Mets, Wilpon Spin Citi Field Green

As a Mets fan, I truly hope that the new Citi Field will create better memories than the one I was left with last September at Shea. The Mets choked away a playoff spot for the second year in a row. That image leaves me wondering why nearly 90% of fans polled want the Home Run Apple at the new ballpark. They don’t have to. There was enough gagging the last week of the season to full a bushel of apples-and still have plenty for some pie on Thanksgiving Day.

Still, after reading about the tour, it’s very obvious the Mets are most concerned with their bottom line rather than a horrible PR move. You all already know that the government has given Citigroup nearly $50 billion to keep Citigroup afloat-at taxpayer’s expense. When reminded that two Staten Island politicians suggested the Mets’ new home be called ‘Citi/Taxpayer Field’, Jeff Wilpon sounded like a father firmly scolding a three year old. “We’re proud to be partners with Citi….they’ve gotten some money to help them through some tough times….but if they do a good job of marketing, they’re going to pay the public back.”

To further put his foot in his mouth, Wilpon said he wasn’t sure how many of Citigroup’s projected 53-thousand layoffs in the next year are “true losses”, as opposed to “attrition.” I’m sure that’s a comforting thought to those who lose their jobs. The Mets’ COO comes off as sounding uninformed and concerned only with the $400 million that the team will receive from Citigroup. You don’t need to be an accountant to figure out that behind the scenes the team is working hard to make sure they get every penny they can should Citigroup go under.

The Mets are so obsessed with making sure that ‘Citi Field’ is shown to the media, that they edited out Wilpon’s comments regarding Citigroup in the Video News Release of the tour they sent to the media. That’s their right. They’re not a media outlet. But begging the press to come to the tour and then trying to control what the media dispenses is unfair and shortsighted when people are losing their jobs at record rates- including about 50,000 who will soon be former employees of the company the Mets are in bed with. It’s very possible that financial mattress may collapse sooner than later. As written here last week, the Mets should rethink this move, not only for their sake, but the potential PR disaster to come.

Check out the video board to see shots of Citi Field