The other day I posted about
what's not to like at Citi Field.
Now it's time to try and be positive, not my natural instinct but here it goes:
Fan Walk: I am a fan. The brick walkway outside is a classy touch. Met fans rose to the occasion and left behind some clever tributes and poignant memorials. I am especially impressed by the dude who used the fan walk as an opportunity to propose marriage ("I am not David Wright but I am Mr. Right. Will you marry me?" Damn I wish I thought of that. Oh wait I'm already married). We always knew Met fans were the wittiest and most passionate in all baseball. Now there is written proof around Citi Field.
The Dunking Station. That was the favorite place for my sons (The MLB09 video game hut came in second). Next to the wiffle ball field behind the scoreboard, there is an old-fashioned dunking station sponsored by Hershey Park. The dunked victim doesn't fall into a tank of water, however; just some foam. But the kids were loving it anyway. Smart move by the Mets to put a giant screen behind the scoreboard so parents forced to bring their progeny to all these attractions can still follow the game.
Bullpens. Once again, we can see who is warming up, at least for the Mets.
The old Apple. At one point, the Mets were going to trash Shea's old home run magic hat. Now it is one of the most popular destinations in the new stadium. Very cool.
The bridge. Between the Apple and the bullpen, the suspension bridge provides the most impressive view of the game (that's where the above photo was taken).
Citi corridors. There is much more room to walk within the concourses of Citi Field. And on the Promenade level, there are many open areas, so more natural light comes in. I especially like the Promenade food court behind home plate. They could use another video screen there for fans to watch the action while dining.
Citi bathrooms. I have only been to one game but I never had to wait on line. And I got to listen to the radio, as they now pipe WFAN into the men's room. In fact, I was in the bathroom on Opening Day when the news broke about the death of Mark "The Bird" Fydrich. Someone flushed during the news, though, so I had to loiter in the men's toilet a bit longer than I felt comfortable with.
Citi staff. I did not see our old Loge13 usher on Opening Day. He may have retired; he's probably somewhere else. The folks I have met have clearly taken the new courtesy training very seriously. But that doesn't mean they are without charm or character. Good example: before Monday's game, the usher in our section heard me chatting with Ron Hunt about the rock & roll hall of fame. He noted that lots of worthy bands are still excluded. I agreed and cited as one random example, Jethro Tull. Turns out, this guy was at Shea Stadium July 23, 1976 when
Tull played Shea, and he cited the date as proof. Now that's what we want in a Mets usher.
Again, I have only attended one game so I may have overlooked or overstated something. Feel free to fill in the blanks.
you mentioned some really good points here, and it's good in all the bad press that they're getting (and I'm giving them) that some good things are said.
i think you left out the comfort of the seats and seating aisles. my joke for my Shea seats is to take a normal kitchen chair, shave off 2 inches on each side, and you have the seat. much improved at the new place.
i actually thought there wasn't enough light on at least some of the concourses. but i was at a day game on a bit of a cloudy day (against Boston).
though different from the blue we got so used to, i do like the color scheme (minus advertisments) of the outfield wall, with the orange lining and black wall. i heard that the wall and the green seats were meant to invoke memories of the Polo Grounds (something my dad knew and can give his opinion on after next Saturday's game).