You can root for the Mets without being convinced of their doom
Last night was an amazing experience; The New York Mets invited me, and a score or so other bloggers, to Citi Field, gave us field passes to watch batting practice from the warning track in front of the dugout, excellent tickets to the game, the chance to talk to players, and even a $10 gift card.
I’d have hoped the Mets would get off to a better start, but they had some bad breaks. Hopefully Pelfrey’s tendinitis isn’t a big deal. Once the weather warms up, and they shake off this spring rust, I’m expecting them to put together a nice little run.
Thursday I’m going to my first regular season game at Citi, since I couldn’t find even scalped tickets to the opener for less than $250. I’m going to go for batting practice, and roam around like crazy. I plan to check out views, and bounces, and try to catch a bp home run. Here’s a quick run down of some things I plan on doing. Feel free to comment/email me if you think of other things I should check out.
1.Views from all the seats I currently have tickets to.
2.Other views, last row behind the plate. Last sections in the promenade on both sides. View from the Left Field Landing under the Promenade. Many others.
3.See what type of ‘club access’ is available well before the game. Are all the clubs already locked down and checking tickets, or am I able to go inside and look at them?
4.Someone asked me about the veggie options at Citi Field. So I’m going to keep an eye out for that stuff. I know they have salads and such in the Worlds Fare Market. Veggie burgers?
5.If I’m feeling ambitious, maybe I’ll try to time how long it takes to get up from high in the promenade after an inning, walk down, go to the bathroom, and get a hot dog, and get back.
6.Shea always had ‘hidden’ food items, especially in the later years. Where were the knishes? You can get Killian’s and Blue Moon on the Mezz? Really? I’m going to keep an eye out for the odd kiosk that might be serving something less standard at Citi.
7.I really want to check out the standing room options from around the park. I know there are some amazing standing views up on the Promenade that are close, block no one’s view and block no one’s path.
8.How tight is security for the ‘roamers’. I’m planning on buying a cheap seat, but not sitting in it. Am I going to get harassed for grabbing a seat here and there during the game? Only on the field level? What about the Big Apple seats?
9.Of course I’m going to have a beer or two, to continue the Citi Field Beer Review. First will be the exclusive Brooklyn Sabroso Ale.
I’m looking forward to a fun six hour day at the ballpark.
How I Got Kicked Out Of Shea Stadium
I didn’t cause trouble, start a fight, have any alcohol, berate Barry Bonds, a Yankee fan, or anybody at all. I didn’t interrupt the game, distract anyone or make a nuisance, yet when me and my friend moved our seats in the 8th inning of Thursday night’s Met game we were kicked out, and not just of the seats, or the level, but of the whole stadium. Now I’m not saying that I belonged there, or I had any right to be where I was, but the idea that me and my friend sitting down in a seat was in any way a security concern that necessitating escorting us out of the building.
Only ticketed fans are allowed in the field level seats, but everyone is allowed in for batting practice. Since the majority of ticket holders in the field level are often corporate boxes and owned by businesses rather than fans, there are always a ton of extra seats, more so then any other sold out section. We’re not alone in doing this, I routinely hear and see other people who have stayed in the level from batting practice and fill one of these empty seats. Sure it’s a little unfair that we paid $9 for the seat and the people legitimately buying those seats paid $60+, but we’re not taking away anything from them. I’m not exactly rolling in money at the moment, but the Mets are one of those luxury’s that I’m willing to spend money on. Between me and friend we probably spend $2000 last year on the Mets, which is a lot of money for us, even if it’s nothing to the Mets. We’re mini-season plan holders this year, we support the team, good and bad. We’re not trying to put one over on the Mets, we’re just trying to enjoy the game.
We sat out in the outfield where we were hanging out for batting practice, hoping to catch a foul ball that sliced into the seats, or a ball tossed from the Mets in right field. Later on we moved to some seats near middle of the level, behind the Mets dugout. In the 8th inning, a lot of people got up to leave, so we walked down to one of these sections, 6 rows from the field, figuring it’s not often you can even buy these seats if you wanted to, it’s a nice view. We sat down and a security guard came over and sat across from me, and asked for my ticket. I responded that we’d just leave. I was thinking “Busted, oh well, no big deal, I’ll wander away and watch the game from somewhere else.” He continued to ignore everything I said and kept asking for my ticket, so I finally caved and gave it to him, thinking maybe he just wanted to make sure I didn’t sneak into the stadium or something. Eventually he asks us to get up and come with him, so we get up and go with him, escorted by 10 other security guys at the end of the aisle and they keep pointed and telling us to walk that way, instead of leading us anywhere. They’re rude and nasty the whole time as my friend tries to ask them what the big deal is and what they want from us. They walk us to Gate D, and push us out, telling the guy posted there not to let us back in, keeping my ticket in the process.
What bothers me most is that we obviously weren’t causing trouble, and once the game was over we’d have been allowed there anyway to try to get autographs behind the dugout. Although I have noticed a security guard standing on the dugout after a game be really nasty to a bunch of 12 year old kids hoping to find a Met walking out of the dugout after the game for an autograph. Then there was the clincher last year, when me and my friend waited in the crowd to try to buy a shirt after the game. It was slow, and the place was mobbed. As it ebbed, the security guards repeatedly tried to get people to leave get out. It’s understandable that they just wanted people out so they could finish up and go home, but at the time they were doing this was when the Mets were coming back on the field to celebrate with the fans that were on the field level and had stuck around. So a couple of fans up on the mezzanine weren’t what was keeping them from locking up the stadium.
Obviously this isn’t going to change anything for me, they don’t know who I am and I doubt they’ll really recognize me when I walk back into the stadium Saturday. It’s just a souring experience for the first time I’ve ever left a Met game before it was over, and what I take away from the experience is sad. I’ll remember next time not to respect the security guys, I’ll just walk away from him immediately and head back to my seat, or watch the game from a different location. This situation will be moot in 2009 anyway, when standing room only seats and the layout of the stadium won’t have a designated area where we’re not allowed.