Before we get into this, I will concede that I know how I am and come the dead of winter I will likely want the thought of baseball and will be buying 15 game plans and spring training trips and convincing someone to go with me to San Francisco or something. That’s how @dtwohig wound up in Phoenix two weeks ago.
But here in the dog days of summer I am not finding Citi Field so appealing. I enjoy the Mets and all and don’t really care if they win or lose, but I am just as happy watching them from my deck or in front of a 60 inch HDTV.
So let’s look at the arguments.
PRO
1. Having tickets makes me go. If I don’t have tickets then I tend not to go. It’s very easy to walk three feet to the chaise lounge and fire up the slingbox.
2. Community. It’s nice to see the gang. It’s fun to wave at David in the next section. It’s fun to visit @the7line pregame. It’s fun to walk around and take stalker You Own This Mets Jersey photos.
3. The Mets Police. Being there definitely generates content.
4. Memories. This is all about me. my dad and Junior, right. Read the book.
5. “My” seats. I like where I sit and I like always sitting there.
CON
1. Ticket prices. Being honest the phrase that went through my head as I typed this sentence rhymes with Runs Dove Witches. If they charged $63 for the opener this year I can only imagine what they will ask for next year, especially if they open at home and can market Harvey.
2. The late promotions schedule. They make me pick my plan early. They announce the promotions late. Will I get Banner Day? Will Lee Mazzilli Poster Day II appear but not on a day I have tickets?
3. All these deals everyone else gets. Everyone else gets in for 42% off, but I paid early so I don’t. Couldn’t the Mets give me 42% off one ticket next year? (Write that one down Leigh.)
4. The pop-up stuff. Hey it’s t-sirt Tuesday but only with this ticket. Want a special bobblehead? Only with that ticket.
5. ESPN/Fox/Changing Start Times. You know the drill.
6. Ticket prices. Worth mentioning twice.
The new stadium smell is gone. The All Star Game won’t be back until 2064. What’s the incentive?
Will you renew your plan? Why? Why not? Discuss!
The biggest reason, in my opinion, is number 4 in the pro section. Can’t put a price tag on that.
There will come a time where the Mets will not offer such promotions though. I went through the same things with my New Jersey Nets tickets. People around me were getting in for $3.00 bucks off of Stubhub and I paid like 19-20 a seat for my full season. It happens with bad teams.
But I think the cons of having certain seats with these plans really help. I have a 40 game in 519 row 5 on the aisle. If/When this team is winning, how hard will it be to get a seat like that in the upper even??? Same way with my football tickets. paid 250 for my seats and pre-season tickets could be had for next to nothing……. just comes with the investment sometimes (Which does sucks)
As a continuous partial plan holder for over 2 decades, I often ask the same questions. It kills me that I have had tickets for tonights game since before the season started and there is no Jay Horowitz bobble head for me! I have suggested the following to the Mets front office over and over for the past few years and hope more partial season ticket holders follow suit: The Mets need to institute a partial plan loyalty tier program where you get benefits for holding a partial plan over a continuous time period. For example a signed ball for 5 years, a on the field,batting practice for 10 years, etc. Most importantly when you reach 20 and 25 – the most important promotion and one that would keep me renewing my plan for life is the opportunity to get all tickets for potential playoff games. Why shouldn’t a loyal fan/customer of over 20 years be at all playoff games when it finally happens again, even if we have to sit upstairs, I know it would make keeping a plan more appealing for many of us. Otherwise why buy season tickets when promotions and prices make buying individual games more appealing.
Why not go with a smaller ticket plan? This year was my first year that I actually went with a plan (my brother too). I found that I was able to lock in better prices early on. In the past I only purchased single tickets. My ticket plan was over early in the year (I front loaded my games) so now I buy at the stadium to avoid internet/convenience fees normally day of game.
as a plan holder since 86, i have seen the trends, The rare times the Mets are good they can care less about you. When the Mets are down, they will do anything to get you. The Mets need to show the same loyalty to their long term ticket buyers as we show them. My plan # has low 5 digits and I expect that the Mets should recognize it. When the Mets moved to citifield, they could care less that I had a sunday plan for over 20 years, it was get a full plan or your out. Of course it was soon evident that they would take any sort of commitment when the were not able to field a team worthy of this great ballpark. Lock me in and give me real incentives for coming to the ballpark and passing on my Mets loyalty to my kids and grandkids!
I was just talking about this with a colleague and fellow Mets fan this week. This was the first year in recent memory that I went without a partial plan. And after seeing the way the wind is blowing with promotions and discounts, I don’t think I’m going back to a partial plan anytime soon.
It started with the Opening Day tix that they put on sale early — but at the steep markup. One of the reasons I usually buy the partial plan is to ensure Opening Day, but with that out of the way and with the increased price, I wasn’t much interested in buying a flex pack or whatever they were called when they went on sale. Instead I cherry picked a few games like Banner Day and the Fourth of July when single games went on sale and waited for everything else. Turned out better because I got to see good pitching matchups, good discounts and these late promos like Star Wars Night that I might’ve missed if I locked in a plan.
I’m sure the Mets are happy to get me to pay for the special promo items like Master Met, but the net result is probably a few less visits to Citi Field — and if I’m not moved by next year’s late promos, that number could fall off even more. Discounts are always fluid, as are matchups and the strength of the team, but I wish they’d set the promo schedule for the year before tickets go on sale and stick to it.
I totally Agree.. have been a plan holder for 6 years now.. My opening day tickets were $75 and I sit in section 513.. For a few more dollars I ended up sitting with Darren and the 7 Line. Totally agree with the promotions.. I found out about the Mets das boot though email and you would think they would be offered to plan holders.. Now that the allstar game is over there is really no point to keeping a plan, but fight with myself everyday saying I can’t give up the tixs.. I told myself after the allstar game I would not renew my plan. The first year of Citi Field I seem to have gotten like 4 or 5 freebe’s from the mets for being a plan holder and what have we gotten in the past few years? A chance to watch the Sandlot? What ever happend to the ticket plan holder workout day? To be honest the only thing I have gotten out of my ticket plan is I got to sit in a suite during a rain delayed game.. Releasing the promotions after tixs are purchased is a brilliant idea too which I guess we can thank the Wilpon’s for.. Also picking the games in January BEFORE free agency start is another brilliant idea.. Let me get tixs to games when I dont even know who will be playing for the teams..
have had a 15-gamer for 4 years. Feel totally screwed by prices, others paying less than me on stubhub and via Mets sales, and numerous little things: No early admission to the park for tix holders, promotions announced after I choose my games, and a biggie: getting lied to by team reps, who say the team doesn’t put unsold tix on Stubhub, despite numerous media claims to the contrary, and being told contradictory things by team reps re: “convenience” fees. Why in hell should I have to pay a fee to print out tix at home, which
I buy in addition to my 15-game package? Only the Mets, who could screw up planning a one-person, one-sandwich picnic, take their most loyal fans and crap on them continuously!
I have been a Met Fan since day 1. I have to say that they have almost lost me as a fan and I never thought I would ever say that.
With 162 games in a season and everybody pressed for time, one game does not seem to matter that much anymore, like it does in pro or college football.
I no longer want to watch bad baseball teams. I find out things to do, especially in FL, where the weather is always nice.
This team needs to step up big time this off season and next year! I am tired of excuses, lies, and B.S! If they don’t make a serious commitment next year, I believe what’s left of their fan base will be gone.
This team better be able to compete for a playoff spot next year!
I was a Saturday Plan Holder for 25 YEARS!!!! Had worked my way down to Loge, Sect 10 Row B aisle. They were GREAT seats, right by third base. When $iti Field opened the best I could get was Promenade Box 430. They were the same price and they were by the foul pole!
That was it for me and haven’t got a plan since. If there is ONE thing you should learn about the Mets is….Wait to the last possible minute to buy your seats. They are always have special prices on tickets and you feel like a fool have paid FULL PRICE in January.
As the season goes on and the team tanks, I’ve have used Stub Hub to get great seats with parking at 50% off face value. If you buy a plan you’re stuck with tickets NOBODY WANTS!!!!
So since 2009, I’ve taken my chance to get seats to a few games a year. Except for Santana’s No Hitter, tell me what I’ve missed….
I agree with everyone else. Leigh keeps tweeting about the “benefits” that plan holdrs get, but other than the discount off the rack price, I am sorry, I don’t see it in the current environment. I would rather wait until I know what the weather will be, what my plans are, who is pitching, and what the promos are. I don’t mind paying a few more buck either factoring those things in.
Now, if the Mets were con
…..tendng annually and. Wanted to go to every playoff game, different story. Of course the Me
I agree with everyone else. Leigh keeps tweeting about the “benefits” that plan holdrs get, but other than the discount off the rack price, I am sorry, I don’t see it in the current environment. I would rather wait until I know what the weather will be, what my plans are, who is pitching, and what the promos are. I don’t mind paying a few more buck either factoring those things in.
Now, if the Mets were contending different story. But even there, they have made the playoffs two years in a row exactly once in 52 years.
Great comments, forward all of these to Leigh and the front office, Set up a loyalty program and let your true fans be there when we finally get into the playoffs again!