Steve,
One of these seasons the Mets will put it all together and make a playoff run. The following season you’ll draw 2.7 million.
One of these seasons will be a disaster and the Mets will lose 100 games The following season you’ll draw 2.1 million.
NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.
Stop chasing the gimmicks and just stick to basics.
Every generation throws a hero up the pop chart. He’s Seaver, or Mazzilli or Strawberry or Piazza or David Wright or Matt Harvey…and right now you have Nimmo not Lindor and not Pete if you REALLY have a feel for things.
You know what doesn’t work? Gimmicks.
Nobody is coming for scoreboard ribbons. They aren’t coming to hear OMG even if you guys force a post-game concert before the fireworks and act like it’s a success. Nobody is coming for a Grimace joke that lasted three weeks to long.
Nobody in the “Asian market” became a Mets fan when Shinjo was the hot item in town. Nobody became a fan because of “Los Mets.”
Nobody became a fan to “Catch the Rising Stars.” Nobody became a fan because of a Nickelodeon theme park in right field.
Nobody became a fan because of swoosh jerseys or City Connects.
Nobody is coming for a dance team or because there is something new in the food court.
Nobody is coming because your first baseman acts like he’s 12. They WILL come if he hits enough home runs. In the meantime, “Let’s Go Mets” works pretty well without adding in a swear word.
When you win 100 games, your Wall Street buddies will buy a box and entertain their clients. These people are phony. It’s just business. All of this has happened before and will happen again.
When you lose 100 games they will take their business back to the Yankees or the Knicks. These people are phony. It’s just business. All of this has happened before and will happen again.
When the next hero comes along, some younger fans will attach themselves to that player, and by proxy the Mets. Market the heck out of that guy, but make sure he understands the relationship. These young fans will be your paying customers when the Seaver fans die off. Nurture them.
When that next hero comes along, let the player be the player. Nobody is the next Seaver. Nobody is the next anybody. Don’t tell me the player is breaking some record thats been around since 1900 because we all know that not everything in baseball is on the up-and-up whether it’s the 1920s or the 2020s.
In ten years, nobody will support you because of a scoreboard ribbon back in 2024, or a manufactured hit song, or the Grimace, or an overworn City Connect jersey.
There are no casual fans Steve. Don’t chase them. There ARE lapsed fans. Get them back.
We’re 60+ years into this now. Be the New York Mets. You don’t have to be the little brother. You don’t have to gimmick your way to things.
Market to a dad and his son. A hot dog and a beer. Some old memories and some new. Maybe market, you know, a baseball game. Maybe we should go see a baseball game because of the baseball game part.
Put the museum back. Unsold tickets don’t visit the gift shop.
Wear the proper uniforms. Be the New York Mets, not the latest trend on Tik Tok.
There are no casual fans Steve. Dance with who brung ya.
