Gary Myers On PSL Stadium

Really good article in the News today.

The teams are sharing the stadium costs 50-50. That’s $800 million each. Each team received $150 million from the NFL‘s stadium fund that is repaid with the visiting team’s share of the club box revenue. That brings the number down to $650 million per team.

The fan backlash has been understandable and predictable. Each team, after taxes, will generate $175 million from the PSLs. That brings the stadium price tag down to $475 million per team.

The naming rights estimate: The final number will be $30 million per year. Over a 20-year period, that raises another $300 million per team, bringing it down to $175 million per team. Sponsorships further defray the cost.

Myers does a good job asking the greatest question of them all: Why do they even need a new stadium?

Given the choice between staying in Giants Stadium or paying the PSLs and increased ticket prices, one longtime (his family’s tickets go back to 1964 inYankee Stadium) season ticket holder told me it’s an easy choice.

“I would stay in Giants Stadium,” he said. “There is nothing wrong with it. Sometimes the access roads and the parking is messy, but that’s only because they are building a new stadium. Every seat is terrific, it’s not in disrepair, there is enough restroom facilities.

“I sit in my seat the beginning of the game and don’t get up until the game is over. My friends go to the bathroom at halftime and get back in time for the kickoff.”

I think Mushnick has the best idea of them all….no matter what the stadium is offically names, everyone should call it PSL Stadium.  That will make the naming rights useless.   I’m in.

Bullpen Not So Niese

Catching up after a long day of football.

How about Niese?  The Mets Police is the home of the official Niese bandwagon, and have been since the spring.

Meanwhile what can I say about the bullpen that hasn’t been said about a half dozen times this year.   No lead is safe.  Awful.   Scares the seaver out of me for the postseason.

Mushnick Calls Mets On $240 "Handling Fees." $240!!!!

All hail the great Phil Mushnick who has a big enough forum to call the Mets on the carpet for their latest obscenity.   Of course Phil does this all the time and nothing ever happens (well the football stadium won’t have a Nazi name, that’s a small victory) – but here is Phil’s latest policing of the Mets who are charging one fan $240 for “handling!”


I saved this article for Sunday night/Monday morning even though Phil wrote about it Friday because weekend reading is lower.   I remind all that the purpose of this blog is to get the Mets franchise to act with honor to the fans.   This is not honorable:


Lee Livingston, of North Brunswick, N.J., this week received his bill for Mets‘ postseason tickets. He has four box seats, Shea’s third most expensive. This year he paid $33,300 for his regular season tickets. He has had them for decades, thus he’s conditioned to anticipate postseason sticker shock. This time, his autumnal ticket bill is $9,000.

But this time it was the “handling” fee that blew him away. Ready? Two hundred and forty dollars!

In July, he informed the Mets that he will not be renewing. He has the documentation, yet the club hit his credit card for $5,670 as a non-refundable down payment on next year’s seats. This has been explained to him as a “misunderstanding,” although the issue is not yet resolved.

While many things can be explained as misunderstandings, a ticket invoice that reads, “HANDLING $240,” is not open to interpretation. “For $200,” said Livingston, “I could send a limo to pick up the tickets, but they won’t allow that.”


Full story here.

Is Tom Seaver Secretly Helping The Rays?

What do the managers of winning ballclubs drink?  Are The Rays the reason that The Former Franchise coudln’t be bothered to show up at the All-Star Game?   Joe Maddon’s got some Cabernet Seaver on his desk!

Back in the visitor’s clubhouse at Fenway, Johnson is surrounded by reporters at his locker and Maddon is sitting in his office with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Tom Seaver’s vineyard on his desk. He is talking about numbers, matchups and scouting reports.

Full story here

ESPN Hates Children: Last Yankee Game To Start At 9

Mushnick mentioned that the pregame ceremonies at the final game at Yankee Stadium won’t start until 8, which pushes gametime to 9pm. On a Sunday night. In September.

As I’ve previously mentioned, this means I can’t bring Mets Police Junior. He’s not awake at 9pm never mind the 1am end of game plus a drive home.

This game had been scheduled for 1pm. Why can’t ESPN show it then? Do people not watch sports on fall Sunday afternoons? The Sunday Night Football game will get a better rating anyway, so why torture New Yorkers?