— Days Without Shea —


by Kingman on March 12 at 4:09PM
http://www.loge13.com/images/SheathroughCiti_091207.png
It is a theory I have posited before: the disrespect of Shea Stadium is responsible for the woes of the Mets.

I've said it so often, friends have stopped returning my calls. People won't sit next to me on the subway. My kids are begging me to get a new hobby.

But see, I'm not alone! The Bleacher Report wrote an excellent item today saying the same thing: The Ghost of Shea Stadium is haunting Mets players and Citi Field, wreaking havoc on ticket sales and thyroids. A few choice excerpts:

While the Mets played their first season at home in a ballpark other than Shea Stadium for the first time since 1963, the team struggled for most of the year.  After the first month, the injury bug hit this team as hard as it has ever hit a ball club in the history of this game.  As the stars fell, so did the Mets in the standings. By September, Citi Field's empty seats finally resembled the many empty fall nights at old Shea.

Those connected to the spiritual world started to question if there was something or someone behind this sudden streak of bad luck.  Sure, the Mets would never be considered a winning franchise, with more losing seasons that winning ones.  But, the bloating disabled list, as well as a defensive performance that had little leaguers laughing, started to reveal that someone or something had a score to settle.

Perhaps the Mets' misfortunes were caused by the ghost of Shea Stadium.  Or maybe it was the baseball gods who were trying to even the score by playing a part in the 2009 season.  Maybe the proper tribute was not displayed to the stadium next door, as ownership continued to express how Citi Field was a great improvement, treating old Shea as the ex who was used and abused until something better came along.

Maybe 2009 was Shea's revenge.

Read the whole piece. Then you will believe.



[March 13, 2010 8:38 AM]  |  link  |  reply
Paul said

Old Shea's ghost is mad...Very Mad. It's mad because it can see how it's friends are being treated. Its like a parent protecting their children. Those children are all of us LOGE 13'ers.

Shea's ghost remembers the first time our parents brought us. The excitement we had, how our eyes opened wide to take her all in. She KNEW we would be back. She saw us there when the team failed but was thankful that we stuck by her thru the years and rewarded us with closer seats. When times turn good, she would "SHAKE" with excitement, We all felt her, knowing we were there and stuck by her.

She saw were "$iti" made us sit last year. She's mad that our friends who we sat with us "All Those Years" were split up. She sees the changes being made for 2010 but still she thinks "$iti" can do alot better. For that, I applaud her.

Only when we can return to our old seat locations at a FAIR PRICE with the friends that sat with us thru the years, will I feel Back Home. Then and only then can Shea's Ghost Rest In Peace....


(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)



http://www.loge13.com/assets_c/2009/07/DSCN0062-thumb-525x393-10426.jpg
I've been out most of the week at a conference. But I can't let this occasion pass without saying:

HAPPY THIRD BIRTHDAY TO MYSELF!

Yes it was three years ago Friday when I posted the Loge13 Manifesto, which inspired countless several of you to become regular readers.

We couldn't stop the destruction of Shea. We couldn't halt Jose Reyes' overactive thyroid. But we'd like to think we helped a bit in the Mets' decision to offer partial season plans at Citi Field.  Oh yeah, and we caused the Great Recession. Sorry about that last thing.

Serious thanks to all of you who have tagged along these past three years. I intended to shut this site down when Shea Stadium was no more but your kindness has kept me going. See you at the ballpark in 2010 and you are welcome in Loge 13 (Section 308) anytime.

Kingman


[March 12, 2010 12:09 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Doug said

Tickets are shipping as I type.

Feel free to give me stubs so that I may enter the golden palace that is the Caesar's Club Level. No Caesar Ticket, no admittance.

[March 12, 2010 4:02 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Ron Hunt said

Congrats on the anniversary Kong!

Thanks for keeping the spirit of Big Shea alive! Looking forward to the new digs in 308!

We'll keep plugging away at the front office and winning. We'll wear them down. We'll outlast them.

Soon we'll be back in our rightful spot, virtual Loge13 at Citi.


(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)



by Kingman on March 1 at 10:04AM
Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Loge13_theend.JPG
Loge13 reader Paul asked in an earlier post if we had made any progress on our seat woes with the Mets.

Indeed we did. The entire Loge13 crew is back together again and on the right side of the field where we belong.

For the 2010 campaign, we will be in Section 308, rows 7 and 8. Our own Ron Hunt went out to the stadium this winter and scouted out locations. Thanks RH for doing the leg work.

As regular readers know, we did not renew our seats up in Promenade Box 427 and were prepared to sit out the year (or the rest of our lives). Frankly, Prom Box 427 just stunk. The view was OK, as long as you are not a fan of left field. But the standing room nonsense behind us was intolerable. Plus it just felt odd to be sitting on the third base side after 24 years of being behind first base.

The Mets front office was very accommodating, no surprise given how poor ticket sales seem to be. And the weekday game plan is still intact. The only downer to the schedule is that there are no day games at all, except for Opening Day.

Obviously, the weekday plans are great for us. If they forced us to take a bunch of weekend games, we'd never do it. So my empathy is with all you Saturday and Sunday plan veterans out there. What are the Mets saying about just offering pure weekend plans again? Any chance it will happen? Let me know.






[March 1, 2010 12:37 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Doug said

Congratulations on your new digs. I hope you enjoy them.

I've read elsewhere that the Mets received a lot of flack from 15-gamers for the Fri, Sat, and Sun plans for them being split 10 and 5. That other team created their 15-game Fri, Sat, and Sun plans as 13+2. At least they get all the ___day games in their plan. With the Mets, apparently you don't. The Ticket Office admitted this was a big reason for fans not renewing, but said that, at least for 2010, there will be no change to the plan structure. Only time will tell if the ticket office wises up and makes some SMART changes for 2011, like, bringing back Shea-like plans.

There is only so much crap that your fans are willing to eat.

Cheers!
-Doug

[March 2, 2010 7:43 AM]  |  link  |  reply
Paul said

All the best in your new home. Unlike you, We have NO HOME. We were unwilling to compromise. After 23 years we wanted what we had at Shea. That was Loge-Type seats between the bases, a SATURDAY ONLY Plan with Playoff rights. At $iti Field that meant Caesars Level Sects 311 to 327. We were offered Sect 326 or 312 but we were not willing to pay that price for 5 middle of the week games we would not go to or recoup the average price of $80 per seat cost. Maybe for the Tigers in Aug but not for the Cubs (In April) Washington, Rockies or Pirates.
So its off to Plan "B". This worked very well last year when we abandoned our Sect 430 seats by July and payed half price for tickets the rest of the season.
Again, best of luck at your new home....
Paul

[March 2, 2010 10:09 AM]  |  link  |  reply
kingman said

Thanks Paul. I feel for you and your crew. It is just plain goofy that the Mets abandoned the weekend-only plan. Hang tough and if Loge13 can help spread the word, just say the word.

[March 2, 2010 1:35 PM]  |  link  |  reply
Doug said

It's obvious when you look at the plan structures that have been in place since 2009 that the Mets MBA's apparently packaged games to sell the most tickets, figuring that the team wouldn't be sucking, and that demand for seating in the new park would drive up demand.

Well, the 'new park' fancy wearing off and half the team being on IR in 2009 jettisoned those plans.

What games will they sell, regardless? Opening Day, plus the three against the Yankees. So, lets market one of those games in a package. 20 games is too much. Let's make them 15.

Oh wait, we still have to sell another batch of games that have no draw? What to do? Let's steal 3 Friday, 3 Saturday, and 3 Sunday games from plans that will sell and lump them with 6 games that we can't sell on their own merit, and presto! the weekend-plus plan!

So there you have it. Five plans that were designed to sell the most tickets possible, based on a good team and a strong demand for a ticket to the new park.

I am hoping, that in 2011, the Mets realize that they will need to restructure their partial plans to bring back those who, guess what, only want to / can go to games on certain days of the week.

The Mets were always very generous with their partial plans when compared to other clubs, and here's hope that they become generous yet again.

Cheers!
-Doug


(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)



Filed under: CitiField | Shea Rocks
by Kingman on February 26 at 8:50AM
Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Loge13_smallsign_small1.jpg
Kingman is a fan of most all meats in the cultural stew, especially of the musical variety. There's pretty much no music I don't like (country AND western) but I feel compelled to say this publicly: I do not like Dave Matthews.

It's just one of those things. I don't get him, never have, never will. I don't begrudge anyone who does dig him, but please keep it to yourself. Just thinking about those shrieking fiddles, pointless sax solos and doofy chord structures makes me reach for my nearest Dead Kennedys LP to perform an aural enema on my brain.

That said, guess what kids? Dave Matthews Band tickets go on sale for Citi Field today 10:00!

Press release follows:

Tickets for the previously announced Dave Matthews Band concerts at Citi Field Friday, July 16 and Saturday, July 17 will go on sale tomorrow Friday, February 26 at 10 a.m. online at www.507TIXX.com and by phone at 718-507-TIXX.

Dave Matthews Band will be the second artist to perform at Citi Field following Paul McCartney's historic three sold-out shows in July 2009. The Grammy Award-winning group is touring Europe in support of its album, "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King," its first studio album in four years.

The Mets are continuing their musical tradition of hosting some of the biggest acts in music that began with the Beatles' legendary musical christening of Shea Stadium in 1965. The former home of the Mets hosted acts including Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, the Police, the Rolling Stones, and the Who. Paul McCartney and now Dave Matthews Band are keeping the rock-n-roll spirit going at the Mets' new home.

The shows will be held rain or shine and are promoted by Live Nation






[February 26, 2010 9:53 AM]  |  link  |  reply
Doug said

I find it interesting that Live Nation (TicketBastards evil twin) is actually sponsoring, yet letting the Mets (507-TIXX) sell the tickets... Wonder what the cut is.

Regardless, its nice to see more and more stadium concerts at Citi. We didn't see nearly as many at Shea towards the end of her life. I wonder if it had to do with the Mets lease with the city, and not wanting the field mucked during a long road trip, or does it have to deal now with the Mets having absolute control over their domain, and actually getting a cut instead of the City.

Cheers!
-Doug

[February 26, 2010 10:56 AM]  |  link  |  reply
Jon said

Right there with ya.


(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)



http://www.loge13.com/img/MikeJacobs_KC.jpg
It has been a dreadful winter for Mets news so I'm probably more thrilled by this announcement than I should be.

But the Mets signed Mike Jacobs to a minor league deal. And that can only be a good thing. Jacobs seemed like a can't miss rookie in 2005, when he pounded out 11 home runs and showed some skills at 1st base.

So of course, we traded him to get Carlos Delgado. Jacobs went on to have a decent stint in FLA but stunk it up in KC last year, hitting .228 with 19 home runs and 61 RBI's, with a .401 slugging percentage.

Maybe he was a flash in the pan but Jacobs always looked good when he came back to play his former team. And Mike's presence in spring training means there will be a an honest-to-goodness competition for 1st base. Murphy either rises to the occasion or he is replaced. Good strategy. If this also keeps us from signing Delgado again, even better.

Takahashi has the same birthday as me (April 20) so I like him already.Yes that is how low our standards have gotten here in Loge13.


[February 16, 2010 9:38 AM]  |  link  |  reply
Ron Hunt said

Kong, I have to totally disagree with you on this. Jacobs has proven himself to be unworthy of a spot on any major league roster, let alone given a shot at a starting job. I mean he flunked with the Royals!

He strikes out a ton, never walks and has a terrible glove and range.

On the other hand....he'd fit right in!


(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)




Also on the Network:

√ Subtle Shifts [C70 At The Bat]
√ March Madness 2K10 Open Thread [Tremendous Upside Potential]
√ Off Day Miscellany [C70 At The Bat]
√ Joe Alexander Joins Club Trillion [Tremendous Upside Potential]
√ Camp Cuts, Quickly [El Lefty Malo]






























Site Map | Contact Us | About Us | Advertise With Us