Great To See Pols Work Together To Scrap Citi Field
Our new President Barack Obama promised change and a hopeful uniting of America. It looks like at least on one issue, the President has his wish. Two members of the House of Representatives, Democrat Dennis Kucinich and Republican Ted Poe, are right on the money (no pun intended) requesting that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner dissolve the partnership between the Mets and Citigroup over the naming of the club's new home.
Sure, there's some grandstanding there. Anytime a politician can get his or her name in the paper or on radio, TV and the Internet, they will. Still, I am THRILLED to see that there are elected officials at some level who understand that a company that is so financially strapped that taxpayers are shelling out $350 billion (BILLION, with a B) to support it, can't then just turn around and say, "Let's dish out $400 million so our logo is on a new stadium." What's more important: Saving jobs or having the corporate logo on TV 162 days a year?
I''m sure this whole naming thing excites the 50,000 or so who will lose their jobs at Citigroup, as well as my favorite 'Bachelor' fans in the area who have seen the company run itself into the ground.
So I say kudos to Mr. Kucinich and Mr. Poe. Whatever the motivation, you're doing the right thing. The next move is up to Secretary Geithner. Since the Wilpon family didn't see the need to demonstrate integrity in this situation, perhaps Geithner will hit a home run for taxpayers everywhere. Perhaps Citigroup can use that $400 million to keep some jobs in place instead of cashing in on some tickets and a few luxury boxes. Now, if only our politicians could work this well all the time.
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Comments: 4
yo, dumm-ee, why don't you get your facts right? citigroup is getting $45 billion, not $350 billion, WITH A B!! good thing you're not in charge of that money.
& your writing isn't much better, but your logic is worse - this is a free enterprise economy, why would the wilpons ever think of canceling a deal they worked on for years? to help people? why not just sell the team & give the all the money to Somalia or PETA?
this is new york, what are you from cleveland or something? here's some advice from a native new yorker, get your head out of your a$$, do some research before you draw a conclusion & oh, wait, talk sports, & please leave the politics to the rest of us.
If the Wilpon's do not have enough sense to dissolve this relationship, they may be shamed into it. I think the Wilpon's were harmed more by the Madoff Ponzi Scheme than they have publicly revealed. The Mets will receive short and long term ill will with this business agreement. They should have terminated this deal months ago. The poor judgement is based on dollar signs. The New York Mets are entering a new era, as they open their new stadium. Do they really want it stained by taxpayer money. Maybe all of us should take ownership in this new stadium, as it is our tax dollars that are being used by Citi to ay the Mets. I must add that I am Mets fan. This organization is uunable to conduct their business in a classy fashion. New Era? Sounds like alot of the Old.
Joey-If I am incorrect, I stand corrected. I went with another outlet's figures. HOWEVER-I stand by what I wrote. The Wilpons don't necessarily have an 'obligation' to help others. BUT WOULD YOU do business with a company that is in such financial straits they need a bailout from a government already TRILLIONS of dollars in debt? I can gurantee that if you or I owned a business and needed a federal bailout, we wouldn't even qualify for a building expansion loan, never mind enough to get naming rights ANYWHERE. If Citibank has $400 million to spend on naming rights. they have no reason to deserve a bailout.
2. At the very least, this is really bad PR for the Mets. Some 50,000 people-including possibly some I know (for I am a lifetime New Yorker) will lose their jobs. That is NEVER good PR for any company. Remember Enron? In Novemver of 2004, the company's Board of directors sued 11 financial institutions, incliuding Citigroup, for covering up the company's financial woes while guys like Jeff Skilling were running rampant. The case was settled, but at this juncture, I ask again: Is Citigroup the kind of company you want to do business with?
I feel that the New York Mets and the wilpon's should not be worried about a name for a place they call home. If we all look at it the team will make the same if its called citi field or jackie robinson field. The point i am trying to make is this yes they might not have the money to finish the stadium but would the family of a ball player who is not around any more be funding the rest of the work.... I do not think so. Either way we the fans will pay for it some where so what will it matter Citi Field or Jackie Robinson Field. We the fans will pay for the remaining monies some where in this whole issue. They will get the grant or loan but they will have to pay for the money and the workers and the loss of seats, Who will be the best to help pay for the debt US Not the Players US!!!! I guess no one has thought of that in this whole dumb issue of a name of a ball park. The team and the owner ship should be focused on getting to the playoffs and not be a drama of a team on the last day of the season for two straight years. Hey at least they are consistant and not off the mark!!!!!!!!!!!!