This off season I’ve enjoyed the Mets frugality. The Mets act as if they don’t have all the same advantages as the Yankees. New stadium (check). Their own TV network (check). New York City area (check). They do. They still might be #2, and always will be just like the Jets will never be the Giants and the Islanders will never be the Rangers and the Nets will never be the Knicks. All that is fine, but you don’t need to act like you are Kansas City and should have taken a look at someone like Sabathia.
I find Mets fans are generally frustrated that nothing is changing with this team. Wagner for K-Rod is a wash really…so the team is as good as it was going in to August 2008, and in the same division as a team that outplayed you two years in a row you have to assume that means second place. Yes 30 blown saves or whatever it was doesn’t help. The Mets still need two starting pitchers, a second baseman, a real catcher and a left fielder (yes I want to believe in Dan Murphy but I also wanted to believe in Keith Miller and Rico Brogna).
I spent a few days trying to find real numbers to show what a small market Queens is and thought they are hard to come by but I did find a few tidbits.
Sports Business Journal says the Yankees on YES averaged 312,000 households, the Red Sox 242,000 and the Mets 239,000. Comparatively 29,000 households check out the Orioles and a measly 8,000 the Nationals. So a few more people watch the Yankees. However if you play the now-dreaded “meaningful games in September” you can get over 800,000 viewers to tune in. (Memo to Fred – let’s change the goal to meaningful games in October).
(Taxpayer)field has 45,000 seats. New Yankee Stadium has 51,000 seats. Someone with more time than I have can multiply the seats by pricing and come up with numbers. At first glance maybe the Yankees have a few more bucks (although who told the Mets to build a smaller stadium?). In 2008 the Yankees averaged 53,069 for almost 4.3 million. The Mets were #2 with 51,165 and 4 million (source ). So don’t blame the Yankees that you choose to sell 6,000 fewer seats 81 times. The Phillies were fifth and those Red Sox who are having a great century somehow manage with their 37,000 fans.
In 2008 Forbes magazine valued the Mets worth $823 million dollars. (source). The Yankees – $1.306 billion dollars. Comparisons: Boston at $816 million and the World Champion Phillies $481 million last April.
You’ve got the money. You just charged me a $40 “order charge” on my ticket plan because someone needs to stuff an envelope (and send it to me, for which I paid a $25 delivery charge). So my two tickets are 2 of the 45,000. Lets assume the Mets sell out 80% this year – can we all assume they’ll sell tickets to 36,000 people like me between all the partial plans, and we all buy rwo tickets? That alone is $720,000 in order fees and I’m being very generous with the math. Also don’t forget your $20 million in taxpayer money being used to advertise a bank. They have that too.
We all hate Boras but we need pitchers and he has them. Get Lowe and Perez in here. You have the money. Two years of choking has been awful. A new stadium is time for a new culture, winning.
www.metspolice.com
