The Mets Police

What I love about this press release is that nobody decided to include an image.  My new TV is also a Samsung, I plan on watching that instead

 

Samsung Electronics and the New York Mets Hit a Home Run, Unveiling Newest and Brightest Outdoor LED Technology at Citi Field

 

Showcased at the Mets’ What’s New at Citi Field event, the new dual-sided centerfield scoreboard features groundbreaking technology that aims to reinvent the in-stadium experience for baseball fans

 

QUEENS, New York – March 28, 2023 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc. and the New York Mets recently made sports history with the installment of the largest scoreboard across all professional ballparks. As fans gear up for the start of a new baseball season, they will have a firsthand look at the enhanced and fully upgraded dual-sided centerfield video board, which features a 17,400 square feet LED screen on the front and 6,900 square feet on the back. Since Fall of 2022, Samsung has installed over 29,800 square feet of new LED at Citi Field.

Unveiled for the first time at the Mets’ What’s New at Citi Field event on March 23, attendees had a sneak peek of what fans can expect for the upcoming season. The scoreboard is the highlight of the multiple digital display upgrades throughout the entire stadium, providing fans with a state-of-the-art display experience. Even as fans enjoy the new experienced introduced throughout the ballpark, the new scoreboard ensures that they won’t miss a moment of the action taking place on the field.

“As an emerging New York landmark, Citi Field continues to set itself apart with the integration of cutting-edge display technology that enhances the in-stadium experience for fans,” said James Fishler, Senior Vice President, Display and Home Entertainment Division, Samsung Electronics America. “Samsung is a proud partner of the Mets and with the installment of the first-of-its-kind, double-sided LED display, we are excited to help the franchise reach the next level of technology innovation in professional sports.”

New Centerfield Scoreboard Brings Citi Field to Life

Since forming its partnership in 2021, Samsung has worked with the Mets to transform Citi Field into the most technologically advanced, professional ballpark. The multi-year digital transformation included the deployment of over 300 LFD displays and several new large-format LED displays last year, totaling over 15 million pixels. The second phase of installments, which will be fully operational by opening day on April 6, will feature several new outfield displays, including the new centerfield scoreboard, increasing the total pixel count in Citi Field to 40 million. In addition to the centerfield scoreboard, Mets fans will see display improvements in all corners of the stadium, including exterior signage, digital concession menu boards and more.

“Samsung’s innovative technology at Citi Field will expand the standard for what fans expect when entering the country’s best stadiums. Over a two-year period, we’ve transformed a once static signage environment to an all-digital experience,” said David Phelps, Vice President, Product Management, Display Division, Samsung Electronics America. “While working with the Mets, we’ve been able to push the boundaries of what is possible by delivering more creative and unique experiences for its fan base.”

The new LED technology also enables opportunities for DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home) advertising by transforming once static displays into a blank canvas of creativity. The scoreboard offers near unlimited configurations for advertisers to stand out from the competition and deliver entirely new visual experiences to fans. With the ability to accept multiple forms of content, the dynamic display helps foster the local economy by providing business owners with an affordable solution to advertise at Citi Field. The back of the dual-sided scoreboard reaches heights so tall that it’s visible from the highway, offering yet another opportunity to increase sponsorship and advertisement revenue, as well as inform and excite fans waiting to enter the stadium to join the action.

Immersive Entertainment for Every Fan

Citi Field’s main video LED board is substantially the largest scoreboard across all professional ballparks and over three times larger than Citi Field’s previous centerfield scoreboard. The expansive 17,400 square-foot high-definition video display ensures that no matter where fans are in the stadium, they won’t miss the action on or off the field. Including the new enhanced display on the back, the centerfield scoreboard features over 24,000 square feet of LED signage and over 13 million pixels, along with a high-resolution, 10mm pixel pitch display to enhance the in-stadium fan experience. Teams in the dugouts and fans in the stands alike can watch 4K instant replays, up-close game action, game stats, interactive updates and more.

“Samsung’s state-of-the-art technology upgrades at Citi Field underscore our goal of providing best-in-class experiences for our fans,” said Mark Brubaker, Chief Technology Officer, New York Mets. “The quality of these enhancements will not only provide our fans with more immersive and memorable visits to the ballpark, but it also positions Citi Field as a trailblazer in the industry.”

The iconic ballpark’s digital transformation demonstrates how today’s display technology can seamlessly integrate into stadiums and introduce unique interactive offerings for fans. Built for the future, Samsung’s technology upgrades to Citi Field create an interactive environment for all generations of baseball fans traveling to the ballpark.

What are we even doing?

An interesting article about unhappy Washington Nationals fans from The Washington Post

Most fans said they want more promotions to ease the financial strain of parking, paying for a ticket and eating and drinking to watch a club that went 26-55 at home last year. Ten asked for a better ballpark experience, whether that’s additions, improvements or fewer snags with the concession stands and mobile pay system. And above all, they want prices for tickets, parking and food to better reflect the quality of play and lowered investment in the roster.

..

Washington has planned eight Value Days in 2023, two more than last year. The Nationals will bring back $5 day-of tickets and offer a “Nats Pass” that includes standing room only for every game for $5. There are also extra benefits for season plan holders, including a more flexible ticket exchange policy, a preseason gift box and guaranteed bobbleheads for full- and half-season plans. Overall, the promotional schedule has 58 special ticket events compared with 57 last year. (via Washington Post)

While not specific to the Nationals, I cannot wait for later this week when the RSNPocalypse happens.  There is going to be such a financial reckoning in baseball that I cannot even imagine what the future will bring.  I don’t see how teams are going to make up that RSN money, and that money might never come back.

Meanwhile, the Mets continue to market this guy…

…so let it all burn.

The New York Times profiled Steve Cohen, Mets owner.  Their article includes the following;

Those who know him say his view of subordinates can be similarly binary — morons and moneymakers, doers and duds — producing sometimes savage encounters in the workplace. Business associates have been routinely berated in front of peers, their intelligence insulted in a hail of expletives. “That’s your best idea?” he has asked his traders, peppering profanities. “Are you stupid?”

…

Competitors spoke of Cohen the way baseball watchers assessed titans of the steroid age: Yes, he was talented. Yes, everyone hustled for an edge, often in the ethical murk. But S.A.C. could seem especially tethered to the period’s excesses, an inspiration for the legally dubious firm on the television series “Billions.”

For years, prosecutors aggressively pursued S.A.C. — “a veritable magnet for market cheaters,” they said — indicting and convicting employees found to have engaged in illegal trading. Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan at the time, eyed Cohen with particularresolve. (Bharara did not respond to requests for comment.)

Though Cohen was never personally charged, S.A.C. pleaded guilty to insider trading infractions in 2013, becoming the first large Wall Street firm in a generation to admit to criminal wrongdoing. Cohen paid a total of $1.8 billion in fines. During a mandated hiatus from managing public money, he transitioned to a “family office,” Point72, that would manage much of his personal fortune, estimated today by Forbes to exceed $17 billion.

(via NY Times)

Yay?

Huge item in the Mets Hall of Fame at Citi Field @TimmyTrumpet pic.twitter.com/C4gJFQZpKr

— Matt Monagan (@MattMonagan) March 23, 2023