On Monday I write a weekly column for Flushing University. This was this week’s column.
I think the Mets have a big problem on their hands.No, not on the field. Off the field. In the stands.They recently announced that some tickets would be discounted through TheaterMania.comRight or wrong, the average fan perceives that Mets tickets are now 33% to 50% off. Perception is reality.In the short term maybe they sell some extra tickets. What happens in the long term?With the cutting of prices, prices on the secondary market have crashed even further. I can’t make it Thursday night. Should I sell my $19 tickets for the going rate of $7 on stubhub? Should I “eat” them? Give them away again?That’s not the Mets’ problem, but 2010 is.I looked ahead to September. As part of my “Saturday package” I have a Tuesday night game and a Thursday night game. At Shea Stadium it was quite cold at night in September. The sun sets in the 7’s not the 8’s and the wind would start whipping in, and so far at Citi Field I have seen strong winds in the Promenade (can we just call this ‘uppers’) even on the warmest of nights.Again, nobody made me buy the tickets. It’s my problem not the Mets’ problem. This year.What happens to the Mets in 2010 when they ask me to renew. Do I want to buy all those tickets at face value (really, $23 for the uppers against the Giants?) or should I just wait and buy tickets on Stubhub. Even if the Mets rebuild and win 115 games I can probably still do OK on stubhub. I just looked at the next home game for the Yankees (a team having a good season) and I can get in (2 tickets) for $24 each. So how much could Mets tickets cost me – again assuming the team is good.Maybe it will cost me an extra buck or five to see that one Mets game I really want to see.What about those “Saturday” games that are on Tuesday night in September. What about those Saturday games that aren’t part of the “Saturday” package anyway. (Why don’t the Mets just call these the “Stengel Plan” or something so as not to rub it in our faces?)It was nice to see the team finally listen to the fans and hang some “Mets stuff” around the park. It should never have taken so long.The ticket thing may have been short term smart but it’s going to backfire, as many things they try often do.
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