Creeping Deadbeatism

[G-Fafif]

Bottom of the ninth, bases getting loaded, down one run, yet if it weren't for DiamondVision, most Mets fans would remain mute. A long-developing disturbing trend manifested itself Saturday afternoon, observed here.

You couldn't really tell on television (having watched the replay) just how dead it was when we weren't being electronically stirred up. Whatever became of self-generated LET'S GO METS or taunting the opposition in hopes of distracting them? Whatever happened to baseball as the leading topic of conversation at baseball games?

I may have officially crossed the line into codger territory today, not fully getting why things, in this realm, aren't the way they used to be.

[Gwreck]

This is an unfortunate symptom of there simply not being very many people at the games. Paid attendance on Saturday was 33,094. That's the smallest crowd (excluding the other small attendances earlier this week) since May of 2007 and the smallest Saturday attendance since October 2, 2004.

[Valadius]

Which itself is a symptom of diminished excitement around this team this year as compared to previous years.

[Fman99]

Second year in a new park = very predictable drop off in attendance. Happens to most if not all teams (though I suspect those dickheads in the Bronx will continue to sell out their games, what with them winning and all).

[seawolf17]

Fman99 wrote: Second year in a new park = very predictable drop off in attendance. Happens to most if not all teams (though I suspect those dickheads in the Bronx will continue to sell out their games, what with them winning and all).

Maybe the Mets should try that last part.

[metirish]

Gary Cohen remarked during the game how quite the crowd was.(IIRC it was during a possible key Mets moment)

[ashie62]

The game was just 1 of 81. There is so much to do at Citifield besides hanging on every pitch.

Back in the old days we actually watched the game and WE LIKED IT!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I went to 13 games last year at Citi-- less than a handful of you guys, but more than a lot. I know what G-F's talking about, and it's not fewer asses in the seats.

Exploring and getting to know a new stadium, bad team construction leading to a wary fanbase, slowly declining attendance... none of them explain the fact that the same fan base (presumably) that was more plugged in than those mooks across town for a good 40 years now seems to need to be told when to cheer. (And that once the electronic prompting ceases, so does the clapping or "LGM"ing, with rare exception.)

[Frayed Knot]

Mix in the effects of a smaller stadium, a newer stadium with a mix of event-attracted 'fans' more curious or interested in the amenities than the game itself, an extremely pessimistic fan-base with short memories and shorter attention spans, more expensive tickets less likely to draw in the younger and louder, and a decades-long trend of fans being increasingly conditioned to not only expect to be lead by electronic cheering but also to be drowned out by it if they try to do otherwise, and I'm neither surprised not optimistic that this is likely to change anytime soon.

[Ceetar]

Last year I'm sure it could be attributed to the new stadium and getting acclimated to all the new things. This year people are pessimistic, but that shouldn't stop us from cheering any individual game.

Friday was dreadful. I was there, and I'm not a particularly vocal guy, and I just feel foolish when I was standing on the bridge and Pelfrey gets to two strikes and it's the last out of the inning and there's a runner on second and I start clapping.

I suspect it'll pick up as the Mets win some games going into the summer time when it's warmer. Just like the attendance will pick up as well. April is always a slow month.

[metirish]

Ceetar wrote: Friday was dreadful. I was there, and I'm not a particularly vocal guy, and I just feel foolish when I was standing on the bridge and Pelfrey gets to two strikes and it's the last out of the inning and there's a runner on second and I start clapping. .

That's really fucking sad when you gotta feel foolish because you are clapping...." wow if I start clapping all these people will start looking at me and wonder WTF I'm doing it for".............



This reminds me of what then Manchester United captain Roy Keane said about the increasingly corporate crowd attending Manchester United home games.

Sometimes you wonder, do they understand the game of football? They have a few drinks and probably the prawn sandwiches, and they don't realise what's going on out on the pitch.

Any Man U player will tell you that their support at away games is by far better than that at home games....more vocal despite a ticket allocation of only a few thousand.

[ashie62]

G-Fafif wrote: Bottom of the ninth, bases getting loaded, down one run, yet if it weren't for DiamondVision, most Mets fans would remain mute. A long-developing disturbing trend manifested itself Saturday afternoon, observed here. You couldn't really tell on television (having watched the replay) just how dead it was when we weren't being electronically stirred up. Whatever became of self-generated LET'S GO METS or taunting the opposition in hopes of distracting them? Whatever happened to baseball as the leading topic of conversation at baseball games? I may have officially crossed the line into codger territory today, not fully getting why things, in this realm, aren't the way they used to be.

'ala" Dana Carvey many years ago on SNL "In my day we sat on our hands in 40 degree weather, watched every pitch and WE LIKED IT!"

Why would anyone go into McFadden's at Citi and watch the gave on the same LCD TV I have at home?

[G-Fafif]

Ashie62 wrote: G-Fafif wrote: Bottom of the ninth, bases getting loaded, down one run, yet if it weren't for DiamondVision, most Mets fans would remain mute. A long-developing disturbing trend manifested itself Saturday afternoon, observed here. You couldn't really tell on television (having watched the replay) just how dead it was when we weren't being electronically stirred up. Whatever became of self-generated LET'S GO METS or taunting the opposition in hopes of distracting them? Whatever happened to baseball as the leading topic of conversation at baseball games? I may have officially crossed the line into codger territory today, not fully getting why things, in this realm, aren't the way they used to be. 'ala" Dana Carvey many years ago on SNL "In my day we sat on our hands in 40 degree weather, watched every pitch and WE LIKED IT!" Why would anyone go into McFadden's at Citi and watch the gave on the same LCD TV I have at home?

We had an owner whose two daughters let a mule run around wherever it wanted -- and a third baseman who didn't want to be here and gave us the two-armed salute -- and a team that lost 99 games -- AND WE LOVED IT!

In our way.

[Gwreck]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: I went to 13 games last year at Citi-- less than a handful of you guys, but more than a lot. I know what G-F's talking about, and it's not fewer asses in the seats. Exploring and getting to know a new stadium, bad team construction leading to a wary fanbase, slowly declining attendance... none of them explain the fact that the same fan base (presumably) that was more plugged in than those mooks across town for a good 40 years now seems to need to be told when to cheer. (And that once the electronic prompting ceases, so does the clapping or "LGM"ing, with rare exception.)

Beg to differ on the "fewer asses in the seats" part. That *is* a big factor, if only due to the fact that there are always going to be a certain number of sheep, certain number of appropriate-cheering-instigators and a certain number of people who don't cheer at all. Increase the number of fans in total and you will almost certainly increase the number of appropriate-cheering-instigators.

More differences: at Shea, 55k seats were stuck between the two foulpoles; at the new park everybody's more spread out. Ticket prices are a big problem too.

[ashie62]

I don't like Citifield,I never liked Citifield, and I'm not going to like Citifield.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Ashie62 wrote: I don't like Citifield,I never liked Citifield, and I'm not going to like Citifield.

Well, as long as you gave it a fair chance.

GWreck wrote: Beg to differ on the "fewer asses in the seats" part. That *is* a big factor, if only due to the fact that there are always going to be a certain number of sheep, certain number of appropriate-cheering-instigators and a certain number of people who don't cheer at all. Increase the number of fans in total and you will almost certainly increase the number of appropriate-cheering-instigators.

I've been in Shea crowds of 10,000-- hell, 5,000-- that could sustain a "LGM" chant. I repeat, this is not about absolute decibels, and therefore it's not-- at least not primarily-- about smaller attendance.

I think FK's more or less got it.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Not to excuse the increase among apathetic fans (it's happened) and other unintended impacts of the new park (they also happened) it's more or less on the Mets a this point to earn the attention of their fans. I know it sounds like an unfair request, but if they could sustain a rally in the 4th inning, then maybe the crowd is more alive in the 9th too. I know there's no guarantees, but it sure would be nice to know these guys were after it as hard as the fans in the stands are.

[Centerfield]

Ashie62 wrote: Why would anyone go into McFadden's at Citi and watch the gave on the same LCD TV I have at home?

[metirish]

Damn.....nice trophies there gurl

[ashie62]

Centerfield wrote: Why would anyone go into McFadden's at Citi and watch the gave on the same LCD TV I have at home? http://www.nleastchatter.com/realdirtymets/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/mets-boobs-bar1.jpg>

OK, I get it now..nice rack

[MFS62]

metirish wrote: This reminds me of what then Manchester United captain Roy Keane said about the increasingly corporate crowd attending Manchester United home games.

Sometimes you wonder, do they understand the game of football? They have a few drinks and probably the prawn sandwiches, and they don't realise what's going on out on the pitch. So, I guess the way to get the fans at CitiField cheering would be to remove those prawn sandwiches from the menus there. Thanks. Later

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 27 2010 10:57 AM Re: Creeping Deadbeatism

Isn't "Let's Go Mets" really an offense-only chant? Noticed this Saturday that Big Board-er prompted Metizens to dust off "LGM" for big defensive stands (Acosta cleaning up Niese's 2-on/1-out mess, e.g.), and it rankled (to an extent that surprised even me). I was wondering if it bugged anyone else.

Gwreck Apr 27 2010 02:36 PM Re: Creeping Deadbeatism

Bugs me too.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Isn't "Let's Go Mets" really an offense-only chant?

Noticed this Saturday that Big Board-er prompted Metizens to dust off "LGM" for big defensive stands (Acosta cleaning up Niese's 2-on/1-out mess, e.g.), and it rankled (to an extent that surprised even me). I was wondering if it bugged anyone else.

[Gwreck]

Bugs me too.