Morning following an off-day means it’s time to talk about non game related issues. Todays topic, the Mets Heritage Theme Nights.
I think it’s great that the Mets want to be a part of the commmunity and honoring the different groups that make up that community is a great gesture (not to mention some great PR). However looking over the official schedule on the Mets site there are some things that just don’t make sense.
Why do the Mets have their “Discover Queens” night as a heritage night? Yeah, I know, there are a lot of Queens-Americans out there that really look forward to honoring their heritage (and if someone can enlighten me to exactly what that is please do so).
On May 12th they had Asian Night. OK, no problem with that at all, there are thousands of people of Asian heritage in the New York area. But wait a second – on July 11th there will be Korean Night. Then on July 23rd there will be Chinese Night. Finally on September 12th there is Taiwan Night. Now I know it’s been quite a few years since I took a geography class, but aren’t all those countries in Aisa?
OK, so yes I am not-picking, but if the Mets are going to have a catch-all night to honor those from countries in Aisa that don’t get their own night, well be consistent. Where is the European heritage night? What about African or Australian nights?
Next, on Thursday May 29th, the Mets are having Israel 60th Anniversary Celebration night. First of all, this is a celebration for an event, not technically a celebration about one’s heritage. More importantly though, why are the Mets celebrating another nation’s anniversary? And if Israel, then why not other countries? 2006 was the 90th Anniversary of the Easter Rising in Ireland that laid the groundwork for Irish independence – the Mets didn’t celebrate that. Or what about 2005 which marked the 15th Anniversary of the Reunification of Germany – again nothing. There are over 200 countries on the planet, that’s all I am saying.
Finally, Sunday, August 24th is Jewish Heritage Day. Don’t necessarily have a problem with honoring religious groups as long as you don’t single out just one. Where is the Catholic Heritage Day? What about Baptists? Lutherans? Any Protestants? Or how about a Muslim Heritage Day?
As I said at the start, I think working with and honoring the community as a whole is great. But when you start to play favorites or honoring some and ignoring others you are doing a disservice to that community.
You claim this heritage day doesn’t make sense but it dose but only in the financial way. Heritage nights are promotional actions used to sell more tickets. They don’t actually care about anyone’s heritage it’s a simple equations of time and energy = more sales then they will do it. Because they have Asian night and play a few Asian inspired musical numbers or put some Asian inspired food, clothing, ect. Doesn’t me they care at all about Asian it simply means they can sell more tickets and other things. You have to understand most professional teams employ sales professionals who sell only group tickets. They contact the different types of groups and have them get tickets to enjoy a day at the game when ticket sales are low. The heritage days are simply ways to attract certain groups on specific days.
I didn’t say that heritage nights don’t make sense – they make complete sense. What I said was the way the Mets are running their heritage nights does not make sense. I understand completely the role of sales people in a sports organization – moreso than you realize. My point is that there is no logic to the heritage night schedule or process.