Author: Shannon Shark @metspolice

In the post about the new parking rates at Citi I made a sarcastic comment that it must cost more to park cars at a concert than a game.  Ceetar asked (in the comments) if maybe the additional money goes to the artist.

Here’s the excellent Sports Business Journal:

The concert revenue was welcome at a time when everyone in sports is battling the effects of the recession. MLB clubs do not have to share their portion of concert revenue with other teams.

The three teams all struck traditional rent deals with promoters, rather than promoting the concerts themselves, as a few organizations have begun to do. Under the rental arrangement, the acts take most ticket revenue, and the teams make their money on ticket fees, concessions and parking.

I think that last sentence tells all.   They are making none to little on the tickets, so you’re going to pay $30 to park.   Or read this Mets Police guide to being cheap about parking.

Three things catch my eye this morning:

1.  The mainstream press has learned of the 6 packs which Mets Police told you about two days ago. I don’t say that to show off (I only found out because a reader, Peter, told me) but I find it interesting that the link was live before the press release went out yesterday at 4:30, and yes the link was live to the point you could complete a purchase.

2.  The Mets have added a 6th pack which was not there two days ago:   The Pyrotechnics Pack includes Fr. April 23 (Braves), Thurs May 27 (Phillies), Tues. June 22 (Tigers),Mon. July 5 (Reds), Fri. Aug 27th (Astros), Wed. September 29th (Brewers)

July 5th is Pyrotechnics night, about which I can’t find any information other than it sounds better than having Fireworks Night the day after July 4th.

3.  I still think my idea for a Seven Game Pack was better, more fan-friendly, and could have become a happening.  However, my plan likely doesn’t fit the model of manipulating people into buying games they don’t want.  I’ll get into that later today.

The Wall Street Journal (which has a very underrated sports section) has a fun story about stadium naming rights, and me being me, I couldn’t help but share these two paragraphs.

When Dan Gilbert bought the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2005 for $375 million, he named the team’s arena after his company, Quicken Loans. Since the change, the Cavaliers have won 66% of their games. They’d won 44% in the 11 previous seasons when the building was named for the team’s former owner, Gordon Gund.

Citigroup seems to have had the opposite effect. Since the company signed a 20-year, $400 million agreement with the New York Mets in late 2006, the team hasn’t made it to the playoffs. Its first season in its brand-new ballpark, Citi Field, produced the team’s worst record in 15 years.

Personally I don’t care if the stadium is named Citi Field.  I would have preferred Shea or something Mets related, but now that it has a name, Citi Field is the name and should last forever…lest we be like the Marlins/Dolphins.

We Mets fans keep hearing about statue technology, which has not yet made it’s way to Flushing.  ESPN tackled the subject today:

Of the 30 franchises, only 20 feature statues depicting actual players. And the Orioles’ only statue is Babe Ruth, who didn’t actually play for the franchise (of course the Babe was born in Baltimore and did play for the minor-league Orioles in 1914). Four stadiums have generic sort of players, with the Rockies sporting the best of those.

So six teams — the Rays, Twins, A’s, Mets, Marlins, and Dodgers — don’t have statues, and six more are without statues for their own players.

Ugh, a generic player sounds worse than no player at all.  ESPN agrees with everyone except Dave Howard and the boys that there should be a Seaver statue at Citi Field.  Well, I don’t actually know G.T. Seaver’s opinion on the subject, but it sure is odd to me they don’t add one.  Some day they will and they will claim it was the plan all along.

Hey you know that crazy blogger who was suggesting the Mets have 7-packs?  Well, look what Peter found online:

Opener Pack: Mon. April 5 (Marlins),  Tues. May 25 (Phillies),  Wed. June 23 (Tigers), Fri. July 9 (Atlanta Braves),  Tues. August 10 (Rockies),  Fri. October 1 (Nationals)

Hall of Fame Pack: Tue. April 20 (Cubs), Wed. May 26 (Phillies), Thu. June 24 (Tigers),Tue. July 6 (Reds), Sun. August 1 (Diamondbacks), Fri. September 17 (Braves).

Champion Pack: Mon. April 26 (Dodgers), Fri. May 21 (Yankees), Fri. June 25 (Twins), Tue. July 27 (Cardinals), Wed. August 11 (Rockies), Fri. September 10 (Phillies)

All-Star Pack: Fri. April 9 (Nationals), Sat. May 22 (Yankees), Tues. June 8 ( Padres)Wed. July 28 (Cardinals), Thu. August 26(Marlins), Mon. September 27 (Brewers)

Power Pack: Mon. April 19 (Cubs), Sun. May 23 (Yankees), Wed. June 9 (Padres),Fri. July 30 (Diamondbacks), Fri. August 13 (Phillies), Tues. September 28 (Brewers)

NEW: The Pyrotechnics Pack includes Fr. April 23 (Braves), Thurs May 27 (Phillies), Tues. June 22 (Tigers), Mon. July 5 (Reds), Fri. Aug 27th (Astros), Wed. September 29th (Brewers)

As you can see they’ve added one nugget to each package.

Here’s where it gets annoying: Say you want the opener pack…you have to buy two.  There’s a $35 “Order Charge” and a $5 “Mail Charge”   Why why why why why why why?  Total amount $284.  Promenade Reserved is the only section available.

Ticket link is here.

Blue Cap Army, Opening Day, who’s in?