What Mets fans talk about when not talking about the actual games.
I’m so starved for baseball I enjoyed watching this video of MLB 2K10. Â It’s Mets-Cubs and Santos, Bad Ollie and Reyes are due up. Â Cyber-Jerry is batting Reyes leadoff, although I think Beltran isn’t hurt in this world.
Cyber Gary Thorne calls a good virtual game!
Last week Mets Police mentioned that we heard three-game packs were coming. Â Well, I missed by one game. Â However on mets.com you will find the below:
You can build your own Four Game Premium Pick-A-Pack online by choosing Opening Day, April 5 or one of the May 21 – 23 Subway Series games at Citi Field, and then selecting one game each in April, May and June. April’s matchups feature the only visits to Citi Field by the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers. Homestands in May include the first trip to New York by the rival Philadelphia Phillies. June’s schedule is highlighted by Interleague series against the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins.
Premium Pick-A-Pack availability includes select seating in premium locations in the Metropolitan Box, Field Box, Baseline Box and Caesars Club categories. Your choice of seat category will apply for all four games in a Pack, subject to availability.
Thanks again to Richie for the original tip, and Peter for letting me know they announced it today. Â This site is only as good as the stuff you guys send in to [email protected] and is much appreciated.
So….am I a fool for having bought a 6 game pack to guarantee the opener? Â Sort of. Â I don’t really mind, but I would have liked to have known all the options. Â They are teaching me to wait them out in 2011.
Between 15 game packs, then 6 packs, now 4 packs, no lottery, and yesterday’s email reminder to all previous plan holders…makes me wonder how low ticket demand is.
UPDATE 12:23pm: Â I just read it more carefully…looks like this is just for pricier seats.
If you missed it this morning, here’s an interesting discussion of variable ticket pricing.
I was reading yesterday (on the great Biz of Baseball site) about variable pricing. Last year the Giants (who supposedly played in NYC at a place called “Polo Grounds” but I don’t believe it) experimented with demand-based pricing.
Here’s how it might work:
It’s a Saturday and the Wilpons wake up and see that it’s going to be 83 degrees, sunny, and Santana is pitching for the first place Mets. Prices go up on the fly. Like what airlines do on three day weekends.
Conversely (and hopefully) when half the team is injured and Pat Misch is starting on a 34 degree night against the Nationals (who by the way have some players now) the Mets would discount the half empty stadium.
The thought of variable pricing scares me and I worry that the discounting wouldn’t actually happen. I miss the days of one price for all games, but teams like the Cubs and Red Sox see what’s happening on Stubhub. I’m really not sure what is fair.
In theory a business should charge whatever they can get, but I’m sure I’d be the loudest complainer about Santana gouging and I hated what the Cubs did last week. I guess deep down I have bought into the great lie that baseball belongs to the fans and to the cities, and you’d think we would have all learned a lesson in 1957.
Why do you think about variable pricing?
I have a few posts about tickets today. Â Leading off, my jedi mind tricks worked on Media Goon who was kind enough to compare the Mets promotional calendar with the 15 game plans. Â Did the Mets do nice by some of their most loyal customers? Â Let’s take a look:
Friday Plus Plans
Magnetic Schedule (Pepsi) vs. Nationals Friday, April 9 7:10 p.m.
Ski Cap (GEICO) vs. Braves Friday, April 23 7:10 p.m.
Collector’s Cup (Premio) vs. Giants Friday, May 7 7:10 p.m.
Arthritis Awareness vs. Giants Friday, May 7 7:10 p.m.
Mets Cap Trade (Chevy)** vs. Yankees Friday, May 21 7:10 p.m.
Mets T-Shirt (EmblemHealth) vs. D-backs Friday, July 30 7:10 p.m.
Fiesta Latina/Santana Koozie (Budweiser) vs. Phillies Friday, Aug. 13 7:10 p.m.
Polish-American Night vs. Marlins Tuesday, Aug. 24 7:10 p.m.
Taiwan Night vs. Braves Friday, Sept. 17 7:10 p.m.
Oktoberfest vs. Nationals Friday, Oct. 1 7:10 p.m.
no promotions- 4/26,6/8,6/25,7/7,9/28 total of 5 games without promotions.
Saturday Plus Plans
Scarf (Caesars) vs. Nationals Saturday, April 10 1:10 p.m.
Epilepsy Day vs. Nationals Saturday, April 10 1:10 p.m.
Mr. Met Dash vs. Braves Saturday, April 24 1:10 p.m.
DARE Day vs. Braves Saturday, April 24 1:10 p.m.
Disability Awareness vs. Nationals, Tuesday May 11 7:10 p.m.
Mets Cap Trade (Chevy)** vs. Yankees Saturday, May 22 7:10 p.m.
Sports Bag (Verizon) vs. Marlins Saturday, June 5 4:10 p.m.
Jose Reyes Drawstring Bag (Delta) vs. Braves Saturday, July 10 4:10 p.m.
no promotions: 4/20, 5/8, 7/31, 8/11, 8/28, 9/11, 9/15, 10/2 total 8 games without promotions.
Sunday Plus Plans
Haitian Night vs. Marlins Wednesday, April 7 7:10 p.m.
Mets Cap Trade (Chevy)** vs. Yankees Sunday, May 23 8:05 p.m.
Beach Towel (Subway) vs. Marlins Sunday, June 6 1:10 p.m.
Mr. Met Dash vs. Twins Sunday, June 27 1:10 p.m.
Jason Bay Bobblehead (Gold’s) vs. Braves Sunday, July 11 1:10 p.m.
Pancreatic Cancer vs. Cardinals Wednesday, July 28 7:10 p.m.
Mr. Met Dash vs. Phillies, Sunday Aug. 15 1:10 p.m.
Sight & Sound Awareness vs. Phillies, Sunday Sept. 12 1:10 p.m.
Breast Cancer Awareness vs. Pirates Thursday, Sept. 16 7:10 p.m.
Mr. Met Dash vs. Braves Sunday, Sept. 19 1:10 p.m.
no promotions: 4/11, 4/25, 6/27, 8/26, 10/3 total of 5 no promotion days
Weekend Plus Plan
Mets Cap (Nathan’s) vs. Twins Saturday, June 26 1:10 p.m.
Pyrotechnics Night vs. Reds Monday, July 5 7:10 p.m.
Chinese-American Night vs. Braves Friday, July 9 7:10 p.m.
Hall of Fame Induction (Citi) vs. D-backs Sunday, Aug. 1 1:10 p.m.
Irish Night vs. Phillies Saturday, Aug.14 7:10 p.m.
Mr. Met Dash vs. Astros Sunday, Aug. 29 1:10 p.m.
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Awareness vs. Braves Saturday, Sept. 18 4:10 p.m.
no promotions: 4/8, 4/21, 5/9, 5/25, 6/4, 6/22, 9/10, 9/18, 9/29 total of 9 no promotion days
Weekday Plan
Citi Field Home Run Apple (Citi) vs. Marlins Monday, April 5 1:10 p.m.
Gift Card (Dunkin’ Donuts) vs. Phillies Wednesday, May 26 7:10 p.m.
Asian Night vs. Phillies Wednesday, May 26 7:10 p.m.
Alzheimer’s Awareness vs. Cardinals Tuesday, July 27 7:10 p.m.
Italian Night vs. Marlins Wednesday, Aug. 25 7:10 p.m.
no promotions: 4/19, 4/22, 4/27, 5/10, 6/9, 6/23, 7/6, 8/10, 9/14, 9/27, 9/30 total of 10 no promotion days
Closer Look: ethic nights and health awareness are nice, but my kid wants to walk out of there with goodies.
Friday+ would get him 3 goodies.
Saturday+ (which we had last year) would get him two plus a Mr. Met Dash.
Sunday+ gets you the towel, the bobblehead and a dash
Weekend+ gets you two caps (Irish night is the second) and the HOF day and a dash.
Weekday plan gets you nothing but the opening day bank that you don’t care about.
Looks to me like Sunday+ is the big winner, unless you really want a green Mets cap (I have one).
I wonder why they announce the promotions well-after the plans go on-sale? Â Maybe the number sold helps entice sponsors who wouldn’t just buy on “we’ll probably sell a lot” type non-facts. Â I have no idea how this works.
Within the hour I will have some thoughts about variable pricing.
Two quickies:
A tipster tells me that insiders confirm there’s no ticket lottery for Opening Day this year. The tip seems accurate based upon everything I am seeing, and thanks to the tipster who wishes to stay hidden behind the plexiglass.
If you previously had a ticket package you probably got an email yesterday from the Mets. They sent out a reminder that 15 game and 6 game packages exist.
Single game tickets including the opener go on-sale March 7th.
