Things the Mets have done right in the Wilpon/Wilpon era

[stevejrogers]

Ashie62 wrote: While Mr. Wilpon did ultimately receive access to tax-free financing for the stadium, he was lauded for never threatening to move the team out of the city during negotiations....

Of course the flip side is, where else were the Mets going to go? Even in the region there wasn't any choices laid out, to the public anyway as one would assume superficial discussions were had on the private level.

Also, FWIW, all the charity and community work and such could be answered with "are we giving them credit for doing things they SHOULD be doing?"

That being said, for all the shit they've gotten for not given two shits about team history, they've done well with the creation of an Alumni organization (sponsored by Citi of course, also IIRC it may have been created during the Doubleday/Wilpon years, but it is still going strong today) that does a good share of the community outreach stuff that is done by the organization.

[Ceetar]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Citi Field is soggy free. The seats are numbered accurately. The divider-less urinals flush OK. And the elevators don't get stuck in between levels.

only divider-less in the cheap sections.

I don't think they should get credit for the flushless urinals flushing okay though. Yes, the urinals in Flushing don't actually flush.


Actually, since we're criticizing them for initial mistakes, the back row of the Promenade were NOT numbered correctly. They reversed the order of the seat numbers and had little labels over the numbers all season. Of course, that's probably a NY contractor/laborer error, not the Mets.

[stevejrogers]

metirish wrote: Pete Flynn.....and probably a lot of long term employees like him.

Speaking of which, since the Hall has been reinvigorated, they have been giving out awards to such long time employees who don't fit whatever criteria the Met HOF voting committee has of candidates. So far it's been given to Flynn and the late Bob Mandt.

[Edgy MD]

Those Met-of-the-past/Met-of-the-Present-and-Future posters. Too bad sharing a frame with Keith Hernandez doomed Ike Davis forever, but that was an accident.

[G-Fafif]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Citi Field is soggy free. The seats are numbered accurately. The divider-less urinals flush OK. And the elevators don't get stuck in between levels.

Puddles form and sit like crazy in the front rows of Promenade well after a decent rain. Gotta be careful on some of those staircases that lead to the seats behind home plate on that level. Less soggy than good old Shea, to be sure, but not sogless by any means.

How much would have dividers in the proletariat men's rooms cost anyway? Not installing them was a subtle dismissive "eff you" to the people who couldn't buy seats in the fancier sections.

[Ceetar]

G-Fafif wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Citi Field is soggy free. The seats are numbered accurately. The divider-less urinals flush OK. And the elevators don't get stuck in between levels. Puddles form and sit like crazy in the front rows of Promenade well after a decent rain. Gotta be careful on some of those staircases that lead to the seats behind home plate on that level. Less soggy than good old Shea, to be sure, but not sogless by any means. How much would have dividers in the proletariat men's rooms cost anyway? Not installing them was a subtle dismissive "eff you" to the people who couldn't buy seats in the fancier sections.

The way I understand it is they do have drainage holes and what not, but I imagine they get clogged up with slime pretty easily (not to mention the elevation of the land there is always going to make drainage a concern). Shea had these too. I'm sure Citi's are a little more modern, but the real test comes in another decade or two after all that stuff and other problems have built up. That's the whole private/public thing about maintenance. Will they keep up on it, or will they leave rusty nasty beams inbetween parts of the levels like at Shea?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I really love that they play "New York New York" by Ryan Adams for the recessional.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

G-Fafif wrote: How much would have dividers in the proletariat men's rooms cost anyway? Not installing them was a subtle dismissive "eff you" to the people who couldn't buy seats in the fancier sections.

Or maybe-- just maybe-- it was a subtle welcome to make everything in the new place into a communal, convivial experience.

[batmagadanleadoff]

G-Fafif wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Citi Field is soggy free. The seats are numbered accurately. The divider-less urinals flush OK. And the elevators don't get stuck in between levels. Puddles form and sit like crazy in the front rows of Promenade well after a decent rain. Gotta be careful on some of those staircases that lead to the seats behind home plate on that level. Less soggy than good old Shea, to be sure, but not sogless by any means....

Well then they were too cheap too put a retractable roof on the joint. MODS!! Please move this post to the Done Wrong thread.

[metsmarathon]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: G-Fafif wrote: How much would have dividers in the proletariat men's rooms cost anyway? Not installing them was a subtle dismissive "eff you" to the people who couldn't buy seats in the fancier sections. Or maybe-- just maybe-- it was a subtle welcome to make everything in the new place into a communal, convivial experience.

i thought everybody likes to see the dicks of the people whizzing next to them.

is... is that just me...?

[dgwphotography]

G-Fafif wrote: How much would have dividers in the proletariat men's rooms cost anyway? Not installing them was a subtle dismissive "eff you" to the people who couldn't buy seats in the fancier sections.

The entire stadium is a not so subtle study in classism.

[Ceetar]

metsmarathon wrote: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: G-Fafif wrote: How much would have dividers in the proletariat men's rooms cost anyway? Not installing them was a subtle dismissive "eff you" to the people who couldn't buy seats in the fancier sections. Or maybe-- just maybe-- it was a subtle welcome to make everything in the new place into a communal, convivial experience. i thought everybody likes to see the dicks of the people whizzing next to them. is... is that just me...?

you and the entirety of Europe.

[G-Fafif]

They have this nifty little program where if someone is attending their first game at Citi Field, you give the Fan Assistance booth near the Shea Bridge your name and they prepare you a certificate welcoming you. Probably more for kids but Mrs. Fafif and I did this for one of her coworkers the other night on a group outing and it was much appreciate.

(I also did this on behalf of a friend from out of town after the fact -- we were supposed to go to his first game together but circumstances intervened -- and though it took multiple episodes of straightening out, he eventually got it in the mail, along with some leftover giveaways, which was their way of saying sorry for the initial screwup. He was very happy with it, too.)

They instituted a free ticket for your birthday thing. Show up at a day of game ticket window, show your ID and you're in, and not in the last row either (depending on availability, one supposes). They carved out a bunch of low-demand dates for people whose birthdays don't fall on Mets home dates (Opening Day and the once-popular Subway Series not included).

Two good examples of positives that the Mets themselves suck at publicizing.

I'm never not impressed by how much community goodwill type stuff they do. Post-Sandy they were all over the place (just ask Bobby Valentine about it in twelve years) but practically every week they're visiting kids, seniors, food banks, literacy programs, VA hospitals and so on. Almost every night is a night when the pregame is devoted to those dealing with some medical condition. The Tuesday's Children sponsorship has been unstinting.

Festooning Shea Bridge's walkway in team colors and adding the commemorative logo was a nice, unforeseen touch this year.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

metsmarathon wrote: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: G-Fafif wrote: How much would have dividers in the proletariat men's rooms cost anyway? Not installing them was a subtle dismissive "eff you" to the people who couldn't buy seats in the fancier sections. Or maybe-- just maybe-- it was a subtle welcome to make everything in the new place into a communal, convivial experience. i thought everybody likes to see the dicks of the people whizzing next to them. is... is that just me...?

Prom was so empty the other night that I was the only guy in the mens room peeing. Maybe that's why they didn't bother.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: metsmarathon wrote: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: G-Fafif wrote: How much would have dividers in the proletariat men's rooms cost anyway? Not installing them was a subtle dismissive "eff you" to the people who couldn't buy seats in the fancier sections. Or maybe-- just maybe-- it was a subtle welcome to make everything in the new place into a communal, convivial experience. i thought everybody likes to see the dicks of the people whizzing next to them. is... is that just me...? Prom was so empty the other night that I was the only guy in the mens room peeing. Maybe that's why they didn't bother.

I guess we were on alternate schedules. no one in there either time I went either.

G-Fafif wrote: They instituted a free ticket for your birthday thing. Show up at a day of game ticket window, show your ID and you're in, and not in the last row either (depending on availability, one supposes). They carved out a bunch of low-demand dates for people whose birthdays don't fall on Mets home dates (Opening Day and the once-popular Subway Series not included). Two good examples of positives that the Mets themselves suck at publicizing. I'm never not impressed by how much community goodwill type stuff they do. Post-Sandy they were all over the place (just ask Bobby Valentine about it in twelve years) but practically every week they're visiting kids, seniors, food banks, literacy programs, VA hospitals and so on. Almost every night is a night when the pregame is devoted to those dealing with some medical condition. The Tuesday's Children sponsorship has been unstinting. Festooning Shea Bridge's walkway in team colors and adding the commemorative logo was a nice, unforeseen touch this year.

Yeah, they've subtly done some decorating year after year. It started poorly, but It was probably always a work in progress and I think they were more concerned with just getting the building functional than putting up Mets stuff at first. The error was one of not realizing how important it was to fans, not an active desire to leave it out.

Painted the stairwells out blue and orange too.

I utilized the birthday ticket early on in April (birthday's in March, never a Mets game on my birthday. Something that's always bothered me.) was seated in Metropolitan Box I think it was called. 20ish rows back on the field level behind the ballboy seat area in LF.

[Ceetar]

Each child that attends the game will receive a specialized boy/girl gift bag. In addition, the birthday boy or girl will receive an extra birthday item! Both children and adults will receive a voucher redeemable in Citi Field for a hot dog, hamburger or slice of pizza, fries and a soft drink. Individual tickets start at $30.

Good timing actually. Want to go to a game this weekend? (Note they assert that it won't apply to the playoffs)

Go to the Mets box office on your birthday and receive a free ticket to that day's game. Fans can show a valid form of identification (birth certificate, driver's license, passport, etc.) at the Citi Field Ticket Windows on their birthday to receive a ticket, subject to availability. Offer does not apply for games after September 29. For those celebrating their birthday when the Mets are on the road, on an off day, in the off-season or on non-eligible games, their complimentary ticket can be redeemed for games on September 13-15.

[G-Fafif]

The bobbleheads have gotten better and more plentiful in the last two years. Love that they ditched the face of the moment (like Jason Bay) in favor of all-timers. They could do more with it, but they could always do more.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I like that they kept the Home Run Apple -- not just added it to the new stadium, but kept the original one instead of selling it. It's a nice focal point an place for people to pose.

[metsmarathon]

metsguyinmichigan wrote: I like that they kept the Home Run Apple -- not just added it to the new stadium, but kept the original one instead of selling it. It's a nice focal point an place for people to pose.

yes! this! home run apple all the way!

[metsmarathon]

the all star game being in citi field is a nice thing that happened on their watch.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I know it's something that gets done my groups everywhere, but I like having a brink on the Fan Walk -- and I especially like that they create a separate brick for you to keep. My friend has a brick at the Reds ballpark, and all the team did was send a Photoshopped photo of a brick with his wording on it.

I love my brick. It's on display in the house. And I love knowing that there's one just like it outside of Citi.

I thought the Seaver-Piazza closing pitch and opening pitch were nice touches.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I initially thought the brick was a terrible waste of $$$, but if your dad dies and requests no burial (or, you know, if I die), a brick is a very economical alternative to a tombstone.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I initially thought the brick was a terrible waste of $$$, but if your dad dies and requests no burial (or, you know, if I die), a brick is a very economical alternative to a tombstone.

and the whole fanwalk with the bricks surrounding plaques of memorable moments is a nice touch.

[ashie62]

The Doors Mr. Mojo Risin soundtrack after each 1999 Mets win....