The Mets recently announced that they would be giving away free tickets to fans who had purchased a ticket plan earlier in the year. Fans will get tickets to one of the remaining home games.
While this is a great gesture, when one looks deeper, it appears that the Mets have ulterior motives as well.
It is a well known fact that attendance at Mets games is down this year. Last season, the Mets averaged 38,941 fans a game. However, as of September 9th of this season, the Mets have averaged just 33,335 fans a game. This is a decrease of approximately 14.4%. That is an astounding figure for a team based in one of the biggest markets in the world.
The Mets will also fall below the 3 million fan mark for the first time since the 2005 season. Clearly, the fans are showing their distaste for the teams actions by not showing up. And the Wilpons have definitely taken notice.
This also means that on average, Citi Field is only filled to 79.4% of its total capacity. That is a lot of empty seats. This means less revenue for the Wilpons. They realize that if they can bring fans into the stadium, the fans will then spend money on food and souvenirs. From a business standpoint, it is a smart move, as the Mets have approximately 20% of their seats to give away. There is practically no cost to the Mets in doing this.
However, ownership should notice that… (to read the rest click on the link below)
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