This morning, I took a private tour of Citi Field.
In short, it’s impressive. It is. It’s spacious, yet intimate, it’s casual, yet classy, and it has a comfortable, hang-out type of vibe that I think fans are going to embrace and enjoy.
What’s more, it’s like a bunch of ballpark in one, in that, as a fan, you can have a variety of unique experiences, whether watching the game from the Pepsi Porch, or hanging out in the promenade, like you’re at a bar, or whether dining in a quality restaurant, with the game in front of you, there is something for every one.
Tomorrow, I will post a more in-depth commentary, with edited, hi-resolution photographs.
In the meantime, here is a three-minute video, with no audio, that will give you a sense of what I mean:
This video includes footage of the Pepsi Porch, the Cesar’s Club, the Press Box, the Media Room, the Promenade, the Players Lounge, Clubhouse and Dugout, the old Skyline from Shea above the center-field concession stand, and the old Home Run Apple and the home and visiting team’s bullpen.
Update, 3:45 pm:
Here are two photos that people have been e-mailing me asking to see, so I figured I would get them up now, instead of tomorrow:
This is the brick walk, out front of the Rotunda:
This is the carpeting in the Mets clubhouse, nice touch:
Have any season ticket holders gotten an email with a tracking number for their tickets? My friend at work got one yesterday and I still have not. Thanks.
My Friday night 15 pack has not come yet.
I did however get free entrance to the stadium to see them practice on Sunday April 5th @11am.
what are they waiting for?
bet citi is not as nice as yankee stadium. why? cuz wilpons are cheap and stupid. hank may be stupid, but he is not cheap.
ahhh, looks like mrbill has found someone stupid enough to leech onto—nice work you two!!
This one sounds more like the other one.
yeah gogo has been taking the dwun clutchpil ls
Gogomets, you sir are now the leading candidate for dumbest post of the year. Congratulations.
BTW According to Neil Best The Mets “most expensive ticket is a mere” $495 while if you wanted to attend the April 22 game at the new Yankees Stadium to see the Yankees play against the Athletics you could spend:
“Section 24B, Row 5
Ticket price: $2,625
Convenience charge: $59.70
Price per ticket: $2,684.70*
*Not including $3.25 “order processing” charge.”
Hey Clem–
Yeah, this is the kind of post that makes me get my Gestapo gear out…..how could anyone call the Wilpons dumb?? Fred certainly is ANYTHING but dumb….and I am old enough to remember when we traded Seaver and Kingman to save money, then finished 5th or 6th for 7 straight years…..they might not spend as much as the Yanks, but they spend as much as anyone else, and that seems OK to me….
Even better, I received my tickets.
See my post at the bottom of this entire thread.
Matt how are they doing with all the finishing up. I went on sunday and it seemed like they had a lot of work left to finish within a couple weeks. I seriously dont think it will be complete by opening day. They might hand out brooms to all the fans on opening day to help clean the place up
Hey Matt, from the money your reeling in from SNY, you couldn’t afford a video camera? This looks like your recording off of your phone.
I believe he is recording from his phone.
Keep up the good work matt, I cant wait to get there and watch the mets! That 15 game pack was an awesome buy.
That pool table is gold, baby!
hey MATT
did they have any more ads up since last week
FYI. the can of paint at the 30 sec mark has been in that exact spot since sunday
Love the Mays and Seaver framed jerseys in the players’ lounge beyond the (pretty dam sweet) pool table.
Im sure I will spending alot of time at the Promenade bar if Perez keeps pitching the way he has been!
Every article this week has been so boring…
I would domintate those pinball machines.
Are fans able to stand at the fence behind the visitors’ bullpen?
I hope so, I love how the apple is right near them so they get an idea of what to expect when they get called in. Can you imagine what will be said when heilman goes to warm up when the cubs come to town.
They should seriously look into renaming “right field” -> “Wright Field”
Did you notice how so many of the bricks have virtually the same text? How lame that no one can use any imagination. I mentioned this to my brother, and he replied as follows:
I can just imagine the typical family brainstorming what text they’ll use. Dad raises an index finger and shouts, “I’VE GOT IT!” The others excitedly ask, “What, dad? What did you think up? What masterpiece!?!?!?” And Dad says, “The first line should be…. LET’S GO METS!” The family faints in awe of his SHEER GENIUS, and must be revived by smelling salts. The family agrees that NOBODY ELSE will EVER be brilliant enough to think that one up! The brick will be unique! Thereafter Mom recommends the family name on the second line, and the geographical region the family typically inhabits on the third line. The entire family basks in the unique, ultra-clever splendor of their one-of-a-kind creation that shall outshine all others as the sun outshines a burned-out 7-watt nightlight. Lo, behold the BRILLIANCE!!!
hahahahah!
What would your brick say Kennel?
My brother and I got a brick. It says “LENNY DYKSTRA KEEPS HIS CHEW UNDERNEATH ME.”
I hope you bathe after that.
coleslaw r u clem in disquise?
I’m not coleslaw and he’s not me. :)
I imagine I’m quite a bit older than coleslaw. Clem Kadiddlehopper was a Red Skelton character (Red who?). :)
yeah unfortunately i am aware of red s
I am very much less than impressed with the layout of the Fanwalk. Why would they place the bricks criss-crossed? Doesn’t make any sense, even artisically. Plus, will they be protected at all? If not, those bricks are going to be weathered and/or vandalized after the first winter. Stadium looks amazing though. Opening Day is getting closer and closer…….
it’s solely so they can film fans twirling in circles outside the rotunda.
Actually, I think it might make a little more sense if yo ucould see the whole thing at once.
Those bricks look like a big mess!
umm…The Seating Chart says, “Citi Field, Corona, NY”
…Is it technically not in Flushing?
Anybody know how big the sections are for the fan walk. I got something in the mail that said my brick is in secion 1, but how many bricks are actually in section 1?
1,000
thecore??? lol
Where’s my brick? I CAN’T FIND MY BRICK!!
chill man ! you got 40 years to find your brick lol
it looks amazing matt thanks for the video
i guess bad ollie showed up today
Good evening Rusty. I’m in a glass half full mood tonight. Did he pitch great? Obviously not. But, he had to wait out an injured player removal in the top of the first. Then in the bottom of the first had to wait out the Tiger’s pitcher getting hurt and then a new guy warm up to come in. He actually had to warm up again himself while the Mets were batting in the first. And if he’d escaped the Polanco inning he’d have only given up 2 runs. It’s unfortunate he’s only got one more tune up before the season starts. Yeah I’m being apologist but it is ST and he had a wierd start to this game with all the injury delays.
The new look of this stadium can look a little overwhelming or weird at first, as anything that’s not Shea would, but I know all of us will grow to love it. This stadium kind of reminds me of Commerica Park in Detroit, like with the behind home plate view. But it has has that Texas Rangers home run area look too.
As a NY native that has been displaced to Michigan, I can say Comerica is a great park, and a great fan experience. Hopefully the Mets have better luck cleaning up the surrounding area than the Tigers…
Scary area. I believe it’s like within a mile of old Tiger Stadium. My dad spent part of his life growing up there down the street from Tiger Stadium and brought me to see his house which was a burnt out shell. Couldn’t leave there fast enough. Very intimidating.
Parking is going to be $18.00 Yikes!
wasn’t it $17 last year?
$15 bucks last year – i wish theyd bring back the water taxi
he said the yankee prices were the reason since they had to work it out with the city and yankees prices for aprking were a factor
It’s a raise of 3 dollars. If I have to pay an extra 3 dollars to see a game at Citi Field instead of Shea, so be it.
i feel like im the only one unimpressed with the design of the new park. its ridiculously clustered with billboards in the outfield. i dont get why everyone thinks it looks so great. the pictures dont look that aesthetically great, but ill wait til sunday to see it in person i guess.
anyone goin to the metsblog opening day viewing party?
Hey Rusty–
I wish I was…I sure will be watching the game though…if there are more get togethers I will try to make one for sure…and I will come on by your seats when I come to my Saturday game or two this year….
I’m sure Citi Field is a world class facility, but ultimately, the name of the game is baseball, and we have Oliver Perez and Livan Hernandez in our rotation and Marlon Anderson as our main pinch hitter. Maine is still a question mark after having a chunk of bone taken out from his shoulder.
When the first injury happens to one of the starters, Freddy Garcia will be there to take his place.
Then there is the little issue of collapsing on the last week of the last two seasons.
I am hopeful, but not optimistic. Besides the bullpen, management did almost nothing else to improve the club. I bet they are banking on a great year for business based on the new stadium, and if we win it will be gravy. Call me pessimistic, but I can’t shake the vibe.
Yeah, yeah….I know….have faith.
One thing is for sure…….. if I am at a game where Freddy Garcia is starting or relieving I can be found outside looking for my brick.
Nice video by the way. Also stadium page has a bunch of new photos too.
I still have mixed feeling about the stadium…it looks nice, but I just don’t know. I guess ill see on Sunday…
the stadium is great its just that you have to have to take out a 2nd mortgage to get great seats…
i was listening to the radio and this one guy said his tickets behind the plate cost something like $125 each last season. now he said its almost $400 for the same exact seat.
not to mention the fact that the beer, food, parking etc. is going to cost more too…
i have to pay that much more to watch Ollie give up 6 walks and 4 ER in the first 3 innings???
Most definitley the prices are an issue, and don’t get me wrong at all, I am DYING to see the stadium, but I’ve heard so many mixed reviews ya know? Like you said the price increase is a part of my skepticism, but I better get a chance for playoff tix, and about nine more wins this year for the money I’m going to drop there this year. Not to mention I blow about two thirds of the money I make during the summer commuting from south jersey to queens, be it via trains, or whatever, when I should be using it to pay off loans!! Oh well I love my mets no matter where they play, or how much it costs.
at least you have your priorities in order…
wish i did lol
Ok, Matt deleted his 9:00 post which deleted my post that I received my tickets and my disappointment.
Yes, I got my tickets and the best part is that the smell of fresh tickets is like the smell of spring time, with all the hopes that could come to my beloved Mets.
The delivery seems less than perfect this year.
First, unlike prior years the Mets letter to ticket holders is less than perfect. It does not list all the contents in the box, only discusses the tickets.
Second, what is included in the box is a model of Citi Field. It an unusual copy of Citi Field which rests inside a glazz case. Only trouble is that the model is not secure. If anyone pics it up it will fall to the side of the glazz case and probably scratch the inside of the case. I do not understand why it was constructed this way.
Third, what is missing ….. no 2009 media guide. I always loved getting the media guide and looking at stats and history. Not sure why the Mets left it out. Is there a big trade in the works that they are waiting on? Is there a big trade that was included in the guide that did not occur (i.e. Manny)? Or did the Madoff scandal effect the Mets more deeply than they are admitting forcing them to cut corners?
Anyway, despite the disappointments in two and three above, I am happy to have my tickets and am psyched for the start of the new season.
Go Mets!
C’mon folks – spell it correctly.
“Caesar’s”.
Just like the salad, and the casino, and the play by Shakespeare.
what’s a shakespeare?
he owns a shakeshack in the u.k
Despite the mixed reviews, I can’t wait to get down to Cit Field. I hate how I’m finally at the point where I could afford season tickets, but I’m over 300 miles away from NYC. :(
same here dark ill be at the workout on the 5th – will there be a game that day before they head to cincy?
JEEZ WHY AM I GETTING MODERATED?
to quote Michael Jackson “Good morning childwen. It’s time for this week in mets infamy with Rusty !! so lets get on our p.j’s and our face ma$ks and get this started !!” “HE HE HE SHAMON !”
-sorry i’m in a zone that i cant get out of lol
anyways birthday wishes go out to
scrub middle reliever of the ’90′s Mickey “mouse” We ston (1961)
scrub utility infielder Shawn “wa$ cally wabbit” Hare (1967)
José “di di anu” (as members of the tribe would call him) Vizcaino (1968)
Transactions:
New York Mets sold Bu zz Ca pra to the Atlanta Braves on March 26, 1974. -never to be seen again
New York Mets sold Mike “this is why you don’t play ba$ketball in the off sea$on” Vail to the Cleveland Indians on March 26, 1978.
New York Mets relea$ed Bobby Vale ntine on March 26, 1979. – I still say joe tor re was jealous of him and knew one day he would surpa$$ him as manager of the mets – and he was right !!
New York Mets traded Randy Mill igan and Scott Henion to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Mackey “double pump” S@ $$er and Tim “WHAT CHU TALKIN ABOUT WIL LIS!! “Drummond on March 26, 1988.
New York Mets signed D. J. ” crash” on March 26, 1990.
New York Mets purcha $ed Joe Crawford from the Boston Red Sox on March 26, 1996. WHO!
New York Mets relea$ed Alvaro Espinoza on March 26, 1997.-
Ho Jo announced his retirement on March 26, 1997. and all mets fans wept – at least i did!
New York Mets relea$ed Hideo No mo on March 26, 1999.
- finally with enough editing i got through the modderation police lol
Wow, that’s a lot of editing there. Sometimes I just don’t get the moderation on this site. Oh well.
lol 4 drafts and i still had to omit stuff – im scratching my head cuz most of the stuff imho was not moderation eligible
Wow, 4 drafts? Yikes. I’ve never had luck quite that bad here.
i still cant figure out why – btw dark u goin to the viewing party on opening day? don’t know if i asked u yet
No, no viewing party on opening day for me. NYC is about a 7 hour trip for me, so if I go down there it’ll be to attend a game in person. My first game will April 25.
Man, I miss Bobby V. Those were good days.
yeah i remember him playin in ’78 i remember him as the 3b coach in 84 and i remember having a argument with him on the fan about armando reynoso in 97
“Moderated” is farce.
Any word containing three consecutive letters “A-S-S” like GLA-S-S or A-S-Sume or PA-S-S is caught in the overly sensitive lexicon of this site and the post is deemed “moderated”.
These posts hang in purgatory and are never actually set for public view. As such I do not know why there is a “moderated” message. If someone really was reviewing the post, they would quickly discover that the post was innocent and that the lexicon was being overly sensitive.
A better way would be for Matt to enable people to self moderate their posts by setting the program to highlight words that the lexicon finds “offense” just like the program does with misspelled words (i.e. the red line under the word), and have the site send a message “Please remove offending words and resubmit” and leave the create a message window open and permit the poster to choose a less offensive word and then resubmit the post.
I think that would be easy to do.
kicked – i purposely before hand edited the a-s-s words and i still got moderated – there was more on hideo no-mo bobby v and d.j dozier but i paiered it down til it got accepted
kicked – i purposely before hand edited the a-s-s words and i still got moderated – there was more on hideo no-mo bobby v and d.j do z ier but i paiered it down til it got accepted
itthis post just gotr moderated and i am scratching my freekin head!!
YOU CAN’T WRITE D- O- Z I- E -R !!!
guys on metsmerized online – they quoted dan warthen as being p’od at ollie – especially since he is “out of shape – his arm also – lets hope ollie hgets his priorities on order and works his butt off
cya guys – off to work i go