to adjust prices downwards too. Scalpers do expect to lose money on the regular season, but what happens when playoff tickets start going for under face? It used to be that you needed $1000 just to get in the door to a World Series game. These days $150 will probably do the trick if you time it right. For the Yankees last year was flooded too, but this year is much worse and even summer games go for well under face days before the game. When people don't renew and new buyers don't step up is when primary market prices start going down

I agree the team could care less who purchases, but last year aside I don't think scalpers are that large of a market segment. Traditionally (pre SH and Ebay) scalpers bought excess stock from FST's or corps ( sometimes corp employes out to get a few extra bucks) who wanted to get out from under uneeded tickets. The e-marketplace made entry into the biz real easy so newcomers flooded the market. I think the number of players will contract again as amatuers realize they ain't getting rich. Then you will see $1000 WS tickets again.

Getting back on track I think you overestimate just how many pure scalpers are out there. I bet for NY baseball its well under 100, maybe less than 50. What is mostly out there are guys like myself who primarily buy for self consumption, but do keep an eye on resale. And when things look down we switch from plans to packs or singles.

The biggest hit the Mets took was from corporate accounts who couldn't justify the cash outlay for a morbid team.

[headshoes]

Basic comparison.. Mets vs Yankees:

Mets Fan -- looking to pay face value.. casual, non baseball fan could care less
Mets "Hot Tickets" -- Opening Day, 3 Yankees (There is that Y word again) === 4 games.. Couldn't even sell out Hall of Fame Day
Postseason $ to be made -- Fan base looking to pay face value..

Yankees Fan -- willing to pay "for good seats".. casual baseball will go to see a winner.. non baseball fan would go to "check it out"
Yankees Hot Tickets -- Opening Day, Old Timers Day, Red Sox (9), Mets (3), .... That is 14 LOCKS.. PLUS if they get any one of these
interleague match ups (Phillies, Dodgers, Giants, Cubs, Cardinals).. add 3 more..
Postseason $ to be made -- Gradually increases as the playoffs go deeper.. Location is what its all about!


And for you Cubs Fans out there.. The Yankees go back to wrigley next year..

[headshoes]

On side note.. anyone know why stubhub has 0 tickets available for the August 21 @ Pitt in Field sections 9-16? 0, not 1? Yet for 8/22 there is only 16?
Is the NYM-1st base side in that high of a demand?

[drdg]

Shea Bridge is located in Citi Field Stadium and is easily adjacent to BULL PEN GATE and BRIDGE TERRACE SEATING. Also if you take the word BRIDGE and the first letter from TERRACE and you eliminate the space between BRIDGE and TERRACE you have BRIDGET which is the name of a Girl. This is a fascinating fact if you are dating a Girl, or if you are Married to a Girl, whose name is Bridget.

GARY
if you eliminate the space between the BRIDGE and the TERRACE you have a GAP or an opening
sorry to say but the mets are already falling off that bridge and sinking fast
when the mets return to the citi field stadium JERRY MANUEL is going to be sleeping with
the BULLs as he is going to be kick off the TERRACE
no actually jerry is going to be running from the BULLSxxT opening the PEN GATE to freedom
and maybe next week Gary Carter will be running the show
I much prefer to wait until after the second week of SEPT.
and have Wally Backman as the manager, but only after he leads the
Brooklyn Cyclones to the NY-Penn league Championship:vamp:

[Gary Dunaier]

Photographic proof of the mythical Gary Duanier...he does exist !!

Stalker! :ooo:

Actually, I've never heard of this "Gary Duanier" fella of whom you speak... :lookitup

[Gary Dunaier]

I much prefer to wait until after the second week of SEPT.
and have Wally Backman as the manager, but only after he leads the
Brooklyn Cyclones to the NY-Penn league Championship:vamp:

Not if the Cyclones play the way they did last night! (they lost)

[JustinBerl]

I went to the box office over the weekend when I was in Pittsburgh to get tickets and nothing available anywhere close to the Mets Dugout for the whole series. I'm going to wait it out a little longer and see if I can nab something good on SH or eBay

[Mongoose]

When I read this, I immediately thought of "Punitive Damages" by the Jerky Boys. Sue you. Sue everybody.

Yes, Madoff was a crook. However, I would think that those responsible for investing the 401(k) monies were acting in good faith and in the best interests of the participants. I don't think the plantiffs have a leg to stand on. A 401(k) plan is not a defined benefit plan.

Cheers!
-Doug

You would think that, wouldn't you Doug?

If Fred was acting in such good faith then why didn't he do for his employees what he did for himself: namely get their money out of Madoff's clutches and get them out with a profit?

[peterrod16]

I went to the box office over the weekend when I was in Pittsburgh to get tickets and nothing available anywhere close to the Mets Dugout for the whole series. I'm going to wait it out a little longer and see if I can nab something good on SH or eBay

I got a postcard from the pirates yesterday to see the mets at PNC Park
www.pirates.com/savebig
click on the day you want and enter code PNCPARK.
Save $10 per tickt plus No online fees.
I think a few members just passed out on this offer.
$37 Pittsburgh Baseball Club(a better version of the prom & caesars club)
$12 Outfield Boxes(similar to baseline box seats in citi)
$10 Infield Grandstand(similar to Prom Infield)

[JustinBerl]

I just got the postcard this morning, going to see what I can find. Thanks for looking out

[dstoffa]

You would think that, wouldn't you Doug?

If Fred was acting in such good faith then why didn't he do for his employees what he did for himself: namely get their money out of Madoff's clutches and get them out with a profit?

Last time I checked, Freddie didn't get all of his money out. If he got SOME out,he pulled it out of a diffrent type of pot. You can't pull money out of a 401-k unless you:
1. Change jobs -- rollover IRA.
2. Make a hardship withdrawl, pay ordinary income tax on the withdrawl, plus a penalty.
3. I THINK you can pull money out of a 401-k and move it somewhere else (like a discount brokerage), but you have to do it smartly as not to trigger tax penalties. It's something that the average Joe is not up to speed on. I only know about it because someone at work did it at my job.

It's not as simple when it comes to retirement plans. There are rules all parties must follow.

And there may have never been a real profit to being with....

Cheers!
-Doug

p.s. -- Do you know what your 401-k is invested in? I am certain that most don't.

[JohnCropp]

I have finally been to City Field.

It is a wonderful place to watch a ballgame.

It's too bad that they didn't play one after the Hall of Fame ceremony.

[Gary Dunaier]

It's too bad that they didn't play one after the Hall of Fame ceremony.

As previously mentioned by me (and documented by islandxtreme26 :reporter: ), I was there Sunday.

As also previously mentioned by me, I was at the Brooklyn Cyclones game last night.

What was not mentioned by me (until now) is that I wore my Mets Hall of Fame cap, the one they gave the first 25,000 poor souls-- er, I mean, fans, who attended Sunday's game, to the game in Brooklyn.

Would you believe, people actually came up to me during and expressed sympathy at my having to witness the bloodbath!

:faint:

Okay, it was two people... one, while I was waiting on line to enter MCU "it'll always be KeySpan to me" Park, and the other, someone handing out advertising cards as I left.

But still...

:shrug:

[JohnCropp]

As previously mentioned by me (and documented by islandxtreme26 :reporter: ), I was there Sunday.

As also previously mentioned by me, I was at the Brooklyn Cyclones game last night.

What was not mentioned by me (until now) is that I wore my Mets Hall of Fame cap, the one they gave the first 25,000 poor souls-- er, I mean, fans, who attended Sunday's game, to the game in Brooklyn.

Would you believe, people actually came up to me during and expressed sympathy at my having to witness the bloodbath!

:faint:

Okay, it was two people... one, while I was waiting on line to enter MCU "it'll always be KeySpan to me" Park, and the other, someone handing out advertising cards as I left.

But still...

:shrug:

2010 HoF Game
2008 Last Game at Shea
2006 Endy's Catch
2000 World Series

Wonderful memories ruined by disappointing box scores.

[bigmac70]

SO what was the
"Pepsi Refresh Day" promotion on Sat 7/31 ?

[Mister B.]

After not hearing from my rep since last winter, received the following e-mail yesterday. With the season on life support, I guess the FST renewal effort is underway:


I just wanted to make sure you're aware that the start time has changed for the Sunday, August 15th game against the Phillies to 8:05 p.m. (formerly 1:10 p.m.). You should be receiving an email from the Mets at some point today regarding this, but I wanted to reach out to you as well. I'd also like to remind you of some of your Season Ticket Holder benefits for the 2010 Season and hope you are able to take advantage of them, if you haven't done so already;

Mets Season Ticket Holder VIP Card
Entitles you to a 15% discount on regular priced merchandise at the Mets Team Store at Citi Field and other retail locations at the ballpark
Access to discounts on select seat categories for Group Sales ticket purchases
Entitled to a 10% discount off the room rental for any non-game day events at Citi Field booked with Metropolitan Hospitality (http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/ballpark/events/index.jsp)
For Season Ticket holders only, rain checks, instead of solely being redeemable for tickets to another game, may instead be redeemed for their face value on a Rain Check Card
For each regularly-scheduled Saturday and Sunday game, Citi Field will open a half-hour early (three hours before scheduled game time) exclusively for Season Ticket holders
Complimentary Club Mets membership
Includes Next Generation Gameday and Audio Experience
Complimentary tour tickets for our guided tours of Citi Field
To reserve your tour tickets please call 718-507-TIXX (subject to availability)
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/ballpark/tours.jsp

I hope all is well, let me know if you need anything moving forward.

[ribant]

I got my plan holders gift yesterday and I think it's really cool. Both my kids tried to talk me into giving it to them, but I am keeping it for myself.

That much said did any of you sell yours and how much did you get for it?

[mandrake]

A reminder that the Mets blood drive at Citi is today 10am to 5 pm. 2 free tickets to a September game, probably the Pirates series 9/13, 9/14, 9/15,9/16.

So far this season, the Mets have been giving out baseline box and better (sometimes Caesar's or even metro box).

It's a good cause, and the Mets are doing the right thing ! Free parking on Lot G where the big shots usually park.

[LI METS FAN]

Comparing NYC to ATL or SD, is absurd. You do realize that NYC has 15x the population of ATL and about 10x compared to SD. That's comparing apples to oranges.

The population of a city is a factor in determining possible ballpark attendance, as well as the local economy, but it doesn't account for fan passion. The following cities all have a larger population than a certain city with a big league team- San Antonio, San Jose, Indianapolis, Austin, Columbus, Jacksonville and Memphis. But the smaller city of Boston has a fan base that sells out Fenway Park every night. And we all know about tiny Green Bay WI in the NFL.

[mandrake]

A reminder that the Mets blood drive at Citi is today 10am to 5 pm. 2 free tickets to a September game, probably the Pirates series 9/13, 9/14, 9/15,9/16.

So far this season, the Mets have been giving out baseline box and better (sometimes Caesar's or even metro box).

It's a good cause, and the Mets are doing the right thing ! Free parking on Lot G where the big shots usually park.

Well, I was off this afternoon and ventured down to Citi, knowing I'd hit traffic coming home. The Mets had their blood drive, and I arrived around 3:30 and I was number 322. The NY blood folks said it was very disappointing turnout. One women who must not follow sports, while taking my blood pressure, said "Another donor said the Mets season was over. Is that true ?" . I told her that was a figure of speech, we have 2 more months of this. She looked puzzled.

Anyway, the games available were 9/14 and 9/15 vs Pitt, or 9/29 vs the Brewers. The tickets were baseline box, some silver with Acela access, some only with prom/caesar's. They had tons of tickets even at 3:30.

[GordonGecko]

After not hearing from my rep since last winter, received the following e-mail yesterday. With the season on life support, I guess the FST renewal effort is underway:


I just wanted to make sure you're aware that the start time has changed for the Sunday, August 15th game against the Phillies to 8:05 p.m. (formerly 1:10 p.m.). You should be receiving an email from the Mets at some point today regarding this, but I wanted to reach out to you as well. I'd also like to remind you of some of your Season Ticket Holder benefits for the 2010 Season and hope you are able to take advantage of them, if you haven't done so already;

Mets Season Ticket Holder VIP Card
Entitles you to a 15% discount on regular priced merchandise at the Mets Team Store at Citi Field and other retail locations at the ballpark
Access to discounts on select seat categories for Group Sales ticket purchases
Entitled to a 10% discount off the room rental for any non-game day events at Citi Field booked with Metropolitan Hospitality (http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/ballpark/events/index.jsp)
For Season Ticket holders only, rain checks, instead of solely being redeemable for tickets to another game, may instead be redeemed for their face value on a Rain Check Card
For each regularly-scheduled Saturday and Sunday game, Citi Field will open a half-hour early (three hours before scheduled game time) exclusively for Season Ticket holders
Complimentary Club Mets membership
Includes Next Generation Gameday and Audio Experience
Complimentary tour tickets for our guided tours of Citi Field
To reserve your tour tickets please call 718-507-TIXX (subject to availability)
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/ballpark/tours.jsp

I hope all is well, let me know if you need anything moving forward.

Maybe the Mets are learning something. Still a long way to go. Last month the Phillies sent out a season ticket holder survey online. I wrote down that I didn't think I would renew, and a few days later I get a call from a rep asking what he could do to make me change my mind and what improvements I'd like to see. The Mets don't give that sort of attention and the results show

[robardin]

Maybe the Mets are learning something. Still a long way to go. Last month the Phillies sent out a season ticket holder survey online. I wrote down that I didn't think I would renew, and a few days later I get a call from a rep asking what he could do to make me change my mind and what improvements I'd like to see. The Mets don't give that sort of attention and the results show

Well, what did you tell the Phillies?

I think the Mets know what answer they'd get: a less crazy pricing scheme (tiering-wise) and much cheaper tickets. They need to get back to 2008-like prices, which themselves were already huge jumps from just 2006 prices, and also a more Shea-like tiering; the whole "first 2 rows are Gold" thing is just baloney, they should be giving those locations to season ticket holders (prioritized by seniority/tenure and/or number of tickets) as a reward for being STHs. The demand for a newer, nicer, smaller ballpark is just about offset by the prices and the flawed team on the field (the contrast with the nearest neighboring teams in the Yankees and Phillies doesn't help either).

The whole "Club Access" thing is out of hand too, but mostly irrelevant because most fans don't spend a lot of time in any club once the game starts, especially those clubs that are not on the same seating level (e.g., I can go into the Caesars Club with Prom Club tickets -- and run up and down a flight of stairs... And someone with Caesars Platinum tickets can go into the Delta Club, by waiting for the elevator or going back to the Rotunda and taking that special escalator up... Right.)

[trepye]

Well with last nights pathetic loss to the braves the season is pretty much OVER.

No reason to buy insanely-overpriced tickets from the Mets anymore (if you were stupid enough to pay such prices), go to StubHub and buy for the fraction of the cost they should have been priced for to begin with.

[robardin]

Well with last nights pathetic loss to the braves the season is pretty much OVER.

No reason to buy insanely-overpriced tickets from the Mets anymore (if you were stupid enough to pay such prices), go to StubHub and buy for the fraction of the cost they should have been priced for to begin with.

Or take my tickets, if you want, and we'll both save on StubHub fees! I did buy "insanely overpriced tickets" (season ticket holder), moved most of them, had saved a bunch for my own use but am reconsidering going to two of those games.

Thursday 8/12 vs. Rockies (day game) - Four (4) tickets in Prom Club 420 Row 3 @ 60 each, plus Preferred Parking - face of $259 for the lot, I'll take $180.
Wednesday 8/25 vs. Marlins - Two (2) tickets in Prom Club 420 Row 3 @ 60 each, no parking - face of $120 for the pair, I'll take $80.
Saturday 8/28 vs. the Astros - Five (5) tickets in 513 Row 13 @ 30 each, plus Preferred Parking - face of $169 for the lot, I'll take $140.

I'll also throw in not one but TWO nice giveaways from earlier this year: choose two from the travel mug, sports bag or Reyes drawstring bag.

[mandrake]

Well, what did you tell the Phillies?

I think the Mets know what answer they'd get: a less crazy pricing scheme (tiering-wise) and much cheaper tickets. They need to get back to 2008-like prices, which themselves were already huge jumps from just 2006 prices, and also a more Shea-like tiering; the whole "first 2 rows are Gold" thing is just baloney, they should be giving those locations to season ticket holders (prioritized by seniority/tenure and/or number of tickets) as a reward for being STHs. The demand for a newer, nicer, smaller ballpark is just about offset by the prices and the flawed team on the field (the contrast with the nearest neighboring teams in the Yankees and Phillies doesn't help either).

The whole "Club Access" thing is out of hand too, but mostly irrelevant because most fans don't spend a lot of time in any club once the game starts, especially those clubs that are not on the same seating level (e.g., I can go into the Caesars Club with Prom Club tickets -- and run up and down a flight of stairs... And someone with Caesars Platinum tickets can go into the Delta Club, by waiting for the elevator or going back to the Rotunda and taking that special escalator up... Right.)

Robardin
This is an excellent, well thought out post. Even when they give away (as in free) tickets, fans discuss the absurdity of the tier pricing and the seats themselves. At yesterday's blood drive, fans were sitting around talking Mets and we were looking at the 3 games the Mets provided tickets for. (A very generous thing, I may add !). The games were VALUE for 9/14 and 9/15, and BRONZE for 9/29. And even though they were all baseline box seats, some were regular baseline and others were baseline SILVER. So some had prom/caesar's club and others had those 2 plus Acela. And then you had the usual "I have silver seats for a bronze game, is that better than bronze seats for a silver game". Even the ladies giving out the tickets were laughing !:think:

I think the Mets have 41 different sections with 5 tiers to make 205 possible prices. To the casual fan, this is mind boggling. Especially fans who had 4 different levels (box,loge,mezz, upper) at Shea.

I have said this before, and people have said I was dead wrong, but to me the Caesar's club is the single biggest waste of space in any ballpark I have been to. Some say what a nice place it is to go to before the game....but you can't go there during the game because the only windows look out at the World's Fair. And the sit down casual menu is the exact same menu as the Prom Club....at least it was when I ate at both. The money they take in is probably much less than they expected.

Someone, I think it was Gary, posted a picture from the Pepsi Porch in the RF corner. The view was hideous from section 305, and the cost for a gold row at a gold game is $72. In 2009, Jeff Wilpon mentioned that he modeled them after the Detroit Tigers upper deck, but he failed to mention that those were the cheapest seats at Tiger Stadium !

[peterrod16]

I would like to know what were the mets prices at shea in 2004 before Omar was the GM(field loge mezz and upper deck)
mandrake your comments a couple of days ago ring true about the mets not having a big ticket fanbase.
The wilpons try to max ticket revenue after the 2006 season untill now.
Opening day was probably the highlight of the season for me as a fan.
cheaper tickets = extra cash to spend on concessions.

[mandrake]

I would like to know what were the mets prices at shea in 2004 before Omar was the GM(field loge mezz and upper deck)
mandrake your comments a couple of days ago ring true about the mets not having a big ticket fanbase.
The wilpons try to max ticket revenue after the 2006 season untill now.
Opening day was probably the highlight of the season for me as a fan.
cheaper tickets = extra cash to spend on concessions.

My 2004 Mets yearbook escapes me right now, but I did find this online....

New York Mets

Average ticket price: $23.92 (6th in majors). 2003 attendance: 49.1% of capacity (23rd in majors).

Tickets available on May 6 for May 19 night game against St. Louis (a "Bronze" game in the Mets' variable-pricing scheme):

Four "casual fan" seats: Section 001, Box 701B, Seats 9-12: Upper Boxes behind home plate, $23/seat
Best four seats: Box 255B, Seats 5-8: Field Boxes down right field line, $33/seat
Best single seat: Box 224H, Seat 5: Inner Field Box behind third base, $43
Cheapest single seat: Section 001, Row J. Seat 14: Upper Reserved behind home plate, $12
Tickets purchased through MLB.com include a $3-$4.75/seat convenience charge and $2.50/order processing fee.

Variable pricing:

17 Gold games: tickets $16-$53, Upper Reserved seats $16
22 Silver games: tickets $14-48, Upper Reserved seats $14
32 Bronze games: tickets $12-$43, Upper Reserved seats $12
13 Value games: tickets $5-$38, Upper Reserved seats $5
The complete price scale can be found here. "Games fall into Gold, Silver, Bronze or Value date categories based on such factors as the time of year, day of week and opposing team."

Ongoing promotions:

18 games: Four Upper Level Box or Mezzanine Reserved tickets plus $20 in concession vouchers for $66; four Upper Level Reserved tickets plus $20 in vouchers for $44.
DON'T MISS: July 24: Collectible Ceramic Shea Stadium Replica giveaway

Overview: Watch out for Shea's tricky pricing. The "Mezzanine Box" and "Upper Box" seats are just a few rows in front of the "Mezzanine Reserved" and "Upper Reserved," but cost at least $10 more. Seats in the back of the Loge and Mezzanine sections cost the same as the Upper Reserved. Moreover, the Mets charge the same for every seat in these decks, whether it's behind the plate or behind the foul pole.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=2856&sessionstatus=notloggedin&mode=login

Well the mets don't charge the same for every seay in a particular deck NOW, that's for sure !

[tfc3rid]

Here ya go fans!!!! Read it and weep... From a post to the NY Post Mets blog..


Omar Minaya isn’t going anywhere.

Mets owner Fred Wilpon gave his beleaguered general manager a vote of confidence on Thursday even as the team continues to sink in the standings. The Post asked Wilpon if Minaya would be back next year.

“Is the sun going to come up tomorrow?” Wilpon said, indicating he has no intention of firing Minaya.

Minaya is under contract through 2012, but most considered this a postseason-or-bust year for the GM and manager Jerry Manuel. The Mets still have a pulse in the division and wild-card races, but Wednesday’s ugly loss to the Braves dropped them 7 ½ games behind the NL East leaders. And they are even further out in the wild-card standings -- sitting eight games behind the Giants.

Despite the Mets struggles, which includes not winning back-to-back games since June 22 and 23, the team stayed quiet at the July 31 trade deadline.

Wilpon was also asked about the job performance of his son Jeff, who is the Mets’ COO.

“Excellent, everybody knows that,” Fred said.

Wilpon was at a press conference announcing SNY as the new TV home for UConn’s basketball and football team, but that's about the only good news the Mets owner has to talk about these days.

[robardin]

I don't have 2004 price info handy but I do have 2006 and 2008, courtesy of my Saturday Plan ticket booklet (which actually was composed of all and only the Saturday games on the home schedule). I don't have 2007 for some reason but that doesn't really matter.

IMHO the price jump from 2006 to 2008 was already steep enough to represent "moving to a newer, better ballpark". The team is playing about as well as the 2005 Mets did, so the 2011 prices should parallel those of the 2006 prices. Adjust that for the newer ballpark and you have, roughly, 2008 prices.

Loge Level between 1B and 3B was always full, while Caesars (the equivalent level at Citi Field) is about half full. How can the Mets learn from their own history? Charge an average of $85 for Caesars Gold instead of $135 (what Inner Loge cost in 2008) and they'll sell much better.

Even when raising prices from 2006 to 2008 they cut the Upper Reserved dramatically. The parallel here is with the upper levels of outfield seating (especially LF). They're just not great seats, but they're tolerable at bargain prices.

[robardin]

Here ya go fans!!!! Read it and weep... From a post to the NY Post Mets blog..

Omar guaranteed to continue on through next year. Jeff Wilpon "doing an excellent job". All while the team "hasn't won back-to-bak games since June 22-23", but feels it can stand pat at the trade deadline because hey, we have "reinforcements" in the form of Beltran, Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo coming back off the DL to join the team.

Hmm. I wonder what could be more opposite to a fans' perception here? Maybe letting Oliver Perez be the closer, and Luis Castillo bat third with Francoeur at cleanup?

[tfc3rid]

Omar guaranteed to continue on through next year. Jeff Wilpon "doing an excellent job".

Hmm. I wonder what could be more opposite to a fans' perception here? Maybe letting Oliver Perez be the closer, and Luis Castillo bat third with Francoeur at cleanup?

I don't know what might be less appealing for fans comtemplating ticket purchases... Since we ARE talking about tickets... What does something like that possible mean for renewals?

[mandrake]

I don't know what might be less appealing for fans comtemplating ticket purchases... Since we ARE talking about tickets... What does something like that possible mean for renewals?

Without some major changes, not cosmetic ones, I predict the Mets will continue the slide from 2009's 3.1 million to 2010 projected 2.5/2.6 million and if everything stays the same.....2011 will be around 2.1-2.2 million.

[Strawman]

Without some major changes, not cosmetic ones, I predict the Mets will continue the slide from 2009's 3.1 million to 2010 projected 2.5/2.6 million and if everything stays the same.....2011 will be around 2.1-2.2 million.

Yeah I could see that - the organization needs a management change. That said, how about the incredibly empty Turner Field?

[robardin]

I don't know what might be less appealing for fans comtemplating ticket purchases... Since we ARE talking about tickets... What does something like that possible mean for renewals?

It means I'll renew a full season plan only for a really primo spot that I'll have no real difficulty in finding takers for even in bad times, like RIGHT behind the plate on the Prom level in low rows (512-517 to Row 5, 412-417 rows 3 or 4). Someday the team will be good again (right?) and make the playoffs (right? right?) and I will have paid the price of suffering through lean years to have the best location, but not a stupid price. If they significantly reduce prices behind the plate and below Prom level I would consider upgrading (including by means of a season ticket buyer's discount), but I'm not holding my breath. (Example: averaging about $65 for Caesars Bronze, $80 for Caesars Gold or $100-120 for Metro Box, Champions Club or Delta Club.)

I also think they need to reduce the spread (in absolute dollar terms) between Gold and Value games for the higher average ticket prices. Back at Shea even in 2008 the most expensive ticket in the park (Inner Loge Box) cost $97 for a Gold game and $57 for a value game, a difference of $40, which is at least sort of reasonable. But for Delta Club it's $204 versus $102, a $102 difference! Per ticket! (And Delta Club sections have 20 rows in them, striped into FOUR seating tiers by rows 1-2, 3-8, 9-14 and 15-20 - meaning that for a Gold game, to sit 6 rows out of 20 closer to the field, to move from Row 15 to Row 8, means stepping up from a $204 to a $400 charge PER SEAT!)

[tfc3rid]

Fans here are just not that into baseball... It's all SEC Football all the time... Baseball is a casual game... Ticket prices are relatively cheap but still folks won't go... It's also ungodly hot and humid all the time so people just aren't going to to sit out in that...

[GordonGecko]

Fans here are just not that into baseball... It's all SEC Football all the time... Baseball is a casual game... Ticket prices are relatively cheap but still folks won't go... It's also ungodly hot and humid all the time so people just aren't going to to sit out in that...
They're forcing you to ante up a $200 deposit per seat for 2011 season tickets if you buy the pro-rated seats for this year. A little steep but I'll consider it. NLDS tickets will be difficult to get face back but NLCS should be ok. World Series is where all the gravy is

[Gary Dunaier]

We've got a whole slew of photos from Sunday for your amusement, so let's get right to them.

First, for those of you "conspiracy theorists" out there... it's said that the number 4 is considered very unlucky in Asian cultures. Flushing has a very large Asian population, so there are a lot of people near Citi Field who take this very seriously. With that in mind, check out this sign on one of the signals in the Mets-Willets Point subway station...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4858640781_4a583fc6f1_b.jpg


Here's a rare extreme side view of the new Hall of Fame plaques before the game, when they were still covered up...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4858648521_2fd1357396_b.jpg


Frank Cashen emerges from underneath the left field stands...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4858668161_1c5226af69_b.jpg


Dwight Gooden heads in from the bullpen...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4859290280_80bc193ff8_b.jpg


Frank Cashen makes his speech...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4858671129_fac0b86a1c_b.jpg


There were plenty of empty seats in the Promenade Reserved Infield ($30) and Promenade Club ($72) sections during the ceremony...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4858673041_59829683c0_b.jpg


Dwight Gooden's Mets Hall of Fame plaque is officially unveiled to the public...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4858674531_06e3db19da_b.jpg


Darryl Strawberry's younger self appears to look on with approval in this live shot of "Straw" at the Citi Field microphone, as shown on the right field video board...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4859303962_b39408e1ec_b.jpg


Here's an overview of Citi Field taken as the inductees pose at home plate with their plaques for photographers (photo taken from Promenade Club Gold 420, row 1, seat 1)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4858686529_0eb4110082_b.jpg


More to come...

[JohnCropp]

Dwight Gooden heads in from the bullpen...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4859290280_80bc193ff8_b.jpg

First time at City Field and documented by Gary D.

The blue (Dykstra) t-shirt above the Modell's D is me.

(Not a close up, but I'm counting it!)

[Gary Dunaier]

As promised, more photos from Sunday... the induction ceremonies are over, which means the Mets have a game to play, and I've got a ballpark to photograph...


I had a ticket allowing Ceasars Club access, so I got some views from that level. But first, a look at the prices for Sushi and Salad...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4859313218_5ae939ba94_b.jpg


I took this shot while standing directly in front of the WFAN broadcast booth on the press level - this is essentially the same view Howie Rose and Wayne Hagin have (photo taken behind Caesars Club 318, row 6, seat 8)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4858693563_83841ac56c_b.jpg


Speaking of Howie Rose, here he is re-entering the radio booth during a between-inning break... he was coming out of the SNY television booth... I don't know who the gentlemen he's talking to is...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4859315514_69bf997830_b.jpg


Even on the Excelsior level they've got Obstructed View seating... this is the view from Caesars Club 310, row 12, seat 19...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4858722941_65148533ec_b.jpg


The programs sold at today's game had a special Hall of Fame cover...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4858725355_d6800509f7_b.jpg


Ike Davis sacrifices to drive in a run in the bottom of the 4th inning, the only run the Mets would score today (photo taken from behind Caesars Club 327, row 12, seat 24)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4859347348_92f0443778_b.jpg


Here are the plaques of the newest Mets Hall of Famers, at last installed and revealed for all to see...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4859348260_1f7dd3dcaf_b.jpg


Newly inducted Mets Hall of Famer Dwight Gooden is interviewed on SNY, as seen in a live shot on the flat-screen TV next to the plaques in the Mets Hall of Fame...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4858729195_1e3dc3e88a_b.jpg


More to come...

[Gary Dunaier]

Elmer Dessens pitching to Mark Reynolds in the top of the 6th inning... an "aerial" view showing the Mets logo against the back of the "moat" in the Delta Club seating...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4859350722_c604f0efff_b.jpg


Here's your "social comment" photo of the day - as Arizona scores their 14th, and final, run of the game (Augie Ojeda on a Bobby Crosby sacrifice fly), Mets fans are painfully reminded that their team's performance on the field this day was nowhere near Hall of Fame caliber (photo taken from Promenade Club Gold 420, row 1, seat 16)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4859352162_bc7fe0d597_b.jpg


Ribbon board ad for the new "BJ's Wholesale Club" store on 40th Road in Flushing, just down the street from Citi Field...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4859353736_25fa978b50_b.jpg


Disappointed fans head towards the subway, Long Island Rail Road and other egresses, in this view from the Caesars Club which also features the Shea Stadium Home Run apple...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4858763317_b0974df70a_b.jpg


The "Mr. Met Dash" is underway... but did they really need to leave the linescore up there? (Photo taken from Metropolitan Box Platinum 114, row 1, seat 1.)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4859386412_d565c190c0_b.jpg


The “Mets Hall of Fame” marking on the first base side of the field... I had to wait a long time to get this shot, what with parents and others walking on the warning track in front of me getting their own pictures of the marking (photo taken from the aisle next to Metropolitan Box Platinum 114 row 1 seat 1, at the top of the steps leading to the photographers’ pen)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4858766595_40fb69ca86_b.jpg


A peek at the outside world through the open gates in left field...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4858766807_d45b1092b0_b.jpg


A contingent of security men back up the rear as the last participants in the “Mr. Met Dash” make their way to the bases... at least by this time the linescore has finally been taken down from the Citi Vision (photo taken in front of Metropolitan Box Platinum 113, row 1, seat 9)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4858769137_e6dcd910ce_b.jpg


And now that the “Mr. Met Dash” has ended, Mr. Met and his “Pepsi Party Patrol” pals can do their own dashing, right to the time clock where they can punch out and make their own "home runs," as it were (photo taken in front of Metropolitan Box Platinum 113, row 1, seat 9)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4858769519_81768dec39_b.jpg


Is that a “Shake Shack” burger - the one people wait hours and hours on line for - lying discarded and unwanted in front of Metropolitan Box 114, row 23, seat 17?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4859391816_cbdc9b615b_b.jpg


More to come...

[Gary Dunaier]

Just a few more gems we couldn't ignore...


Post-game view from Roosevelt Avenue... note the reserved parking spaces for WFAN and SNY...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4859394138_ffef591e20_b.jpg


Your friend and mine, Mr. Muffler, greeting passerby from his post on the corner of 126th Street and 39th Avenue...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4858774095_3024d88662_b.jpg


Post-game view looking down 126th Street at 39th Avenue...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4859395960_9f1e8370b4_b.jpg


Finally, the view from outside "Express Deli," home of the $1.50 bottle of soda... that's a pretty big deal when the same bottles of soda are $5.25 inside the ballpark... wonder how much "McFadden's" gets for a soda...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4858776287_16884f365a_b.jpg


That's it! All of my photos from Hall of Fame Day can be found right here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary_dunaier/sets/72157624524919565/) on Flickr.

[tfc3rid]

Yup saw that but you could always get the season tix that are $260 anyway...

[Chevy114]

Just a few more gems we couldn't ignore...


Post-game view from Roosevelt Avenue... note the reserved parking spaces for WFAN and SNY...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4859394138_ffef591e20_b.jpg


Your friend and mine, Mr. Muffler, greeting passerby from his post on the corner of 126th Street and 39th Avenue...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4858774095_3024d88662_b.jpg


Post-game view looking down 126th Street at 39th Avenue...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4859395960_9f1e8370b4_b.jpg


Finally, the view from outside "Express Deli," home of the $1.50 bottle of soda... that's a pretty big deal when the same bottles of soda are $5.25 inside the ballpark... wonder how much "McFadden's" gets for a soda...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4858776287_16884f365a_b.jpg


That's it! All of my photos from Hall of Fame Day can be found right here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary_dunaier/sets/72157624524919565/) on Flickr.

That last pic is a good one, I rarely if ever see that angle!

[dabigyankeeman]

Gary, do you ever get tired of hearing people like me constantly saying GREAT PHOTO'S!!!!!. I bet not, great stuff as always. Love the 4444, maybe thats been the problem all along.

[ribant]

It means I'll renew a full season plan only for a really primo spot that I'll have no real difficulty in finding takers for even in bad times, like RIGHT behind the plate on the Prom level in low rows (512-517 to Row 5, 412-417 rows 3 or 4). Someday the team will be good again (right?) and make the playoffs (right? right?) and I will have paid the price of suffering through lean years to have the best location, but not a stupid price. If they significantly reduce prices behind the plate and below Prom level I would consider upgrading (including by means of a season ticket buyer's discount), but I'm not holding my breath. (Example: averaging about $65 for Caesars Bronze, $80 for Caesars Gold or $100-120 for Metro Box, Champions Club or Delta Club.)

I also think they need to reduce the spread (in absolute dollar terms) between Gold and Value games for the higher average ticket prices. Back at Shea even in 2008 the most expensive ticket in the park (Inner Loge Box) cost $97 for a Gold game and $57 for a value game, a difference of $40, which is at least sort of reasonable. But for Delta Club it's $204 versus $102, a $102 difference! Per ticket! (And Delta Club sections have 20 rows in them, striped into FOUR seating tiers by rows 1-2, 3-8, 9-14 and 15-20 - meaning that for a Gold game, to sit 6 rows out of 20 closer to the field, to move from Row 15 to Row 8, means stepping up from a $204 to a $400 charge PER SEAT!)

As bad as the organization has become IF I could get FST's in the first rows of 512-517 I would go for it.

[ribant]

Without some major changes, not cosmetic ones, I predict the Mets will continue the slide from 2009's 3.1 million to 2010 projected 2.5/2.6 million and if everything stays the same.....2011 will be around 2.1-2.2 million.

It is amazing how pro sports has grown since free agency. Before FA pulling 2 million was a feat, now it's an off year.

[peterrod16]

It is amazing how pro sports has grown since free agency. Before FA pulling 2 million was a feat, now it's an off year.

well i think its the new stadiums/arena generation.
I mean in the last 5 years we have seen these new buildings the rock,citi.NYS,red bull Arena &New Meadowlands
plus MSG renovations.
teams get a spike in attendance for the new stadium and once the novetly wears off attendance will fall.
Yanks devils & red bulls have priced their respected new homes fairly.
pro football teams will be fine.
However, for the mets the novelty of citi field wore off in 2 months
the 5 tier pricing system is a joke now.
the simple method to correct the pricing structure is to have management invite season ticket holders to a 2011 pricing summit.
visit 90% of the sections of the ballpark and brain storm what should each section cost.
Full Half Partial individual tickets.
example baseline box
Full $36 Half $45 Partial $48 Individual $50

[Mister B.]

One might argue that for 2 out of three people, team performance is not all that important.

That is to say, the difference between nightly attendance of 25,000 people vs. 37,500, or 2 million people per year vs. 3 million, is the group that demands a good product on the field.

Group 1 is the core 25,000 / 2 million that enjoys the experience no matter what. They want to "go to the game", have fun, eat, watch the kiss cam, do the wave (shudder), jump up and down for a t-shirt, whatever.

Group 2 is the other 12,500 / 1 million who won't show up for all the reasons discussed on this board.

The issue is how hard management is willing to work to win over Group 2. As long as Group 2 is only one third of the total, I think the answer is "not very hard."

[trepye]

I have finally been to City Field.

It is a wonderful place to watch a ballgame.

How is it compared to other stadiums youve been to? How is it compared to Target Field?

[ribant]

One might argue that for 2 out of three people, team performance is not all that important.

That is to say, the difference between nightly attendance of 25,000 people vs. 37,500, or 2 million people per year vs. 3 million, is the group that demands a good product on the field.

Group 1 is the core 25,000 / 2 million that enjoys the experience no matter what. They want to "go to the game", have fun, eat, watch the kiss cam, do the wave (shudder), jump up and down for a t-shirt, whatever.

Group 2 is the other 12,500 / 1 million who won't show up for all the reasons discussed on this board.

The issue is how hard management is willing to work to win over Group 2. As long as Group 2 is only one third of the total, I think the answer is "not very hard."

My brother, who is clearly a group B person had gotten three sales calls this year, and he is in somebodies tickler file.

As a group A person I have only gotten one.

[mandrake]

One might argue that for 2 out of three people, team performance is not all that important.

That is to say, the difference between nightly attendance of 25,000 people vs. 37,500, or 2 million people per year vs. 3 million, is the group that demands a good product on the field.

Group 1 is the core 25,000 / 2 million that enjoys the experience no matter what. They want to "go to the game", have fun, eat, watch the kiss cam, do the wave (shudder), jump up and down for a t-shirt, whatever.

Group 2 is the other 12,500 / 1 million who won't show up for all the reasons discussed on this board.

The issue is how hard management is willing to work to win over Group 2. As long as Group 2 is only one third of the total, I think the answer is "not very hard."

I agree with your reasoning, but maybe your number of core fans could end up being a bit high.
If the Mets continue to under perform, we may see a core of around 20,000 which translates still to 1.6 million fans. This is approximately the core that the fans at Camden Yards and the Jake have whittled down to. A decade ago you would have trouble getting people in with a shoe horn. Nowadays, they can't sell out the joint even with 10,000 Yankees fans pouring in.

While others disagree with me, I see a strong correlation between the Mets franchise and the Islanders franchise as far as fan base. It increases while winning, and deflates after a period of losing. Look at MSG; the Knicks and Rangers make money despite themselves. The Rangers charge crazy prices and sell out.....but they do give FST's a decent discount and they do not have tier pricing. The same goes for the Yankees.

There was a time in baseball, during the so called golden age of baseball, where drawing a million was a success. Times changed, and now people look at increases and decreases. If the LA Dodgers suddenly were averaging 31,000 per game (2.5 million per year) it would be front page news because over the last decade they have averaged 3.5 million. The Angels have been successful on the field for most of the decade and they have averaged 2.9 million; avg since 2003 is around 3.3 million. If they dropped 500,000 or more in a season, I think Arte Moreno would do something about it.

I just wonder if Fred and Jeff understand that someday the bottom could fall out of the Mets fan base, maybe not to the numbers of 1979, but maybe a similar percentage drop off.

I recall Billy Martin saying that in the late 1970's, he thought George was paranoid about the Mets even when it came to spring training games. George often reminded Billy that the Mets had drawn 2.7 million fans, and their fan base could rise to those heights again and that the Yanks had to do everything to stay on top. And you know, George was right as the 1984-1992 attendance stats would show. George was always aware of things; I sometimes think Fred isn't aware of anything.

People don't switch team allegiances because they are not winning; but casual fans eventually lose interest and stop attending games. And the remaining fans are divided into two camps: those that get fed up and want change, and those that have grown to accept losing. Dallas Green has spoken a lot about this in relation to Chicago Cubs fans and his experiences there from his tenure in the 1980's. Basically, he said that from ownership on down to the fans, there was a philosophy of accepting a culture of losing. Everyone said they wanted to win, but very few were actually determined to make it happen.

Some callers were just on FAN ranting about the Wilpons, and the hosts kind of blew them off. If it was Yankee bashing, it probably would have been a different story. Sometimes it seems too many Mets fans are more concerned with being Anti-Yankee , than being more demanding of the Mets franchise.

[LI METS FAN]

As bad as the organization has become IF I could get FST's in the first rows of 512-517 I would go for it.

My goal for 2011 is to still buy a Saturday + partial plan but in the Caesars Gold or Silver section for Bronze pricing. Doubtful that they would lower the price and allow partials into those sections, but who knows.

My friend went to a focus group meeting last week regarding the Mets season ticket holders with 9 other people. Lasted 90 minutes and had questions on the Wilpons, management, the team, their tickets, club access, food, prices etc. My friend was the only one on the Caesars level, one was on the field level and the rest were Promenade full season ticket holders. Differing opinions naturally, the one consistent response was that it is ridiculous that Prom full season ticket holders don't have club access. All recommended that be changed for next year. We'll see.

[headshoes]

Focus group? How did your friend get involved in that?? Any chat of having a "flat" face value regardless of game/opponent for plan/fs holders?

[LI METS FAN]

Focus group? How did your friend get involved in that?? Any chat of having a "flat" face value regardless of game/opponent for plan/fs holders?

Got a phone call after being involved with the "Take the Field" season ticket holder promotion. Agreed to do it. I don't know how often the Met organization has done this in the past, but I view it as a positive sign. Particularly since it wasn't mainly people who sit in the expensive seats but this group was mostly Promenade Reserve season ticket holders.

[johnql]

A friend of mine also received an invitation to participate in a focus group but this one was for former STHs. Here's the email invitation that he received. My friend isn't sure if he is going to participate.

Dear Mr. Xxxxxxx,

My name is Emily Huddell, and I work for Turnkey Intelligence, a sports marketing firm based in NJ. I’m writing to you on behalf of the New York Mets.

Based on your status as a former season ticket holder, the Mets would like to invite you to take part in an upcoming focus group about their organization.

The focus group will take place at Citi Field on Monday, August 16th, 2010 at 6 PM. The session will last approximately 60-90 minutes, and light refreshments will be served.

Are you available to participate? If so, please write back to this email address or give me a call at 856.685.1450 ASAP so I can reserve you a spot in the group (space is limited). Once I receive your confirmation, I will add you to the participant list. Then, you will receive a follow-up email from me a few days before the session detailing the specifics of the event (where to park, what gate to use, etc.).

I will give you a call later this week to follow up on this email, but can be reached at 856.685.1450 if you have any questions in the meantime.

Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Best,

Emily M. Huddell
SVP, Client Sales & Service
Turnkey Intelligence
856.685.1450

[LI METS FAN]

If it is anything like the one my friend went to, it was sandwiches, salads and drinks, basically a full dinner, not just coffee and soda. Also a gift card at the end. I would do it if I was asked, schedule permitting.

[robardin]

I got invited to a STH Focus Group on Monday (on Aug 9). I'm a Prom Clubber. Will see what comes out of it.

[johnql]

I got invited to a STH Focus Group on Monday (on Aug 9). I'm a Prom Clubber. Will see what comes out of it.

I wonder how people were chosen for these focus groups. It will be very interesting to hear your thoughts on your group (i.e., what type of info they are looking for, perhaps an indication of what might come about as a result of their findings, etc.).

[Strawman]

Gary, do you ever get tired of hearing people like me constantly saying GREAT PHOTO'S!!!!!. I bet not, great stuff as always. Love the 4444, maybe thats been the problem all along.

Agree with the evil empire man - great pics once again.

[mlh1981]

I'd like to share some of my photos from July 7th, when I saw Reds@Mets

rotunda:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h35/mlh1981/162.jpg

lower concourse:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h35/mlh1981/164.jpg

looking down at one of the entrances:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h35/mlh1981/171.jpg

Walking towards our seating section:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h35/mlh1981/190.jpg

[mlh1981]

A few other pics:

looking down from the top row of the upper deck in left feld:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h35/mlh1981/183.jpg

same top row, facing left:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h35/mlh1981/185.jpg

The junkyards:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h35/mlh1981/196.jpg

Shot I took after game ended:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h35/mlh1981/217.jpg

[DN4L]

A few other pics:

looking down from the top row of the upper deck in left feld:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h35/mlh1981/183.jpg

same top row, facing left:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h35/mlh1981/185.jpg

The junkyards:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h35/mlh1981/196.jpg

Shot I took after game ended:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h35/mlh1981/217.jpg




Nice shots, mlh.. :)

[headshoes]

On a side note.. anyone think the Jets will begin to sell season tickets on a yearly basis without PSL?

[SS Express]

Great shots Gary! That guy that Howie Rose is talking to looks like Ethan Wilson. He's the Media Relations manager.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4859315514_69bf997830_b.jpg

[GordonGecko]

On a side note.. anyone think the Jets will begin to sell season tickets on a yearly basis without PSL?
Depends how much they have left to sell. They will definitely sell without preseason games for this year if you time it right, then the question is what do they do with the unsold regular season tix. They have a BIG decision to make. If they offer the PSL seats at no PSL for one season only, they risk seriously alienating the people that paid up. But what choice do they have with 15,000+ unsold PSLs. They may give first crack to those that already have a PSL, and then the general public. Either way, count on lots of individual ticket sales for 2010-11

[ribant]

I like the new single game ticket sales interface. I wonder why they did a soft opening and not announce it on the front page.

Leave it to the worlds worst marketing department to miss the chance to trumpet an improvement

[tfc3rid]

Will anyone show up in September this year?

[mandrake]

Will anyone show up in September this year?

Well, I have a few freebies due to blood drives, etc. I consider it a night out.....especially when I park on 114th St and eat at the Pine.:dance

[tfc3rid]

Some Mets bloggers are trying to organize a Citi Field Sit Out on August 25... Basically a boycott of the ballpark for that game to protest management... They are hoping it has some traction and legs and that if they go through FAN (where someone already successfully called) and other media outlets it might work...

[GordonGecko]

Some Mets bloggers are trying to organize a Citi Field Sit Out on August 25... Basically a boycott of the ballpark for that game to protest management... They are hoping it has some traction and legs and that if they go through FAN (where someone already successfully called) and other media outlets it might work...
that's retarded, how about nobody renew for 2011 instead and see if they notice then

[DN4L]

How about nobody renew for 2011 instead and see if they notice then


I don't think I could go a whole season without a Shack burger.. :)

[dstoffa]

I don't think I could go a whole season without a Shack burger.. :)

You don't need to get them at Cit Field.

Had a couple of 4 x 4's last week whilst in San Diego. In 'n Out still kicks Shack...

[robardin]

I like the new single game ticket sales interface. I wonder why they did a soft opening and not announce it on the front page.

Leave it to the worlds worst marketing department to miss the chance to trumpet an improvement

Assuming you're talking about Mets.com, I just went over to check it out and didn't see any difference. Or was this reply part of the Jets hijack? I wouldn't have thought the Jets beat the Mets for the title of "world's worst marketing department" (in the NYC metro area), but since I don't have any real interest in the NFL I could be missing the reference here.

And who's still buying single game tickets online anyway? I'd sure hit StubHub first for below-face bargains, or just go up to the ticket window on game day to avoid the fees.

[mandrake]

You don't need to get them at Cit Field.

Had a couple of 4 x 4's last week whilst in San Diego. In 'n Out still kicks Shack...

13 days to Anaheim.

Not only kicks the shack, but nowhere near $9.75.

[ribant]

Assuming you're talking about Mets.com, I just went over to check it out and didn't see any difference. Or was this reply part of the Jets hijack? I wouldn't have thought the Jets beat the Mets for the title of "world's worst marketing department" (in the NYC metro area), but since I don't have any real interest in the NFL I could be missing the reference here.

And who's still buying single game tickets online anyway? I'd sure hit StubHub first for below-face bargains, or just go up to the ticket window on game day to avoid the fees.


I'm talking about Mets.com but it's hardly mentioned.

Instead of clicking a categories best available button you now can click on ther section you specificly want in the small seat map on the upper left. I discovered it while comparison shopping.

As possibly the last person to buy a plan from the Mets I was happily surprised to sell off a pair above face. I guess Dstoffa is right. Seats behind the plate always carry a premium.

[GordonGecko]

You don't need to get them at Cit Field.

Had a couple of 4 x 4's last week whilst in San Diego. In 'n Out still kicks Shack...

In and out Burger sucks, and it's full of trans fats to boot. FYI, the "secret" to their burgers is they grill the patty with mustard.

But you don't need to renew to still see the Mets, just buy individual games when you want to go. The Mets will get the message and do something (probably not enough)

[dstoffa]

In and out Burger sucks, and it's full of trans fats to boot. FYI, the "secret" to their burgers is they grill the patty with mustard.

But you don't need to renew to still see the Mets, just buy individual games when you want to go. The Mets will get the message and do something (probably not enough)

In and Out Burger may suck, but In 'n Out Burger kicks a$$.
"Mustard Grilled" is a 'secret style' of burger. I order my 4 x 4 onions only, with extra toast (well done buns). A 4 x 4 in San Diego costs $5.05 + the outrageous 9.75% CA Sales Tax. That was eat-in. Not sure if there is an additional 'Take-Out' tax.

Re: Mets. I am waiting for more reports of these 'Think Tank Sessions'. They'll do too little, too late.

BTW, that section selection option is nice. Although it's 'Best Available', it's Best in Section. Good now that the Mets are $ucking, but probably won't be worth the effort for mass sales, unless the algorithm will choose adjacent sections if your first choice is N/A.

[mandrake]

In and out Burger sucks, and it's full of trans fats to boot. FYI, the "secret" to their burgers is they grill the patty with mustard.

But you don't need to renew to still see the Mets, just buy individual games when you want to go. The Mets will get the message and do something (probably not enough)

In-n-out = YUMMY. Zagat and just about every other survey thinks so too.

But I agree with the Mets tickets. The called me several times at the begining of the year about 15 game plans; I got the scoop first on the new playoff options on partials (that really worked out!); the Mets began calling again when the partials were down to 5 games and cost as little as $79.

Until they do something drastic and revamp the organization, I will continue to get tickets FREE via blood drives, clothes drives, Mets kid club, plasma donations, etc. The tickets are usually on field level or casear's and if you get 7 or 8 pairs thru the season, that comes to nearly $1400 or more that could have cost you in face.....or approximately what a 500 level crap seat cost for the season.

Throw in a few stubhub specials, especially when the weather looks dicey (like the one hit gem Niese pitched where I bought Section 408, $48 face each, for $6 each). I hope to see the Mets free fall at the gate continue until things change. A 500,000 sale decrease from 2009 to 2010 will become more dramatic if there is another 500,000 drop for 2011.

Unreal that one can get discounts to the Audi Club at YS for the Yankee vs Rays series in late September ($100 instead of $150) when the Mets refuse to discount their series with the Pittsburgh Pirates the week before. Someone in Queens just does not get it.

[Paul W]

Great shots Gary! That guy that Howie Rose is talking to looks like Ethan Wilson. He's the Media Relations manager.

jay's go-fer and heavy lifter...

[Strawman]

Sure most of you guys have seen this - Mets have the largest attendance decline in MLB this year, 6K fewer fans per game.

http://www.metsblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/attendance.png

Goes to show you have the best new stadium in the league, great food, and even a large fan base - but if the product on the field continues to lag, you won't exceed expectations in any way and you will leak casual fans like a freaking sieve....

[johnql]

Sure most of you guys have seen this - Mets have the largest attendance decline in MLB this year, 6K fewer fans per game.

http://www.metsblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/attendance.png

Goes to show you have the best new stadium in the league, great food, and even a large fan base - but if the product on the field continues to lag, you won't exceed expectations in any way and you will leak casual fans like a freaking sieve....

Just curious - where did you get this chart?

[peterrod16]

Just curious - where did you get this chart?

here you go johnql http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/current_attendance.shtml

Its pretty sad how nobody cares to go to Citi field.
Has Citi Field become PNC Park?

[ribant]

Sure most of you guys have seen this - Mets have the largest attendance decline in MLB this year, 6K fewer fans per game.

http://www.metsblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/attendance.png

Goes to show you have the best new stadium in the league, great food, and even a large fan base - but if the product on the field continues to lag, you won't exceed expectations in any way and you will leak casual fans like a freaking sieve....

How the heck does Tampa actually go down 1,700 per game. The other declines make sense, but the Rays???

[trepye]

Sure most of you guys have seen this - Mets have the largest attendance decline in MLB this year, 6K fewer fans per game.

http://www.metsblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/attendance.png

Goes to show you have the best new stadium in the league, great food, and even a large fan base - but if the product on the field continues to lag, you won't exceed expectations in any way and you will leak casual fans like a freaking sieve....

Lets not forget ticket prices 50-150% more expensive than the league average. Thats the biggest culprit, IMO.

[johnql]

here you go johnql http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/current_attendance.shtml

Its pretty sad how nobody cares to go to Citi field.
Has Citi Field become PNC Park?

Thanks for the link.

[robardin]

Until they do something drastic and revamp the organization, I will continue to get tickets FREE via blood drives, clothes drives, Mets kid club, plasma donations, etc. ...

I get it. You'll be the guy wandering around Citi Field nearly naked, dizzy and bleeding, getting high on a few bites of a Shack Burger with the low core body temperature thing going on, with a few kids in tow :)

[Gary Dunaier]

I don't think I could go a whole season without a Shack burger.. :)

You can always get one at... oh, no, you can't, they don't have a "Shake Shack" there...

[Gary Dunaier]

Its pretty sad how nobody cares to go to Citi field.

I've got a ticket for to-morrow's game... I know some of the upcoming times have been changed for the benefit of the Entertainment Sports Programming Network on the Cable television... so I called up the Mets to confirm the starting time for to-morrow. When I asked them what time the game starts, they asked me what time I could get there.

:highfive:


Has Citi Field become PNC Park?

Fake PNC Park fail!

[mandrake]

I get it. You'll be the guy wandering around Citi Field nearly naked, dizzy and bleeding, getting high on a few bites of a Shack Burger with the low core body temperature thing going on, with a few kids in tow :):clapping

No, no Shake Shack for me. It was an OK burger in 2009 when it was served to me in my Delta Lounge seat.......but no way in the world am I paying $9.75 and missing 1 1/2 to 2 innings for a burger.

I just had 2 freebies for 7/28 in section 131 courtesy of an earlier blood drive. I have Wednesday freebies in section 107 for the Kids Club. I donated plasma, something people could actually do every few days, and they gave me 2 in section 129 'silver' for Build a Bear day !!!. On 8/4 they had a blood drive at Citi and they gave me 2 for 9/15 in section 129 silver. When I told them 9/14 was my birthday, they gave me an extra 2 in sec 104 for that game, but I gave them back since I knew I was not going.

It is really nice that the Mets give so many decent seats away ! I just do not understand why they refuse to discount the September series vs Pittsburgh or Milwaukee.........at the same time the Yankees are discounting (quietly) many tickets to the 4 games Tampa Bay series in late September.

If this was a business model, the Yankees are Walmart. The Mets are Caldors, Bradlees, Ames, Jamesway and all the other retailers who just could not compete with the monster from NW Arkansas.

I also avoid giving the Wilpons parking money whenever possible as I prefer to park on 114th street and walker over the Northern Blvd viaduct. $19 I don't have to give out to park adds up.

[robardin]

Well, the Mets are giving them away because they aren't selling them. And the same thing with the Yankees - they're discounting because they aren't selling. It's not out of the goodness of their hearts, though one might say they get more karma points by giving them away in the name of good causes than doing severe in-season discounting.

As a season ticket holder I'd rather see them give away tickets than give big discounts to new, single-game buyers without refunds to older ones (like me). Though I am surprised they don't have promo-tied discounts any more, like "Show up with an empty Pepsi can and get in for $5 into the LF Prom Reserved".

And even the Yankee STHs, if GordonGecko is to be believed, are also increasingly inclined to drop out due to the high prices, and that's WITH the Yankees making the playoffs like clockwork and winning a championship last year.

In the end the only action that's win-win is for both teams, but especially the Mets who have not done much on the field to justify sky-high prices, to... just... reduce... the ticket prices, period, full stop, simple as that.

[mandrake]

Well, the Mets are giving them away because they aren't selling them. And the same thing with the Yankees - they're discounting because they aren't selling. It's not out of the goodness of their hearts, though one might say they get more karma points by giving them away in the name of good causes than doing severe in-season discounting.

As a season ticket holder I'd rather see them give away tickets than give big discounts to new, single-game buyers without refunds to older ones (like me). Though I am surprised they don't have promo-tied discounts any more, like "Show up with an empty Pepsi can and get in for $5 into the LF Prom Reserved".

And even the Yankee STHs, if GordonGecko is to be believed, are also increasingly inclined to drop out due to the high prices, and that's WITH the Yankees making the playoffs like clockwork and winning a championship last year.

In the end the only action that's win-win is for both teams, but especially the Mets who have not done much on the field to justify sky-high prices, to... just... reduce... the ticket prices, period, full stop, simple as that.

Yankees have actually had a slight increase of over 600 fans per game to average 46,300 even with very high prices.The Mets have dropped over 6,000 per game to average around 33,000.

In 2011, I would be shocked if the Yankees do not average over 45,000 no matter what they do in the position. In 2011, I would not be surprised to see the Mets average under 30,000. That comes out to a difference of at least 1.2 million tickets for the season between what the NYY sell and the Mets sell.

There is a 49 season trend of Mets attendance, and rarely does the downward trend bottom out very quickly.

The Yankees discount seats knowing people will spend money in the Stadium. The Mets somehow can't figure out that empty seats do not fill up their empty spaces known as exclusive clubs, nor do empty seats spend money on other concessions.

Right now the Yankees vs Mets rivalry seems more like Foreman vs Frazier, but the Mets are not even smoking. (Down goes Frazier!)

[Mister B.]

This may have been covered somewhere, and if so please excuse me, but...

Wasn't there a backlash in this space during 2009, when the Mets started discounting through the Flushing Flash? The reasoning was that it was unfair to planholders who prepaid in bulk, whether they attended the games, or were trying to sell through SH but were getting undercut by the Mets.

The Mets probably "heard" the anger from the 2009 planholders who were hurt by this (not to mention 2010 prospective planholders) - people who said "I'm not buying a 2010 plan; I'll wait for the discounts." So, management decided "no dumping at a discount this year." Freebies for a good cause, but no discounting.

Could change for September as things really wind down.

Meanwhile, my Billy Joel movie tix arrived in the mail, along with a bunch of Mets pocket schedules. Hope springs eternal, huh?

(P.S. Let's give it up for mandrake, the Human Pincushion, for his remarkable contributions to the blood drive.)

[robardin]

Well, I just got back from the focus group. It was 10 people including myself, all season ticket holders, many of them very long term, including two guys who had been STHs for over 25 years. Others were like me, former partial plan holders who upgraded to being full season ticket holders within the past few years - one guy in 2005 after the Mets got Pedro and Beltran, and one or two others who did like I did and upgraded with the move to Citi Field.

Interestingly enough, nobody there was a STH from the Promenade Reserved seats. There were three in Prom Club (including myself and including one who's in PC Gold Row 1), one in Prom Box, two in Pepsi Porch (one Gold), two in LF Reserved, one Gold (section 134 Row 1 and 138 Row 5), one in Delta Club Silver section 11 Row 9, and one who didn't say what level, just "on the first base side".

They said they were running six such Focus Group sessions of ten people each, including ones with current STHs, current partial plan holders, lapsed STHs and single game buyers, all randomly selected from within their category. Since everyone in my group was a current full season ticket holder, I'm guessing they're segregated by group (to get the same questions), and since someone else mentioned an earlier STH focus group it seems likely they're running more STH groups than the other ones (at least two). The session was recorded on video, and they said it would be reviewed by all sorts of people up and down the organization.

They had a nice spread of good sandwiches, pasta salad, cookies and drinks before and during the session (they had food left over so it was plenty), and we also got a $50 Mets gift card at the end (I also took home my tented name card with the Mets logo on it, plus two Mets logo notepads ;)).

They had a seven entry questionnaire to start off with.


1 - Which of the following describes you (check all that apply):
- 2010 season ticket holder
- 2010 partial plan holder
- former sesason ticket holder
- former partial plan holder
- single game buyer

2 - How many years have you been (a) a Mets fan, (b) attending games?

3-5 - When attending a game, do you prefer to see:
(a game featuring power hitting / home runs vs. a pitcher's duel, or no pref)
(young players vs. established veterans, or no pref)
(big-name free agent acquisitions vs. home grown farmhand talent, or no pref)

6 - What ONE WORD would you use to describe the Mets' organization?

7- What current Mets player do you feel best represents the Mets organization?


We then had about an hour or so of moderated discussion on a variety of topics, ranging from the game day experience at Citi Field, how we felt the team was being run, the perceived culture of the team and its management, and "the season ticket holder experience" (value and service). There were some interesting and very different answers from several people in the group from what is commonly rehashed on this particular board/message thread.

Overwhelmingly, people were positive about the ballpark experience, calling it intimate and fan-friendly. The guy in the Delta Club seats likened it to being "in a [movie] theater as much as a ballpark", and meant it in a good way (as a season ticket holder of over 20 years), and the people in the outfield seating (LF Reserved, Pepsi Porch) said they loved it. In fact the guy in LF Reserved, section 138 Row 5 (the next-to-last section in dead center field) moved out there from a location behind home plate to be closer to the center field attractions, such as the food court and the Kiddie Field, which his kids love and is a major plus for him. And the guy in Pepsi Porch Gold was on TV recently catching a Francoeur HR ball (the guy with the fake mustache they kept replaying on SNY).

There were some potshots at "view obstructions" like railings in Row 1 of the Prom Box section last year, and heads nodding when I mentioned how much of LF (not just the warning track) was missing from the 300s, 400s and 500s in left field, but since nobody had seats out there nobody picked up the baton. Similarly, nobody complained about the Prom Reserved plexiglass stairwells because nobody in the group was exposed to it.

One guy said he was paying too much for Prom Club where the club access was "built in" to the face value when he'd rather pay less and pass on the club access: "make club access a la carte". He was the only one to express that sentiment though. Everyone did agree that the clubs were very nice for spending time in, but were more "like a hotel bar" for hanging out before the game, and not worth spending significant time in during the game.

The most [venting] time was spent on the team culture. Phrases thrown around: "bad fundamentals from the top down", "no fire or passion", "boring", "no leadership"... Eventually we reached consensus that what it boiled down to was a lack of a team culture, and no core plan for a direction in which to take the team. There is no "Mets Way" for winning, just a bunch of guys playing ball together. There is no sense of Some Things Are Not Done (such as bunting with a man on second and nobody out), with consequences for those who violate that ethos. There is too much of "spending 10-15 million per year on the second tier FA instead of 18-20 million on a top shelf one", resulting in a number of players who are mediocre veterans by the end of their tenures but contribute to a perennially high and underachieving payroll.

Ticket prices were raised often. If the team is in a rebuilding mode (fielding 7 of 9 home-grown players), they can't charge Yankee-like prices. We were on the whole willing to see young guys get a shot, but not to pay top dollar for it, especially when the team itself is not investing in the farm system by passing on signing high talent draft picks. A 15-20% discount was raised numerous times, to parallel what the Yankees and Phillies offer their STHs and also to offset the StubHub seller fees.

The team does not seem "committed to winning" as exhibited by the keeping dead weight on the active roster like Ollie and Castillo. Oliver Perez is a prime case in point: even the manager and his own teammates cannot defend why Perez still there in uniform... Just cut him! The valuing of "we're on the hook" (for money already gone either way) over a spot among 6 relievers that the Mets desperately need, and where just about ANYBODY would be better (and relieve fan anger), is incomprehensible. It also makes free agents unwilling to come except for Second Tier FAs At Way Too Much Money, because the perception is there that the organization is not really In It To Win It but just willing to throw money around to flail between 80 and 90 wins.

Several people indicated they'd like a more extended payment plan - the Knicks, Rangers and Jets were cited as allowing 6 or even 9 installments, where the Mets only accept either payment in full or in two installments, which was a burden to several people.

By the way, despite the frustrations voiced about the poor spending of FA money, the play on the field, the ticket prices and so on, just about everybody said they were planning to renew their ticket plans. I hedged mine by saying I was disappointed at how often I was able to get as good or better locations in Prom Club as single game tickets and expected an upgrade (noting that as of this morning, one could buy a pro-rated season ticket plan in Prom Club in section 412 Row 3, which I would consider better than my current location), but most people seemed perfectly happy with their location and apparently didn't mind eating up to $5,000 in face value losses in unused or donated tickets (by one person's estimation from last year). (gasp)

At the end someone mentioned using the Season Ticket VIP card for expanded club access, which I agreed with. For example, printing the club access on the card so those with expensive FSTs could still use those clubs when going to the game on cheaper tickets, and/or giving "one level upgrades" to STHs versus the people in the same section - so that Prom Reserved people could show the VIP card to get into the Prom Club, Prom Box to get into Acela/Caesars Club, etc., and so on down the line. That'd be an easy way to make STHs feel special, fill the clubs more and thus generate more revenue for the club in the end as well.

One last observation: one person voiced the opinion that the price tiering thing was ridiculous, that the team should go back to having just one price per seat for the season, whatever it was. He was alone in that sentiment though, as three or four other people said "tiered pricing is terrific, there's no reason I should pay as much for the Braves in July on a weekend as for the Pirates on Wednesday in April". I didn't have the time to raise my idea of reducing the price spreads for the more expensive tickets (which I mentioned on this thread a while back), so I left a printed-out letter with my opinions with the staff at the end of the session.

[robardin]

(moved content to my previous post (http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?88673-Citi-Field&p=1774182#post1774182) (of which this had been a continuation) to make for easier searching later.)

[DN4L]

You can always get one at... oh, no, you can't, they don't have a "Shake Shack" there...


No I can't get a Shack Burger at NYS, Gary..
But I can get a delicious Lobell's steak sandwich at NYS...
Which is my "number one favorite" sandwich out of the two new ball parks...



http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d141/spalevas/DSC03622.jpg

[dstoffa]

Lets not forget ticket prices 50-150% more expensive than the league average. Thats the biggest culprit, IMO.

The team stinks. And the new ballpark fad has run its course...
Prices may have some impact, but there are plenty of cheap seats available if someone wants to go.

[GordonGecko]

Some people thought this day would never happen, but ticketmaster has begun offering the ability to pick your specific seat from inventory instead of getting "next best" (whatever best is for them):

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1D00437EE32D67EE

About time!!! How long have we been waiting for this, 20 years?

[dstoffa]

Some people thought this day would never happen, but ticketmaster has begun offering the ability to pick your specific seat from inventory instead of getting "next best" (whatever best is for them):

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1D00437EE32D67EE

About time!!! How long have we been waiting for this, 20 years?

Pretty cool. A agree... About time.

I wonder if you can buy a single in the middle of a set, creating two singles from a triple....

Cheers!
-Doug

[foulpole]

Fandom is funny. The Mets outdraw 5 of the 6 first place teams, with the Yankees as the only exception, of course. I think attendance always lags behind success, as it has been a while since the Reds, Padres, Rangers, and Braves have been contenders.

[Fudbutter]

It is amazing how pro sports has grown since free agency. Before FA pulling 2 million was a feat, now it's an off year.

1960 USA Population: 179,323,175

1970: 203,392,031

Today: 309,956,529

[GordonGecko]

1960 NYC Population: 7,781,984

1970: 7,894,862

Today: 8,391,881

barely budged, yet attendance is way up. I don't think pro sports attendance tracks well with population growth. I think it tracks better with disposable income growth

[StadiumPage]

1960 NYC Population: 7,781,984

1970: 7,894,862

Today: 8,391,881

barely budged, yet attendance is way up. I don't think pro sports attendance tracks well with population growth. I think it tracks better with disposable income growth

Higher disposable income, more free time and night games. In baseball's "golden era" most people worked 6 days a week. Plus most games were day games (also when people were at work). Sportswriters love writing about too many night games, but if they were all day games Saturday and Sunday would always sell out but they'd draw flies on weekdays. Forget about people actually buying season tickets.

[chedda man]

Cant even give away tickets to tonights game....Good seats too. Unreal...

[GordonGecko]

can't you stububb them? only 380 seats listed as of 3:40 pm

[LI METS FAN]

Higher disposable income, more free time and night games. In baseball's "golden era" most people worked 6 days a week. Plus most games were day games (also when people were at work). Sportswriters love writing about too many night games, but if they were all day games Saturday and Sunday would always sell out but they'd draw flies on weekdays. Forget about people actually buying season tickets.

I'd like to add the acceptance of credit cards at MLB parks and in MLB ticket offices as a reason for increased attendance. I believe in 1997 Mastercard started their "priceless" campaign with MLB parks in mind. I don't remember the exact year that MLB parks stopped only taking cash for concessions, but it might have been in the mid 90's. And I think you always had to pay for your full or partial season ticket plans at Shea with either check or money order. Any one have old Mets Media Guides showing when the switch from cash to credit was?

Maybe MLB attendance rose not necessarily when disposable income went up but credit card acceptance came through?

[dstoffa]

I'd like to add the acceptance of credit cards at MLB parks and in MLB ticket offices as a reason for increased attendance. I believe in 1997 Mastercard started their "priceless" campaign with MLB parks in mind. I don't remember the exact year that MLB parks stopped only taking cash for concessions, but it might have been in the mid 90's. And I think you always had to pay for your full or partial season ticket plans at Shea with either check or money order. Any one have old Mets Media Guides showing when the switch from cash to credit was?


I've been a plan holder since 1996. I was always able to pay for my regular season plan tickets with a credit card.

Howwever, this wasn't true for post-season tickets. The first time I had an opportunioty to buy them, it had to be with certififed funds. They wouldn't accept credit cards. I was like, "Huh?", but then I realized they didn't want to pay the rake to the credit card companies. After missing on the last weekend of the season, the Mets had to send out checks to everybody (I still have a carbon of the check they sent me somewhere...). The following year, in 1999, they did accept CC for post-seaosn, buy Visa/MC only -- No AMEX. I want to say, that in 2000, they began to take any type of plastic.

Cheers!
-Doug

[Gary Dunaier]

The latest Met victory to date... the Pelfrey 1-0 shutout. And here we go...


First, it looks as though my original Fan Walk brick in Section 6 is no longer in pristine condition...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4884033434_1344baf946_b.jpg


My traditional "first pitch of the game" photo... this one documenting Mike Pelfrey's pitch to Colorado’s Dexter Fowler, a fastball for Ball One... compare the "live" view of game action with what you see on the flat-screen TV above (photo taken from behind Metropolitan Box 114, row 32, seat 10)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4883431553_6ff08b39e7_b.jpg

Also note the faded "Mets Hall of Fame" graphic on the field... this was actually the first home game since the August 1 disaster that was preceded by the induction ceremonies... I guess the trend nowadays is for teams to allow commemorative markings to just fade out instead of removing them... I remember the Yankees left the '2008 All-Star Game' markings on the field after that game was played...


When I was at the Brooklyn Cyclones game last week I appreciated the simplicity and ease of just going to the top of the aisles between sections and getting views from there, so I tried doing the same at Citi Field... some areas were more easier to do than others... case in point: this Field Level view from left field, photo taken from the top of the aisle between Left Field Reserved 136 and 135...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4883432543_661fba88c9_b.jpg


Here are the prices for "Shake Shack" food...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4884036696_7484141b57_b.jpg


Here's a view of McFadden's, as seen from the smoking area adjacent to the kiddie field area... the famous Express Deli, across the street, can also be seen (it's the store with the orange front)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4883433945_2c6159770c_b.jpg


I like some of the between-inning entertainment they have... "Mets Make A Deal" is one of them... they give a fan a prize and have him trade it for whatever's in box #1, #2 or #3... usually one box has something really, really cool (like an autographed baseball), another box has something really, really lame (one time it was a pack of Mets notepaper), and the third box was somewhere in between. I got lucky and happened to see them do it live tonight (of course, it would have been nice to get even luckier and be selected as the contestant)... the guy was given a Mr. Met bobblehead and traded it for what was in box #3... box #3 had a Mets cap... if that was me and I knew I'd wind up with the cap I'd have kept the bobblehead...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4884037954_099f71b5be_b.jpg


* sigh * another private party in Bullpen Plaza... never mind the fan for whom tonight may be their one and only visit to Citi Field and would have liked to get an up-close look at the bullpen...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4884038416_1ea6b96b8a_b.jpg


Here's the view from behind the right field stands, the top of the aisle between Baseline Box 105 and 104 to be specific...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4884052900_b05cf0dfdd_b.jpg


This is one of those views you don't plan on getting, you just see it and decide it would make for an interesting shot: the reflection of the right field video board on the side of the "Pepsi Porch"... in this case, you're looking at a backward image of Ruben Tejada’s batting average from his at-bat graphic...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4884053304_56bf71548b_b.jpg


More to come...

[Gary Dunaier]

We start off this batch with a view from the furthest point out in right field (photo taken from the top of the stairs at the aisle of Promenade Box 401)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4123/4883452409_aa3594432f_b.jpg


Don't know how much official Major League baseballs (new, not game-used) go for in sporting goods stores, but they're $30.00 apiece at Citi Field...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4883453463_bc82d3eeb5_b.jpg


Some pretty big game action... Jose Reyes sacrifices to right field with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 7th inning, driving in what would turn out to be the Mets’ winning run (photo taken from Promenade Reserved 536, row 1, seat 21)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4883455889_fea83dc09b_b.jpg


...and here's Jeff Francoeur scoring that winning run (everybody repeat, in unison: photo taken from Promenade Reserved 536, row 1, seat 21)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4883456435_826d1dbb83_b.jpg


Here's something you don't always see: the right field scoreboard dissolving from one image to another, in this case from Francisco Rodriguez’ pitching stats to Carlos Gonzalez’ at-bat graphics in the top of the 9th inning...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4884060432_d3bdd94647_b.jpg


Put it in the books – Ike Davis has just caught Brad Hawpe’s ground ball, and first base umpire Phil Cuzzi calls Hawpe out to end the game and give the Mets a 1-0 victory (photo taken from Promenade Reserved 536, row 1, seat 21)...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4884061344_a2e1e00cb8_b.jpg


Here's a view of the Mets' dugout that I've centered to line up directly with the tunnel leading to the clubhouse...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4883461715_01d5d50f5a_b.jpg


This is the famous toaster, on sale in the gift shop, that can leave an imprint of the Mets logo on your toasted bread...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4883462567_a852d52eb5_b.jpg


...and here's a peek inside, where you can see the "NY" stencil...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4884066114_9c9b71d08c_b.jpg


Finally, across the street from Mets Plaza (note the Shea Stadium Home Run Apple in the distance), a Flushing-bound Q48 bus stops to pick up passengers... the Q48 goes from Main Street, Flushing to LaGuardia Airport...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4884066868_3870972a17_b.jpg


That's it. All of my photos from Tuesday night can be found right here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary_dunaier/sets/72157624700065192/) on Flickr.

[GordonGecko]

Great pictures Gary, you sure have a way of capturing the fan experience in brilliant detail.

[Mongoose]

This is Fred Wilpon we're talking about here. He'd been pushing for a new stadium for at least 15 years. If a Mets Hall of Fame had been part of those plans it would've been there last season. The fact that there's any Hall of Fame just means the Tonedeaf One was forced to cave to fan anger. The fact that it's in the team store means he figured if he was going to be forced to "waste" space on a HOF, he might as well set it up so it'll increase fan traffic to the store and make him more money.

Fred figured out a way to commercialize it in a way that even the Yankees had the dignity to avoid. I'm surprised some Mets fans have been hoodwinked into thinking anything is being truly honored, or is honorable here.

Well, I finally got a chance to check out the Mets HOF/Museum at "Citi Field". What do you know? I was right about the way they configured it! Am I some kind of genius? Not really. I just know my Wilpons. At the back of the place was a table in which they were selling dubious, garbage artifacts like used minor league batting helmets, etc. The place then expanded into the usual old team store, where you could buy a Chinese made Brooklyn Dodgers cap for $39.99.

At the back of the HOF/Museum I noticed a rack of the NY Giants inspired throwback jerseys they wore on NL "Heritage" weekend last season. They were $250 apiece. I noticed they all had phony numbers and no names and asked the salesman if they were game used. He told me they were "game issued". "What does that mean?". He explained they were issued to players that didn't play in the series, but were with the team. Since the series was August 14th to 16th of 2009 and rosters hadn't been expanded yet, I wondered what kind of bogus nonsense he was handing me. One of the numbers was 09. Omir Santos was number 9 last season and he certainly played in the series. One can only suppose the Wilpons made extra jerseys and put phony numbers on them in a mendacious, fraudulent attempt to dupe fans into buying the things as actual artifacts. The guy explained to me $250 was a bargain; the actual "game used" jerseys went for $400.

The other thing I noticed was that the art on the Hall of Fame plaques turned hideous in the years after Wilpon took over. The plaques of Stengel, Hodges, Payson, etc. featured credible, bas relief representations of their subjects. By the time we got to Seaver, Strawberry, Gooden, the representations became grotesque. Seaver looks like he has acromegaly. Gooden resembles a carnival mask of Pol Pot.

He must have found his sculptor on the cheap. Maybe undergrad interns from an art school, though most could probably do better. It reminded me of the way the renderings on the coinage of empires in decline tend to become crude and sloppy. It happened in Greece, Rome... And now Flushing.

As for the bona fide artifacts: they were great. I only wish they'd been put in a dignified, stand-alone space that wasn't polluted by Coupon nonsense like the jersey swindle and the pricey, inauthentic Chinese caps. In a way, though, I guess you can consider the phony jerseys and Chinese caps to be Fred and Jeff's personal monument, which makes their Mets Hall of Fame truly complete.

[Gary Dunaier]

I saw those "game issued" jerseys, including the "09." I just presumed "09" was the batboy's jersey... the batboys' uniform numbers correspond to the current year.

As far as the plaques are concerned, I've presumed all of them were made this year, the first year the Hall of Fame was open to all fans (as opposed to being a fake Hall of Fame fail in the Diamond Club, accessible only to those who had Diamond Club tickets, where they just had busts of the inductees in a display case).

[dstoffa]

I saw those "game issued" jerseys, including the "09." I just presumed "09" was the batboy's jersey... the batboys' uniform numbers correspond to the current year.

As far as the plaques are concerned, I've presumed all of them were made this year, the first year the Hall of Fame was open to all fans (as opposed to being a fake Hall of Fame fail in the Diamond Club, accessible only to those who had Diamond Club tickets, where they just had busts of the inductees in a display case).

You never needed a Diamond CLub Ticket to visit the Busts and Trophy Case in the Lobby of the old Diamond Club. I visited MANY times with my Mezz Reserved Ticket. The biggest problem with the old HOF was its location. If you didn't know where it was, you'd never find it. Gate C, first base escalator to the Mezzanine, down one flight on the ramp, walk through a tunnel to a pair of glass doors....

You needed a DC tickets to get into the grille room (unless you were cool and could bluff pretty good -- they were always willing to let you go to the bar w/o a ticket, but they wouldn't seat you.)

Cheers!
-Doug

[Strawman]

I saw those "game issued" jerseys, including the "09." I just presumed "09" was the batboy's jersey... the batboys' uniform numbers correspond to the current year.

As far as the plaques are concerned, I've presumed all of them were made this year, the first year the Hall of Fame was open to all fans (as opposed to being a fake Hall of Fame fail in the Diamond Club, accessible only to those who had Diamond Club tickets, where they just had busts of the inductees in a display case).

Gary's right - all those plaques are new. The old HOF had busts of the inductees. The 'goose is just after more Wilpon scalp!

[StadiumPage]

If you didn't know where it was, you'd never find it. Gate C, first base escalator to the Mezzanine, down one flight on the ramp, walk through a tunnel to a pair of glass doors....


Totally right on that. I always killed time there during rain delays. I don't know how many ramps I mistook trying to get there from the Mezz.
The DC lobby was definetly ticket free. Anyone could checkout the trophy case with the busts/trophies and the store. You just couldn't get into the restaurants without the proper ticket.

[foulpole]

Totally right on that. I always killed time there during rain delays. I don't know how many ramps I mistook trying to get there from the Mezz.The DC lobby was definetly ticket free. Anyone could checkout the trophy case with the busts/trophies and the store. You just couldn't get into the restaurants without the proper ticket.

Yeah, those ramps all looked the same, but if didn't catch the right one you'd be lost. By the end I finally figured out the best way. There was a ramp between Mezz sections 5 and 7 that would take you to the service entrance at the back of the DC, which would lead you in right across from the DC's men's room. No ticket required, just walk right in and head to the bar.

[dstoffa]

Yeah, those ramps all looked the same, but if didn't catch the right one you'd be lost. By the end I finally figured out the best way. There was a ramp between Mezz sections 5 and 7 that would take you to the service entrance at the back of the DC, which would lead you in right across from the DC's men's room. No ticket required, just walk right in and head to the bar.

Hmm. I didn't know there was a door on the RF (odd) section. I assume your door is the mirror of this door. (Sorry Gary). This door led to the corridor at the back of the Grille Room (opposide the DC Lobby), and was on the third base (even) side of Shea.

http://www.panix.com/~douglas/images/grille-room-back-door.jpg

Cheers!
-Doug

p.s. -- I thought eventually they painted a blue line along the ramp to the Diamond Club. Not exaclty a yellow-brick road, but probably inspired by the Wiz none the less.

[islandxtreme26]

Gary D. photo request: City Field Detention Center

It may not be the picture you had in mind John, but as requested, a "picture" of the Citi Field Detention Center, showing the holding cells (no idea if KRod got stuck in one of these) and the police station. For reference, the Home Run Apple is also depicted on the drawing:

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/7249/img00025201008121609.jpg (http://img202.imageshack.us/i/img00025201008121609.jpg/)


Also for your use, I reintroduce the area showing our old favorite, the Posse Lounge - located adjacent to the Family Lounge, where the "alleged" fight took place:

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/5112/img00026201008121609.jpg (http://img405.imageshack.us/i/img00026201008121609.jpg/)

[StadiumPage]

I thought eventually they painted a blue line along the ramp to the Diamond Club. Not exaclty a yellow-brick road, but probably inspired by the Wiz none the less.

Yea the blue line in Shea's final years made everything easier, signage too:
http://www.stadiumpage.com/shea2008/Shea_041208_10.jpg

[milladrive]

I just got done deleting and editing a bunch of recent posts which had NOTHING to do with Citi Field.

Now pay attention, because I'm going to make a post essentially the same as I've made in other ballpark threads.

This is not the Mets forum. If anyone wishes to discuss the Mets' games, along with the hopes and their outcomes, as well as the players and owners, feel free to take it to the Met forum.

This thread is for discussing Citi Field and nothing else! Any further posts deviating from this topic will be deleted. Beyond that, continued deviations from this topic will result in the closing of the thread altogether and/or potential suspensions. End of story.

[dstoffa]

I just got done deleting and editing a bunch of recent posts which had NOTHING to do with Citi Field.

Now pay attention, because I'm going to make a post essentially the same as I've made in other ballpark threads.

This is not the Mets forum. If anyone wishes to discuss the Mets' games, along with the hopes and their outcomes, as well as the players and owners, feel free to take it to the Met forum.

This thread is for discussing Citi Field and nothing else! Any further posts deviating from this topic will be deleted. Beyond that, continued deviations from this topic will result in the closing of the thread altogether and/or potential suspensions. End of story.

Would you agree that the post depicting the plans / blueprints for Citi, showing the holding cell and police outpost / office is appropriate for this thread? Was that purged?

Cheers!
-Doug

[Ralf]

City has almost all the land necessary for the first phase of development.


The city has signed deals to acquire four more parcels totaling 33,100 square feet of land in the 62-acre Willets Point area of northeast Queens.

The city so far has made such deals with about 25 Willets Point landowners, according to the city Economic Development Corp., and these most recent acquisitions increase the percentage of land the city controls in the first phase of the planned development area to 80 percent.

The parcels purchased were 15,100 square feet from JY Utica, 10,000 square feet from Josianne Sellam, 4,000 square feet from QC Ironworks and 4,000 square feet from Tomco.

The city is in active negotiations with several other Willets Point landowners for their parcels, according to the EDC.

http://www.yournabe.com/articles/2010/08/12/queens/qns_wp_brief_20100812.txt

[JohnCropp]

Would you agree that the post depicting the plans / blueprints for Citi, showing the holding cell and police outpost / office is appropriate for this thread? Was that purged?

Cheers!
-Doug

I second this questioning.

The discussion about the holding area at City Field in which the closer of the New York Mets spent last night was very much relevant to the thread and, I dare say, ESSENTIAL to the relevancy and usefulness of this forum. When I read the news, I immediately came her to see if a photo of the area had been posted so that I could get an idea of what that area of the ballpark looked like.

Deleting this discussion is like Jerry Manuel pulling Pelfry only for the bullpen to blow the lead and wasting all of his hard work (the blueprints with the locations circled were pretty interesting).

But we don't have to get into that here.

[milladrive]

Would you agree that the post depicting the plans / blueprints for Citi, showing the holding cell and police outpost / office is appropriate for this thread? Was that purged?

Cheers!
-Doug

My apologies, Doug. I did find that quite funny.

Anyone and everyone is welcome to discuss the Mets in the Mets forum -- and, frankly, I would't mind seeing that "blueprint" reposted there. But this thread, in the Ballparks, Stadiums & Green Diamonds forum, is about nothing more than Citi Field.

[milladrive]

John, as much umbrage as I could easily take to my management skills being compared to that of Jerry Manuel's, I'll let it slide off my shoulder.

And although I disagree about how "essential" (essential?) the picture is to this thread, I'll find the pic and restore the post which contained it.

But please all... take heed to the above posted warning. This thread is to remain on-topic.

[LI METS FAN]

Love, love, love the turkey and mozzarella sandwich from Mama's of Corona at the Worlds Fare Market. Went to the Acela club recently and the Crab Cakes were excellent as well.

[mandrake]

I watched a thead on the new Marlins Ballpark degenerate for days into a diatribe by several New Yorkers on how much nicer the northeast is than Florida and how much more pleasant New Yorkers were to deal with than Southerners. Despite pleas by me and other posters, no one did anything.

I watched on a board with at least a dozen Yankee Stadium threads, a Yankee fan, whom I'm sure meant no harm, start a thread on the anniversary of Thurman Munson's death. No one did anything.

I've watched this thread go off topic by Yankee fans who only repeat over and over how much nicer Yankee Stadium is than Citi Field. Nothing happens.

I've read dozens of times on this thread the same two or three posters go on and on and on once a week or so about the evils of public financing for stadiums and the need to preserve the free enterprise of Willets Point(which BTW I don't necessarily disagree with, I just don't need to see it debated week after week after week). Nothing happens.

Now, some long-time posters with, IMO excellent reputations who add a great deal to this board and this thread use an incident that just occcured AT CITI FIELD to show diagrams of the layout of the ballpark and you decide to be Barney Fife, and delete their info.

Your judgement is just indefensible. At the risk of sounding like Jackie Chiles, you are arbitrary and capricious! Please try and show some competence. The new platform has made this board much more difficult to navigate. The search function is now unusable. Yet despite numerous complaints, no mod or admin ever addresses the complaints. And now we get this.

Great posters make this a great board. They deserve competent and most of all consistent moderation.


Wow, somebody needs to lighten up. This is not a forum devoted to saving mankind, it's a baseball forum dealing with stadiums. Calling an admin or mod Barney Fife will probably get a longer suspension than K Rod.....except the admin you are calling out is a nice guy and usually let's things slide. When he does step in, he gets insulted.

I went to Citi last night with a long time BFmember. Two weeks ago, I went with another long time poster/mod. A few weeks ago I went with still another long time BF member who is a FST with very expensive seats and goes back to pre 1969 with this team. In total, 4 BF members who may disagree on here as much as we agree, but we have developed friendships over the years through the forum. And when we post , we still disagree with each other at times.

If a Yankee fan posts that he does not like Citi, so what. There are plenty of Mets fans who do the same in YS forums. There are also some fans who use every single opportunity to bash YS, from so called NYY fans and from Red Sox fans in disguise. If you don't like reading what some of us write, then use the ignore function.

Do you use the PM messages to admins/mods? If the abuses were as prevalent as you claim, and if many members complained, then I think they would do something.

Maybe there could be some sort of restrictions on starting new threads, where they have to be approved by mods. People will complain about this too, but it would stop the 20 threads on Yankee Stadium....and we could also stop the Citi Field thread explosion. Why do we need a Citi Field tickets, Citi Field, and Citi Field food thread? Or is it ok to have many Citi Threads, it's just the Yankee threads that need to be stopped?

[Rob R]

Wow, somebody needs to lighten up. This is not a forum devoted to saving mankind, it's a baseball forum dealing with stadiums. Calling an admin or mod Barney Fife will probably get a longer suspension than K Rod.....except the admin you are calling out is a nice guy and usually let's things slide. When he does step in, he gets insulted.

I went to Citi last night with a long time BFmember. Two weeks ago, I went with another long time poster/mod. A few weeks ago I went with still another long time BF member who is a FST with very expensive seats and goes back to pre 1969 with this team. In total, 4 BF members who may disagree on here as much as we agree, but we have developed friendships over the years through the forum. And when we post , we still disagree with each other at times.

If a Yankee fan posts that he does not like Citi, so what. There are plenty of Mets fans who do the same in YS forums. There are also some fans who use every single opportunity to bash YS, from so called NYY fans and from Red Sox fans in disguise. If you don't like reading what some of us write, then use the ignore function.

Do you use the PM messages to admins/mods? If the abuses were as prevalent as you claim, and if many members complained, then I think they would do something.

Maybe there could be some sort of restrictions on starting new threads, where they have to be approved by mods. People will complain about this too, but it would stop the 20 threads on Yankee Stadium....and we could also stop the Citi Field thread explosion. Why do we need a Citi Field tickets, Citi Field, and Citi Field food thread? Or is it ok to have many Citi Threads, it's just the Yankee threads that need to be stopped?

Thank you, Kevin, very well said and I'm sure you speak for most, if not all of us. milladrive is one of the biggest assets on this board and has done an outstanding job keeping things in order, even rightfully warning me when I get out of hand, and gets his message accross in gentlemanly manner that is most effective. I have nothing but the utmost respect for him as he treats everyone with that same respect.

That poster has a history of disparaging Yankee fans and New Yorkers in general, so I hope that the moderators, particularly milladrive, don't take it personally and take his silly rant and nasty disposition with a grain of salt.

[schnu]

I just got done deleting and editing a bunch of recent posts which had NOTHING to do with Citi Field.

Now pay attention, because I'm going to make a post essentially the same as I've made in other ballpark threads.

This is not the Mets forum. If anyone wishes to discuss the Mets' games, along with the hopes and their outcomes, as well as the players and owners, feel free to take it to the Met forum.

This thread is for discussing Citi Field and nothing else! Any further posts deviating from this topic will be deleted. Beyond that, continued deviations from this topic will result in the closing of the thread altogether and/or potential suspensions. End of story.

Milladrive
I must say that I originally agreed with editing these posts (including mine reacting that yesterday was one of the most depressing days in Met history), but the more I think about it, there's been a whole bunch of posts that veer off of CF content in this thread.

Usually, they start off with a CF vein (say the Billy Joel movie screening at CF on 8/21), but inevitably it goes to the usual tangents (the Wilpons don't care about the fans, they don't know what they are doing, they're money-hungry etc).

That's not to say that the criticism of what has happened on the field over the last few years isn't well-founded - but when everything the team does is treated with that fervor, it gets old.

If we're going to hold this thread to the standards you had on the K-Rod posts of earlier today, then there are certainly earlier posts that need to be revaluated. Is it worth the effort - that, I'm unsure about.

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

That's a COOL toaster!(not in reference to its ability to toast though). In the lighting/sound field we call those "gobos" - you insert it in front of the spotlight for that "batman" effect. Are the gobos able to be switched out of the toaster - Yankee for the Yankee fans in the family, Mets for the Mat fans, football gobos for the autumn(!)?

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

Milladrive
I must say that I originally agreed with editing these posts (including mine reacting that yesterday was one of the most depressing days in Met history), but the more I think about it, there's been a whole bunch of posts that veer off of CF content in this thread.

Usually, they start off with a CF vein (say the Billy Joel movie screening at CF on 8/21), but inevitably it goes to the usual tangents (the Wilpons don't care about the fans, they don't know what they are doing, they're money-hungry etc).

That's not to say that the criticism of what has happened on the field over the last few years isn't well-founded - but when everything the team does is treated with that fervor, it gets old.

If we're going to hold this thread to the standards you had on the K-Rod posts of earlier today, then there are certainly earlier posts that need to be revaluated. Is it worth the effort - that, I'm unsure about.

And besides, it is only human nature to get emotional about your team's performance - for better or worse. Sometimes such posts end up here in the architecture forums without the poster thinking "Should I post this here or in general baseball, or in the team's dedicated thread?" Human thought patterns are easily derailed. This does not justify any of the personal jabs or team bashing going back & forth here, however. There is no need for that on any publically visible forum, including this one.

[milladrive]

Milladrive
I must say that I originally agreed with editing these posts (including mine reacting that yesterday was one of the most depressing days in Met history), but the more I think about it, there's been a whole bunch of posts that veer off of CF content in this thread.

Usually, they start off with a CF vein (say the Billy Joel movie screening at CF on 8/21), but inevitably it goes to the usual tangents (the Wilpons don't care about the fans, they don't know what they are doing, they're money-hungry etc).

That's not to say that the criticism of what has happened on the field over the last few years isn't well-founded - but when everything the team does is treated with that fervor, it gets old.

If we're going to hold this thread to the standards you had on the K-Rod posts of earlier today, then there are certainly earlier posts that need to be revaluated. Is it worth the effort - that, I'm unsure about.

schnu, while your point is valid, how much time do you think it would take to go through thousands of posts which veer off topic? It was decided when I volunteered to oversee the Ballparks forum that it would be best to begin at point zero. This forum has been essentially unmoderated for several months, and, being the busiest forum on the site, it'd take an entire roster to sift through all the posts from days/years gone by.

We will continue to find past inconsistencies in moderation. But, as I try to be fair, consistent, and impartial, the future will be less likely to find them. The Ballparks forum is here to discuss ballparks, and I intend to hold it to that standard from here on. I hope I've addressed your point.

P.S. Many thanks to mandrake and Rob R for stepping up to the plate on my behalf. Your words were genuinely appreciated. At the same time, since The Old Ballpark stands behind every word, I guess I can be, using his verbiage, "shallow" this particular time.

[Gary Dunaier]

For whatever it's worth, I thought the post with the blueprint showing the location of "Mets jail" (as per Doug Heffernan on an episode of King of Queens) was relevant... I was curious to know where it was located in relation to the rest of the ballpark.

[mandrake]

For whatever it's worth, I thought the post with the blueprint showing the location of "Mets jail" (as per Doug Heffernan on an episode of King of Queens) was relevant... I was curious to know where it was located in relation to the rest of the ballpark.

I agree. Blue prints of a STADIUM definitely are relevant in a stadium forum. Back in May 2009, I had tickets in the DAP 125 section that had very restricted access then (they have corrected that now) and I had to walk under the ball park, escorted by security, and I saw many of the rooms listed on that blue print. I was instructed not to take pictures, especially facing the police station, until I got to the tunnel leading to the seats.

[robardin]

Love, love, love the turkey and mozzarella sandwich from Mama's of Corona at the Worlds Fare Market. Went to the Acela club recently and the Crab Cakes were excellent as well.

Funny, I have yet to do the turkey + mozz one. When I hit Mama's, I always end up getting the Italian Special or the Grilled Vegetables + Mozz if I'm not in the mood for meat. The fact is I don't think turkey and mozzarella go together -- I like my turkey with spicy mustard and sharp swiss cheese -- but so many people have raved about the T+M at Mama's that someday I'll give it a try.

As for the Acela Club, the crab cakes are the best thing on that menu (especially since the Prime Rib costs $5 extra). The burger is also excellent. I haven't had the desserts yet there because it's not included in the prix fixe (which is the first time I've seen that policy), and I typically have loaded up on the cheeses, hummus, fruits, mac and cheese, etc., that's offered at the open buffet "Market" tables.

The crab cake sandwich at Catch of the Day is awesome too. That's easily my favorite stand in the ballpark: the lines are generally very short, and I love everything on their menu.

[Petemc1969]

Hey, did anyone see the new rows of seats behind Section 435? It appears that they have added about 4 or 5 new rows between the Prom Box and Prom Reserve in front of the staircase. Unfortunately I didn't take any photos the other night.

[Gary Dunaier]

Those seats have been there all along, they're not new. In fact they're right in front of my Weekday Plan seat (section 536, row 1), which I didn't realize when I asked for that location.

[chedda man]

IS there a Shake Shack anywhere else besides CF at Citi? I thought I heard there's one now on the promenade level but wasn't sure. If yes, how are the lines there?

[johnql]

IS there a Shake Shack anywhere else besides CF at Citi? I thought I heard there's one now on the promenade level but wasn't sure. If yes, how are the lines there?

No, there's only the original one in the Taste of the City area. They did add a second Blue Smoke to the Promenade level.

[LI METS FAN]

Funny, I have yet to do the turkey + mozz one. When I hit Mama's, I always end up getting the Italian Special or the Grilled Vegetables + Mozz if I'm not in the mood for meat. The fact is I don't think turkey and mozzarella go together -- I like my turkey with spicy mustard and sharp swiss cheese -- but so many people have raved about the T+M at Mama's that someday I'll give it a try.

As for the Acela Club, the crab cakes are the best thing on that menu (especially since the Prime Rib costs $5 extra). The burger is also excellent. I haven't had the desserts yet there because it's not included in the prix fixe (which is the first time I've seen that policy), and I typically have loaded up on the cheeses, hummus, fruits, mac and cheese, etc., that's offered at the open buffet "Market" tables.

The crab cake sandwich at Catch of the Day is awesome too. That's easily my favorite stand in the ballpark: the lines are generally very short, and I love everything on their menu.

I never heard of a turkey and mozzarella sandwich before. I thought it sounded odd but tried it and WOW. And most things at Catch of the Day are good- crab cake sandwich, flounder sandwich, lobster roll.

[Petemc1969]

Those seats have been there all along, they're not new. In fact they're right in front of my Weekday Plan seat (section 536, row 1), which I didn't realize when I asked for that location.

Wow, I never realized that!

[islandxtreme26]

Sheesh, what'd I miss in 20 hours?! My apoligies Milladrive if I added to the off-track course of the conversation and had no intention of upsetting the mods; but like I read echoed in a few of the replies, I felt that the Citi Field prints were relevant on this page.


For whatever it's worth, I thought the post with the blueprint showing the location of "Mets jail" (as per Doug Heffernan on an episode of King of Queens) was relevant... I was curious to know where it was located in relation to the rest of the ballpark.

Never thought of that Gary - Mets Jail indeed. I cropped out 95% of the print to only show the requested area of Citi Field and left the Citi Field Home Run apple in the image to provide reference as to the location of the jail.


I agree. Blue prints of a STADIUM definitely are relevant in a stadium forum. Back in May 2009, I had tickets in the DAP 125 section that had very restricted access then (they have corrected that now) and I had to walk under the ball park, escorted by security, and I saw many of the rooms listed on that blue print. I was instructed not to take pictures, especially facing the police station, until I got to the tunnel leading to the seats.

That restriction is understandable of course. Hence why I will never provide the entire print and will only give tight crops of specific areas that are in question. FYI though, the access to the DAP seating areas should not take you by the Citi Fieldpolice station (located in left centerfield), as the tunnel you use to access them is near third base. Unless of course, you entered the building at the Bullpen gate (or the employee entrance at the loading docks) - that would be the only way you would walk by the Police Station in Left Center Field.

[dstoffa]

Wow, I never realized that!

Factory CitiField Prom Box / Club seats comes with four rows of seating out of the box. All sections have at least four. Some had 7 out of the box. Sections with 7 rows do not have DAP seating. Some sections were outfitted with a 'dealer installed option' of 8 rows after the fact.

Let us look at examples:
Section 401 has seven rows. These were in the plans from day one. So does Section 402.

Section 403 is a factory-4, with Row 5 being DAP seating. Section 404 is the same way.

Then there are some sections where a bend or stairwell makes DAP seating not practical. Section 405 (along with 424 and 435) are such sections. These sections have rows 5-8 built-up on top of what would have been DAP seating.

The Mets should consider removing evil stairwell landings, replace with a portal, and simply install Promenade Box / Club seating in front to make up for seats lost to the portals.


Gary, you should feel comforted that you aren't paying Prom Box prices for your seat...

Cheers!
-Doug!

[dstoffa]

Slow Friday.

Thinking about past discussions on the differences in the seating bowls of Shea versus Citi. Dug through the archives, and found old overhead google maps / earth shots of Shea pre-Citi and the new ones of Citi. I rolled them so that the home plates are in the same location, and the field oriented in the same direction. (I did the best I could with the tools at hand.)

Too bad the eye-in-the-sky wasn't at the same angle, but it's safe to assume that you can take the average of the two and come up with something reasonable.

Now which seating bowl is better for baseball?

Cheers!
-Doug

http://www.panix.com/~douglas/images/shea-versus-citi.gif

[mandrake]

That restriction is understandable of course. Hence why I will never provide the entire print and will only give tight crops of specific areas that are in question. FYI though, the access to the DAP seating areas should not take you by the Citi Fieldpolice station (located in left centerfield), as the tunnel you use to access them is near third base. Unless of course, you entered the building at the Bullpen gate (or the employee entrance at the loading docks) - that would be the only way you would walk by the Police Station in Left Center Field.

The game was on Mothers Day 2009. The Mets had not sold many tickets to that area and none of the employees could figure out where the seats were nor how to get there. At first they had us go to field level and walk down all of the steps. My 80 yr old mom who undergoes dialysis 3 times a week had no trouble going down to the stairs , but when we got down to the front (row 1), it was realized row A was in front of a wall. A meeting of ushers and security guys agreed that we had to go up and around and use the tunnel. My mom had some issues going all the way back up, which took time, then we took the elevator down to where we originally were.

The double doors said "no access" so some more calls were made. The guy who took us went left, towards the outfield instead of making a quick right. We saw forklifts, trucks, etc in action. We saw signs for the NYPD and then the guy called someone else again and said we had to make a U-turn and go back to 3rd base. As we were approaching the tunnel to the seats, there was finally a sign that said Section 125 DAP with a picture of Mr Met on the sign. We made a left, followed the tunnel, and finally arrived at the seats. We were told by the usher assigned to the box that we were the 3rd group ever to sit there and nobody knew what they were doing.

We were also told that the seats had no access to concessions and that I would have to go down the tunnel, retrace my steps and take the elevator to the 3rd floor, and then return. The restrooms we had to use were primitive to say the least, one cinder block room for male and one for female. One toilet in each; also these were used by the umpires.

When I sat in those seats again on 9/09/09, they had opened access by opening the wall to field level.

At the May game, the ushers told me there was a section on the Mets side of the field near section 109 that had even worse access, and at that time the Mets were not selling them as fans had to walk right past the Mets clubhouse door. I see people sitting there now, so something must have been done.

[islandxtreme26]

The game was on Mothers Day 2009. The Mets had not sold many tickets to that area and none of the employees could figure out where the seats were nor how to get there. At first they had us go to field level and walk down all of the steps. My 80 yr old mom who undergoes dialysis 3 times a week had no trouble going down to the stairs , but when we got down to the front (row 1), it was realized row A was in front of a wall. A meeting of ushers and security guys agreed that we had to go up and around and use the tunnel. My mom had some issues going all the way back up, which took time, then we took the elevator down to where we originally were.

The double doors said "no access" so some more calls were made. The guy who took us went left, towards the outfield instead of making a quick right. We saw forklifts, trucks, etc in action. We saw signs for the NYPD and then the guy called someone else again and said we had to make a U-turn and go back to 3rd base. As we were approaching the tunnel to the seats, there was finally a sign that said Section 125 DAP with a picture of Mr Met on the sign. We made a left, followed the tunnel, and finally arrived at the seats. We were told by the usher assigned to the box that we were the 3rd group ever to sit there and nobody knew what they were doing.

We were also told that the seats had no access to concessions and that I would have to go down the tunnel, retrace my steps and take the elevator to the 3rd floor, and then return. The restrooms we had to use were primitive to say the least, one cinder block room for male and one for female. One toilet in each; also these were used by the umpires.

When I sat in those seats again on 9/09/09, they had opened access by opening the wall to field level.

At the May game, the ushers told me there was a section on the Mets side of the field near section 109 that had even worse access, and at that time the Mets were not selling them as fans had to walk right past the Mets clubhouse door. I see people sitting there now, so something must have been done.

I think I remember you telling us that story on here at the time it happened. I was intrigued as I never remembered seeing that access planned during construction; but good for you! Those are some great seats indeed!

Here are two images, one during construction (taken in July 2008) of the area with notations - the second is a picture taken from that access tunnel in January 2009.

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/7549/img1094d.jpg (http://img202.imageshack.us/i/img1094d.jpg/)

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/3883/p2160560.jpg (http://img683.imageshack.us/i/p2160560.jpg/)


The part about going the wrong way definitely makes sense now. You walked past the forklifts, trucks, etc. and if you looked to the right at that large opening (the truck bay), you would have seen the large field access door (on the left field wall) and the mixing bins that are used to store the various dirt, clay, etc. The below picture is what you walked by:

http://img814.imageshack.us/img814/1339/p2160559.jpg (http://img814.imageshack.us/i/p2160559.jpg/)

[LI METS FAN]

[QUOTE=dstoffa;1775854]Slow Friday.

Thinking about past discussions on the differences in the seating bowls of Shea versus Citi. Dug through the archives, and found old overhead google maps / earth shots of Shea pre-Citi and the new ones of Citi. I rolled them so that the home plates are in the same location, and the field oriented in the same direction. (I did the best I could with the tools at hand.)

Too bad the eye-in-the-sky wasn't at the same angle, but it's safe to assume that you can take the average of the two and come up with something reasonable.

Now which seating bowl is better for baseball?

Cheers!
-Doug

I was at the game yesterday. Beautiful ballpark, great seating, great food, the rains held up, a Santana shutout, how can anyone not love that? Although I'll always have a soft spot for Shea, the seating bowl (or lack thereof) at Citi is much better.

[mandrake]

I think I remember you telling us that story on here at the time it happened. I was intrigued as I never remembered seeing that access planned during construction; but good for you! Those are some great seats indeed!



By any chance, do you have similar pictures from the Mets side? After not selling the DAP seats near section 109 since fans had to walk in front of the Mets clubhouse, I do see people sitting in there now. I think they started allowing fans in that section in the second half of 2009. I would love to know if the Mets rerouted fans away from the clubhouse.

As for section 125, you can now walk down into those seats as there is only a chain between row A and row 1. If you are in an actual wheel chair I presume you still have to do the under the stands route, but they now know the route.

It was actually a little scary walking under the stands with my 10 yr old daughter and 80 year old mom. My wife was a nervous wreck that one of us would get run over.

But the seats were well worth the money. I think a value game was $60 .

[Strawman]

I never heard of a turkey and mozzarella sandwich before. I thought it sounded odd but tried it and WOW. And most things at Catch of the Day are good- crab cake sandwich, flounder sandwich, lobster roll.

Catch of the Day is great indeed....food is amazingly fresh and well-prepared and though it's expensive, it's also a decent value.

[milladrive]

For those who may be wondering, the "Citi Field Tix/Seating" thread, along with a few other Citi Field threads, have been merged with this one.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e77/milladrive/emoticons/janitor-1.gif

[Dishy24]

Love, love, love the turkey and mozzarella sandwich from Mama's of Corona at the Worlds Fare Market. Went to the Acela club recently and the Crab Cakes were excellent as well.

This is my FAVORITE thing to eat at Citi Field-- I always ask for extra roasted red peppers & mushrooms (which they give at no extra charge). Love the fact that they are located in the Prom food court, too-- as there is NEVER a line! For $10, IMO, it is the best value for your money, too! Mmmmmm... Can't wait until Sunday!!!

[sheagoodbye1010]

By the way on some occasions that double glass door leading to the Diamond Club Lobby was guarded by security, who demanded Diamond Club passes.
However this could be circumvented by a door on the Gate C ramp (not the one in the photograh) directly behind Home Plate. It was always propped open and never guarded. It took you into a dingy corridor which led past the Grille Room kitchen and into the rear of the restaurant. Sometimes I was able to dine in the Grille Room without Diamond Club passes by using this passageway.

Yes, the Gate C ramp was one of the most complex areas in the stadium, as it did not have access to the loge level.





Hmm. I didn't know there was a door on the RF (odd) section. I assume your door is the mirror of this door. (Sorry Gary). This door led to the corridor at the back of the Grille Room (opposide the DC Lobby), and was on the third base (even) side of Shea.

http://www.panix.com/~douglas/images/grille-room-back-door.jpg

Cheers!
-Doug

p.s. -- I thought eventually they painted a blue line along the ramp to the Diamond Club. Not exaclty a yellow-brick road, but probably inspired by the Wiz none the less.

[sheagoodbye1010]

The door pictured leads directly to the Press Area. After going thru that door to the left would be the Press Level elevator, straight ahead is Nelson Doubleday's box and to the right is the Diamond Vision control room, Press Dining and Working area.

[Gary Dunaier]

a picture taken from that access tunnel in January 2009.

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/3883/p2160560.jpg (http://img683.imageshack.us/i/p2160560.jpg/)

Here's a similar view from October 2009...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2646/3986234476_ca1b99b704_b.jpg
(Photo taken October 4, 2009. © Gary Dunaier. Link to upload on Flickr.com: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary_dunaier/3986234476/in/set-72157622525640970/).)


...and once you go through that tunnel into the corridor and turn to your right, this is what you see...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2496/3985479267_70e3d9605c_b.jpg
(Photo taken October 4, 2009. © Gary Dunaier. Link to upload on Flickr.com: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary_dunaier/3985479267/in/set-72157622525640970/).)

The hallway on the left takes you to the Stengel VIP entrance. Keep walking straight, and you'll be heading towards left field and, eventually, the "Mets jail."


To the right is directional signage intended for those who are entering via the Stengel VIP entrance...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2541/3986235602_1d37a60942_b.jpg
(Photo taken October 4, 2009. © Gary Dunaier. Link to upload on Flickr.com: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary_dunaier/3986235602/in/set-72157622525640970/).)

[Anubis2051]

Mets Jail?

[7instretch]

Was at the game. A must win just like any game against the Phils and Braves from this point on.

Sat right above the Modell4 sign. Crowd was really into it. Took pics with my iphone and will upload them later when I get a chance.

[Gary Dunaier]

Mets Jail?

The NYPD holding pen at Citi Field.

There was an episode of "King of Queens" where part of the action takes place at a Mets game. The husband and wife characters get arrested for separate incidents (he, for going on the field for a foul ball; she, for assaulting a concession stand worker after being refused service on a "beer only" line for ordering something other than beer) and one of them, I thought it was Kevin James' character but it could have been Leah Remini's, asks the guard to let them go. "It's not like you're running a real jail here. It's Mets' jail. Get a grip!"