Citi Field

Citi Field
Citi
Citi Field.svg
Citi Field Home Opener.JPG
Location 126th St. & Roosevelt Ave.
Flushing, New York 11368
Broke ground November 13, 2006
Opened March 29, 2009 (college game)
April 3, 2009 (exhibition game)
April 13, 2009 (regular season)
Owner New York Mets
Operator New York Mets
Surface Grass
Construction cost $900 million
Architect Populous
Capacity 41,800
Field dimensions

Left field
Left center
Deep left center
Center field
Deep right center 
Right center
Right field

335 ft (102 m)
364 (111)
384 (117)
408 (124)
415 (126)
378 (115)
330 (101)
Tenants
New York Mets (MLB) (2009–present)

Citi Field is a stadium located in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in the New York City borough of Queens. Completed in 2009, it is the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets. Citi Field was built as a replacement for the adjacent Shea Stadium, which was constructed in 1964 next to the site of the 1964-1965 World's Fair. Citi Field was designed by Populous (formerly HOK Sport), and is named after Citigroup, a financial services company based in New York that purchased the naming rights. The $850 million baseball park is being funded by the sale of New York City municipal bonds which are to be repaid by the Mets plus interest. The payments will offset property taxes for the lifetime of the park.[1][2]

The first game at the ballpark took place on March 29, 2009, with a college baseball game between St. John's and Georgetown.[3] The Mets played their first two games at the ballpark on April 3 and April 4, 2009 against the Boston Red Sox[4] as charity exhibition games. The first regular season home game was played on April 13, 2009, against the San Diego Padres. The Mets are considered likely to win the rights to host the 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Citi Field, which would bring the game to the Mets' home field for only the second time; the first was at Shea in its 1964 inaugural season.[5][6]

Contents

History

Planning

The Mets made plans to replace Shea Stadium since the 1990s. The team unveiled a preliminary model of the new ballpark in 1998, which featured a retractable roof and a movable grass field, which would have allowed it to host other events like conventions and college basketball games. The Mets also considered relocating to other areas such as Mitchel Field and Belmont Park in Nassau County, Long Island, Sunnyside Yard in Queens, and the West Side Yard in Manhattan.[7]

Shortly before leaving office in December 2001, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani announced "tentative agreements" for both the Mets and New York Yankees to build new stadiums. Of $1.6 billion sought for the stadiums, city and state taxpayers would pick up half the tab for construction, $800 million, along with $390 million on extra transportation.[8] The plan also said that the teams would be allowed to keep all parking revenues, which state officials had already said they wanted to keep to compensate the state for building new garages for the teams.[9] The teams would keep 96% of ticket revenues and 100% of all other revenues, not pay sales tax or property tax on the stadium, and would get low-cost electricity from New York state.[9] Business officials criticized the plan as giving too much money to successful teams with little reason to move to a different city.[9]

Michael Bloomberg, who succeeded Giuliani as mayor, exercised the escape clause in the agreements to back out of both deals, saying that the city could not afford to build new stadiums for the Mets and Yankees. Bloomberg said that unbeknownst to him, Giuliani had inserted a clause in this deal which loosened the teams' leases with the city and would allow the Mets and Yankees to leave the city on 60 days' notice to find a new home elsewhere if the city backed out of the agreement.[8][9] At the time, Bloomberg said that publicly funded stadiums were a poor investment. Under Bloomberg, the New York City government would only offer public financing for infrastructure improvements; the teams would have to pay for the stadium themselves. Bloomberg called the former mayor's agreements "corporate welfare." Giuliani had already been instrumental in the construction of taxpayer-funded minor league baseball facilities MCU Park for the Mets' minor league Brooklyn Cyclones and Richmond County Bank Ballpark for the Staten Island Yankees.

The final plans for what is now Citi Field were created as part of the New York City 2012 Olympic bid. After plans for a West Side Stadium fell through, New York looked for an alternate stadium to host the opening and closing ceremonies and track and field. The Olympic Stadium project on the West Side was estimated to cost $2.2 billion, with $300 million provided by New York City and an additional $300 million from New York State. If New York had won the bid, Citi Field would have been expanded to host Olympic events while the Mets would have played at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx for the 2012 season.

Construction

Citi Field under construction on September 14, 2007.

The projected cost of the new ballpark and other infrastructure improvements is $610 million, with the Mets picking up $420 million of that amount. The agreement includes a 40-year lease that will keep the Mets in New York until 2049.

On March 18, 2006, the New York Mets unveiled the official model for the new ballpark. By July 2006, initial construction of the new park was underway in the parking lot beyond Shea Stadium's left-field, with a projected finish ahead of Opening Day 2009 in late March.

As of April 13, 2008, all of the structure for the Jackie Robinson Rotunda was in place with the arched windows receiving their paneling and glass. By August 2008, the New York Mets and Daktronics installed 12,000 square feet (1,100 m2) of integrated scoring and video boards throughout the stadium.[10] By September 2008, most of the Citi Field signage had been installed.[11] By December 1, 2008, all of the seats and the playing field had been installed.[12]

Opening Day firsts

Statistic Opening Day
April 13, 2009
Score San Diego Padres 6, New York Mets 5
Ceremonial First Pitch Tom Seaver to Mike Piazza
First Pitch Mike Pelfrey
First Batter Jody Gerut (Padres) *
First Hit Jody Gerut (Padres) *
First Run Jody Gerut (Padres) *
First RBI(s) Jody Gerut (Padres) *
First Home Run Jody Gerut (Padres) *
First Walk Chase Headley (Padres) off of Mike Pelfrey
First Strikeout Nick Hundley (Padres) looking off of Mike Pelfrey
First Mets Batter José Reyes
First Mets Hit David Wright
First Mets Run Brian Schneider
First Mets RBI(s) Luis Castillo
First Mets Home Run David Wright
First Mets Walk Ryan Church off of Walter Silva (Padres)
First Mets Strikeout David Wright looking off of Walter Silva (Padres)
First Pinch Hitter Gary Sheffield
First Outfield Assist Jody Gerut (Padres)
First Pitching Change Edward Mujica for Walter Silva (Padres)
First Mets Pitching Change Brian Stokes for Mike Pelfrey
First Error Ryan Church
First Win Edward Mujica (Padres)
First Save Heath Bell (Padres)
First Loss Brian Stokes

* Home run hit in first at bat.

Notable firsts

Statistic Date Player(s)/Team(s)
First Mets Winning Score April 15, 2009 New York Mets 7, San Diego Padres 2
First Mets Win April 15, 2009 Oliver Perez
First Mets Save April 18, 2009 Francisco Rodriguez
First Grand Slam April 27, 2009 Omir Santos
First Mets Extra Innings Game/Win May 12, 2009 New York Mets 4, Atlanta Braves 3 (10)
First Mets Extra Innings Loss May 13, 2009 Atlanta Braves 8, New York Mets 7 (12)
First Inside the Park Home Run August 23, 2009 Angel Pagan
First Back To Back Home Runs May 7, 2010 Ike Davis and Rod Barajas
First Double Play April 15, 2009 2B David Eckstein to SS Luis Rodriguez to 1B Adrian Gonzalez (Padres) *
First Triple Play August 23, 2009 2B Eric Bruntlett (Phillies) †
First Opening Day Win April 5, 2010 New York Mets 7, Florida Marlins 1
First Walk-off Home Run May 7, 2010 Rod Barajas

† Unassisted triple play to end the game.

Modifications

During the 2009-10 offseason, the bullpen area in right-center field underwent a complete renovation. In the 2009 season, the bullpens had been set up so that the Mets' bullpen was in front of the visiting bullpen, leading to an obstructed view of the field from the visiting bullpen, which the San Diego Padres complained about during the Mets' first regular-season home series. The bullpens were turned 90 degrees, with pitchers throwing toward the field instead of across.[13] More Mets team colors, player banners and logos were also added throughout the ballpark, including revamping the "Let's Go Mets" slogan on the Citi Vision board so that the word "Mets" appears in its traditional script instead of the same font as the rest of the slogan.[14] Additionally, the height of the center field wall directly in front of the Home Run Apple was reduced from 16 feet to 8 feet in an attempt to produce more home runs.[15]

Features

Entrance to Citi Field through the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, with Shea Stadium's Home Run Apple on the right.

Citi Field has a capacity of 42,000 plus standing room. It has over 15,000 fewer seats than Shea Stadium. All the seats in the park are green - in an homage to the Polo Grounds, longtime home of the baseball Giants and the original home of the Mets - as opposed to Shea's orange, blue, red and green assortment.[16] The exterior facade is reminiscent of Ebbets Field (which was long sought by Mets owner Fred Wilpon, a Brooklyn native).

Citi Field's interior design is primarily influenced by PNC Park, which was the favorite ballpark of Mets COO Jeff Wilpon. Other influences include Great American Ball Park, Coors Field and Citizens Bank Park. Shea Stadium was the only ballpark in the Major Leagues to feature orange foul poles instead of the standard yellow, a unique characteristic that made its way into Citi Field.

Citi Field features an overarching bridge motif in its architecture, as New York City is linked by 2,027 bridges and is reflected in the Mets logo, as the team is the symbolic bridge to past National League teams like the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers.[16] In the outfield section of the ballpark, there is a pedestrian bridge named Shea Bridge which resembles the Hell Gate Bridge.[17]

The Pepsi Porch in right field, at night.

Similar to Shea Stadium, Citi Field's spacious field dimensions make it a pitcher friendly park. However unlike Shea's symmetrical layout, Citi Field features several design quirks. While Shea's outfield fence had a uniform height of 8 feet, Citi Field's fence changes height several times, rising as high as 16 feet in left field and 18 feet in right field, which features a three sided notch that houses the Modell's Clubhouse seating area.[16][18] Additionally, the Pepsi Porch hangs over the field in right field, extending far beyond the indentation of the Modell's Clubhouse and is inspired by Tiger Stadium's right field porch. The Pepsi sign is modeled after the one alongside the East River in Gantry Plaza State Park.[19]

During the first two games of a June series versus the Philadelphia Phillies, Chase Utley, the Phillies' second baseman, hit three home runs, including a game winner, into the bulge near the right field foul pole.[20] Later, at a June 26, 2009 game against the New York Yankees, Mets broadcaster, Gary Cohen, referred to the area as "Utley's Corner".[21]

Delta Air Lines signed a multiyear deal on September 15, 2008, to sponsor an exclusive section in Citi Field. The Delta Sky360 Club is a 22,500-square-foot (2,090 m2) restaurant-cafe-bar-lounge complex that also houses 1,600 premium seats behind home plate stretching from dugout to dugout.[22]

Jackie Robinson Rotunda

Looking out the rotunda, at Robinson's quote.

The front entrance of Citi Field features a rotunda named after Brooklyn Dodgers legend Jackie Robinson and honors his life and accomplishments. Engraved into the rotunda’s 160-foot diameter floor and etched into the archways are words and larger-than-life images that defined Robinson’s nine values: Courage, Excellence, Persistence, Justice, Teamwork, Commitment, Citizenship, Determination and Integrity. Robinson’s famous quote: “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives,” is engraved into the upper ring of the rotunda. There is also an 8 foot sculpture of Robinson's number 42.[16] The formal dedication of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda was held as part of Major League Baseball's official celebration of Jackie Robinson Day on April 15, 2009.[23]

Home Run Apples

Another tradition from Shea Stadium making an appearance in Citi Field is the Home Run Apple. When a Mets player hits a home run, the giant apple, which has a Mets logo on the front that lights up, rises from its housing in the center field batter's eye. The new apple that has been constructed for Citi Field is more than four times the size of the previous one and was designed by Minneapolis-based engineering firm Uni-Systems.[24] Shea's original apple was located inside Citi Field's bullpen entrance gate for the 2009 season. In 2010, the Shea apple was relocated outside the ballpark, in front of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda.[25]

Amenities and facilities

Behind the center field scoreboard is the 2K Sports FanFest area, an expanded family entertainment area that includes a miniature wiffleball field replica of Citi Field called Mr. Met's Kiddie Field, a batting cage, a dunk tank, video game kiosks and other attractions.[26][27]

The Shake Shack stand at Taste of the City in center field, with the skyline from Shea Stadium's scoreboard on top of it.

Citi Field offers a wide choice of eateries. Taste of the City is a food court located in the center field section of the ballpark. It features food from restaurateur Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group and includes a variety of stands, including Shake Shack (burgers, fries, shakes), Blue Smoke (barbecue), El Verano Taqueria (Mexican cuisine), Catch of the Day (featuring seafood from chef Dave Pasternack of Esca) and Box Frites (Belgian french fries).[16][28] The World's Fare Market is located on the field level in right field and features sushi from Daruma of Tokyo, sandwiches and pastries from Mama's of Corona, Chinese cuisine from Tai Pan Bakery and Korean food from Café Hanover.[28][29] Citi Field also offers a choice of fresh fruit at several stands around the stadium.[30] In 2010 Citi Field upgraded the food choices on the Promenade Level behind home plate. Blue Smoke BBQ and Box Frites both open a second location.

Citi Field from left field corner.

Restaurants and clubs are also available in every level of the ballpark. The 350-seat Acela Club, located in left field on the Excelsior Level, is the dining highlight of the new park and features a full view of the playing field as well as food from Drew Nieporent's Myriad Restaurant Group, renowned for Nobu and Tribeca Grill.[16] Admission into the high-end luxury Acela and Delta clubs, and including the other semi-luxury clubs are exclusive to high-end ticket holders only, and some restaurants enforce that reservations be made. A McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon opened at Citi Field in 2010. It is located directly under the 2K Sports FanFest and is open to the public year-round.[31] [32]

Mets Hall of Fame & Museum

The original Mr. Met costume is one of the many exhibits on display at the Mets Hall of Fame and Museum.

The Mets Hall of Fame & Museum is located adjacent to the Jackie Robinson Rotunda on the first base side and opened on April 5, 2010. The museum includes plaques honoring the inductees of the New York Mets Hall of Fame, the team's World Series trophies from 1969 and 1986, as well as artifacts on loan from former players and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.[33]

Public opinion

Despite the modern amenities, Citi Field has not been without criticism. Most notable have been fan complaints of obstructed views, as well as an overemphasis in the celebration of the Brooklyn Dodgers' legacy over the history of the Mets.[34][35] In response to these criticisms, the team installed photographic imagery of famous players and historic moments in Mets history on the Field and Promenade levels as well as the display of team championship banners on the left-field wall during the 2009 season. The team also worked on fixing the obstructed views in the Promenade level.[36]

Citi Field has also been criticized for being too much of a "pitcher's park", and has been cited as the cause for the decreased offensive production of David Wright and Jason Bay. Wright hit only 10 home runs in 2009 after hitting at least 30 in the previous two seasons.[37]

Access and transportation

Citi Field is located in the borough of Queens, adjacent to the neighborhoods of Corona, which lies to its west, and Willets Point and Flushing to the east. Flushing Bay is to the north, and the rest of Flushing Meadows–Corona Park is to the south. Because it lies within the Flushing postal zone, and because of its location in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, its location is frequently referred to as Flushing.

Citi Field is reachable via mass transit systems such as the New York City Subway using the 7 train at the Mets–Willets Point station, and the Long Island Rail Road station also called Mets–Willets Point. New York Water Taxi operates a free ferry to the stadium from the Wall Street Ferry Pier before every game only, and for selected games, SeaStreak provides ferry service between Highlands, New Jersey and the stadium, both services use the ferry slips at World's Fair Marina, located approximately a quarter of a mile north of Citi Field. The park is also close to several major thoroughfares, including the Grand Central Parkway, the Whitestone/Van Wyck Expressway, the Long Island Expressway, Roosevelt Avenue and Northern Boulevard.

Citi Field is adjacent to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where the annual US Open grand-slam tennis tournament is held.

Since the construction of Citi Field began, satellite parking lots in Flushing Meadow Park (access from College Point Boulevard) have been opened.

Naming rights

On November 13, 2006, it was officially announced that the ballpark would be called Citi Field, named for Citigroup Inc. Citigroup will be paying $20 million a year for the naming rights to the park over the next 20 years. This made Citi Field the second major league sports venue in the area named for a corporate sponsor, (after Continental Airlines Arena (now Izod Center) in the Meadowlands, but preceding Prudential Center in Newark and the proposed Barclays Center in Brooklyn), officially becoming the first in New York City itself, aside from two minor league ballparks (MCU Park in Brooklyn, and Richmond County Bank Ballpark in Staten Island). The deal includes an option on both sides to extend the contract to 40 years, and is the most expensive sports-stadium naming rights agreement ever, subsequently equaled by Barclays' $400 million deal with the New Jersey Nets for their planned arena in Brooklyn.[38]

At the groundbreaking for Citi Field, it was announced that the main entrance, modeled on the one in Brooklyn's old Ebbets Field, will be called the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, possibly due to campaigns to forgo naming rights revenue and name the ballpark after Robinson. The Mets are spending more than $600 million for the new ballpark, which New York City and New York state are also supporting with a total of $165 million for such costs as infrastructure and site preparation. On February 24, 2008, the Mets and Citigroup unveiled the new Citi Field logo.[39]

Controversy

Both Citigroup[40] and the Mets[41] maintain that the naming rights deal is secure, despite Citigroup's economic troubles. This deal has been criticized in light of the economic crisis of 2008-2009 and the $45 billion of taxpayer funds allocated to Citigroup by the U.S. federal government in two separate rescue packages, prompting New York City Council members Vincent Ignizio and James Oddo to suggest that the new ballpark be called "Citi/Taxpayer Field." [42] Radio talk show host Brian Lehrer suggested the name "Debits Field" which combines baseball history with public outrage over the Citi bailout.[43] Congressman Elijah Cummings of Maryland, who serves on the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, stated in regards to the Citi Field naming rights deal, "This type of spending is indefensible and unacceptable to Citigroup's new partner and largest investor: the American taxpayer.... I strongly urge Citigroup to find a way out of this contract and instead spend that $400 million on retaining its employees and restoring confidence in its operations."[44][45][46] On January 29, 2009, congressmen Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and Ted Poe of Texas sent a letter to United States Secretary of the Treasury Timothy F. Geithner urging him to scrap Citigroup's $400 million naming rights deal. "We request that you intervene and demand that Citigroup dissolve the agreement they have with the New York Mets," reads the letter. "Absent this outcome, we feel strongly that you should compel Citigroup to return immediately all federal monies received to date, as well as cancel all loan guarantees."[47][48] However, Geithner rejected congressional demands to cancel the naming rights deal.[49]

The Wall Street Journal reported on February 3, 2009 that Citigroup considered breaking the naming rights deal. Citi has stated that no government TARP funds would be used in the sponsorship deal.[50]

Inaugural season patches

The design for the inaugural sleeve patch was criticized by fans and media.
The design for the inaugural cap patch.

On January 14, 2009, the Mets unveiled the Citi Field Inaugural Season sleeve patch, which was worn on the players' right sleeves for the 2009 season. As Major League Baseball rules prohibit corporate names on uniforms, the standard Citi Field logo could not be used.[51] The patch echoes the shape, colors and orientation of the Citi Field logo, with the name replaced by "INAUGURAL SEASON 2009". Reaction to the patch was immediate and negative from Mets fans and critics alike,[52] with ESPN Uni Watch writer and blogger Paul Lukas calling it the "worst sleeve patch in MLB history".[53] Several fans have pointed out a resemblance between the sleeve patch and the logo for Domino's Pizza,[54] and the patch was mocked on an episode of The Colbert Report.[55]

In February 2009, the Mets unveiled a different patch, which was worn on the side of the caps and featuring the arches of the Jackie Robinson rotunda.[56]

Stadium comparison

In its opening season, Citi Field drew over 3.1 million fans with a game average of 92.7% of seats filled, 4th best in baseball.
An eight-foot blue sculpture of a stylized uniform number, 42, set atop a polished interior walkway
Memorial in the Jackie Robinson Rotunda inside Citi Field, dedicated April 15, 2009
Stadium Name Shea Stadium Citi Field[57]
Opening Day April 17, 1964 April 13, 2009
Capacity 57,333 41,800 (45,000 with standing room)
Seat width 19" to 20", 19" average 19" to 24", 21" average
Legroom 32" 33" to 39"
Average concourse width 21 ft (6.4 m). 43 ft (13 m).
Wheelchair seating 174 830
Club seating N/A 7,800
Luxury suites 45 54
Restaurants (total capacity) 2 (528) 4 (3,334)
Team store 2,600 sq ft (240 m2). 7,201 sq ft (669.0 m2).
No. of toilets 568 646
Seats per toilet 101 70
Public elevators 4 (Otis Traction) 11 (9 Otis Gen2, and 2 Otis Hydraulic)
Field dimensions (feet) Left field line- 338
Left field 1 - 358
Left Field 2 - 371
Left center - 396
Center field - 408
Right center - 396
Right field 2 - 371
Right field 1 - 358
Right field line- 338		 Left field line- 335
Left field - 371
Left center - 384
Center field - 408
Right center - 415
Right field - 378
Right field line- 330
Fence heights (feet) Entire fence - 8 Left field foul pole - 12
Left field - 15
Left center - 15
Left of dead center - 8
Dead center - 8
Right of dead center - 8
Right center - 8
Right field - 18
Right field foul pole - 8

Notable events

Other events

Paul McCartney performed a series of three sold-out concerts at Citi Field in July, 2009 as a part of his Summer Live '09 tour. McCartney, as a member of The Beatles, performed in the first concert at Shea Stadium during their 1965 U.S. Tour as well as in its final concert in 2008 along with Billy Joel. McCartney's opening show would later be released as Good Evening New York City.

The Dave Matthews Band performed two concerts at Citi Field on July 16th and 17th, 2010, along with the Zac Brown Band.[63]

Citi Field was slated to host a United Football League game for the New York Sentinels on November 4, 2009.[64] However, the venue was subsequently changed to James M. Shuart Stadium at Hofstra University.[65]

The documentary film Last Play at Shea, chronicling Billy Joel's final concert at Shea Stadium in 2008, will make its premiere on August 21, 2010 at Citi Field.[66]

In popular culture

Citi Field made an appearance in the Ugly Betty episode "Curveball".[67]

In the CSI: NY episode "Hammer Down", several police officers including Mac Taylor, Don Flack, and Ray Langston are seen preparing for a tactical assault in the parking lot of Citi Field.

In Iron Man 2, Citi Field is seen in the background when Pepper Potts tells Tony Stark she resigns as CEO of Stark Industries on a rooftop after the attack on the Stark Expo in Flushing Meadows park.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Bagli, Charles V. (November 4, 2008). "As Stadiums Rise, So Do Costs to Taxpayers". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/nyregion/05stadiums.html. Retrieved 2010-01-09. 
  2. ↑ Bagli, Charles V. (December 8, 2008). "As Stadiums’ Costs Rise, City Agrees to New Bond Offerings". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/nyregion/09stadium.html. Retrieved 2010-01-09. 
  3. ↑ Robinson, Joshua (March 29, 2009). "Fans Savor Sneak Peek of Citi Field, Even if Mets Aren’t There". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/sports/baseball/30citi.html. Retrieved 2010-02-25. 
  4. ↑ DiComo, Anthony (December 17, 2008). "Two exhibition games set for Citi Field". MLB.com. http://www.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081217&content_id=3720385&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym. Retrieved 2009-10-06. 
  5. ↑ Rubin, Adam (March 14, 2008). "Mets likely to get 2013 All-Star Game". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2008/03/14/2008-03-14_mets_likely_to_get_2013_allstar_game.html. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 
  6. ↑ Kernan, Kevin (July 15, 2009). "Source: All-Star Game at Citi Field in 2013". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/seven/07152009/sports/mets/source__stars_to_storm_citi_in_2013_179376.htm. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 
  7. ↑ Sandomir, Richard (April 24, 1998). "Mets Unveil Model Stadium: Its Roof Moves, as Does Grass". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/24/nyregion/mets-unveil-model-stadium-its-roof-moves-as-does-grass.html?pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2010-05-21. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Bonus Season for Baseball". The New York Times. January 17, 2002. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A06E7D91138F934A25752C0A9649C8B63. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Bagli, Charles V. (January 16, 2002). "Bloomberg Says Details On Stadiums Were Omitted". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D01E7DE1338F935A25752C0A9649C8B63. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 
  10. ↑ New York Mets (January 28, 2008). "Daktronics to provide 12,000 square feet of integrated scoring and video display technology at Citi Field". Press release. http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080128&content_id=2357491&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym. Retrieved 2009-10-06. 
  11. ↑ Bloom, Barry M. (September 27, 2008). "Citi Field nearing completion". MLB.com. http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080927&content_id=3559392&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym. Retrieved 2009-10-06. 
  12. ↑ Shpigel, Ben (December 2, 2008). "Citi Field Starting to Look Like a Real Ballpark". The New York Times. http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/citi-field-starting-to-look-like-a-real-ballpark/?hp. Retrieved 2008-12-03. 
  13. ↑ Costa, Brian (November 13, 2009). "Mets renovating bullpen area at Citi Field". The Star-Ledger (Newark). http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2009/11/mets_renovating_bullpen_area_a.html. Retrieved 2009-11-13. 
  14. ↑ New York Mets (November 21, 2009). "Mets expand club presence at Citi Field". Press release. http://www.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20091121&content_id=7698126&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym. Retrieved 2009-11-22. 
  15. ↑ Rubin, Adam (February 9, 2010). "Mets' Citi Field to become more homer-friendly next season; center-field wall gets chopped to 8 feet". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2010/02/09/2010-02-09_low_and_behold.html. Retrieved 2010-02-09. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 "Citi Field - The Amazin' New Ballpark". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/citifield/index.html. Retrieved 2010-07-09. 
  17. ↑ New York Mets (November 21, 2009). "Mets expand club presence at Citi Field". Press release. http://www.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20091121&content_id=7698126&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym. Retrieved 2009-11-22. 
  18. ↑ "Event Spaces at Citi Field - Modell's Clubhouse". New York Mets. http://mlb.mlb.com/nym/ballpark/events/eventspaces.jsp?content=knothole. Retrieved 2010-02-25. 
  19. ↑ Price, Bill (April 12, 2009). "Pepsi Porch great for Mets fans, but maybe not for Ryan Church". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/04/12/2009-04-12_pepsi_porch_a_perfect_hangout_for_mets_fans_but_maybe_not_for_ryan_church.html. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 
  20. ↑ Fitzpatrick, Mark (June 11, 2009). "Utley’s 2nd homer of game leads Phillies over Mets". Associated Press. http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=290610121. Retrieved 2010-02-25. 
  21. ↑ http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=5264063 Utley's Corner - first reference
  22. ↑ Collins, Glenn (March 24, 2009). "For Mets Fans, a Menu Beyond Peanuts and Cracker Jack". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/25/nyregion/25metsfood.html. Retrieved 2009-03-24. 
  23. ↑ New York Mets (April 15, 2009). "Robinson family, Mets, Citi, Jackie Robinson Foundation, Major League Baseball, government leaders dedicate Jackie Robinson Rotunda at Citi Field". Press release. http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20090415&content_id=4279616&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym. Retrieved 2009-10-06. 
  24. ↑ "Two MN Companies Keep Baseball Tradition Alive". KEYC-TV News. January 20, 2009. http://www.keyc.com/node/16362. Retrieved 2009-10-06. 
  25. ↑ Albanese, Laura (March 26, 2010). "Home Run Apple A Core Value for Mets Fans". Newsday. http://www.newsday.com/sports/home-run-apple-a-core-value-for-mets-fans-1.1833338. Retrieved 2010-03-27. 
  26. ↑ http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/ballpark/guide.jsp
  27. ↑ http://mlb.mlb.com/nym/ballpark/fanmap_fieldlevel.jsp
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 New York Mets (March 24, 2010). "Mets and Aramark Unveil All-Star Dining Line-up for 2010 at Citi Field". Press release. http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100324&content_id=8894246&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 
  29. ↑ Miller, Dan (September 23, 2009). "Mets Unveil Asian, Korean and Chinese Food Samples at CitiField World’s Fair Market". The Queens Gazette. http://www.qgazette.com/news/2009-09-23/Sports/Mets_Unveil_Asian_Korean_and_Chinese_Food_Samples_.html. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 
  30. ↑ Fernandez, Manny (August 29, 2009). "Buy Me Some Peanuts and Nectarines". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/29/nyregion/29farmers.html. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 
  31. ↑ New York Mets (February 25, 2010). "McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon To Open at Citi Field". Press release. http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100225&content_id=8136678&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym. Retrieved 2010-02-05. 
  32. ↑ http://mcfaddenscitifield.com/index.php
  33. ↑ New York Mets (April 1, 2010). "Mets Hall of Fame & Museum opens this Monday, April 5, Opening Day at Citi Field". Press release. http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100401&content_id=9041358&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym. Retrieved 2010-04-02. 
  34. ↑ Strang, Katie (April 13, 2009). "Many fans unhappy with bad views at Citi Field". Newsday. http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/many-fans-unhappy-with-bad-views-at-citi-field-1.1218881. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 
  35. ↑ Herrmann, Mark (July 13, 2009). "A tale of two new ballparks". Newsday. http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/a-tale-of-two-new-ballparks-1.1307985. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 
  36. ↑ Rubin, Adam (August 14, 2009). "Mets adding more Mets to Citi Field". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2009/08/mets-adding-more-mets-to-citi.html. Retrieved 2009-10-06. 
  37. ↑ Schreiber, Jay (May 11, 2010). "Citi Field’s Fingerprints All Over Wright’s and Bay’s Numbers". The New York Times. http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/11/citi-fields-fingerprints-all-over-wrights-and-bays-numbers/. Retrieved 2010-05-12. 
  38. ↑ Wolf, Barnet D. (April 29, 2007). "The Name Game: Company banners flying on more college stadiums, arenas". The Columbus Dispatch. http://www.columbusdispatch.com/dispatch/content/business/stories/2007/04/29/naming.ART_ART_04-29-07_F1_0I6GVNE.html. Retrieved 2007-05-20. 
  39. ↑ "Mets honor Robinson at new home". Daily News (New York). November 14, 2006. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2006/11/14/2006-11-14_mets_honor_robinson_at_new_home.html. Retrieved 2006-11-14. 
  40. ↑ Brown, Maury (November 22, 2008). "Amidst Near Collapse, Cititgroup Confirms Retaining Naming Rights Deal with Mets". The Biz of Baseball. http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2641:amidst-near-collapse-cititgroup-confirms-retaining-naming-rights-deal-with-mets&catid=41:facility-news&Itemid=56. Retrieved 2008-11-22. 
  41. ↑ Klayman, Ben (November 21, 2008). "Citigroup naming rights deal still in place-Mets". Forbes.com/Reuters. http://www.forbes.com/reuters/feeds/reuters/2008/11/21/2008-11-21T203749Z_01_N21490392_RTRIDST_0_CITIGROUP-METS.html. Retrieved 2008-11-22. 
  42. ↑ "Pols want new name for Mets home: Citi/Taxpayer Field". USA Today. November 26, 2008. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/mets/2008-11-25-citi-field_N.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-26. 
  43. ↑ Das, Andrew (December 5, 2008). "Citi Field by Any Other Name, Part II". The New York Times. http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/citi-field-by-any-other-name-part-ii/. Retrieved 2010-04-14. 
  44. ↑ Irwin, Neil (November 24, 2008). "U.S. Offers Citigroup Expansive Safety Net". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/24/AR2008112401118.html. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 
  45. ↑ Cummings, Elijah (November 14, 2008). "Citigroup's Spending Indefensible and Unacceptable". The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-elijah-cummings/citigroups-spending-indef_b_146050.html. Retrieved 2008-11-25. 
  46. ↑ Nasaw, Daniel (November 25, 2008). "Baseball stadium named for Citigroup faces scrutiny". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/25/citigroup-new-york-mets-stadium. Retrieved 2008-11-25. 
  47. ↑ Herbert, Keith (January 30, 2009). "Pols call for Mets to scrap Citigroup naming rights deal". Newsday. http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nyshea306016739jan30,0,1930544.story. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
  48. ↑ Grim, Ryan (January 29, 2009). "Rename Citi Field: Bipartisan Push In House". Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/29/rename-citi-field-biparti_n_162361.html. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
  49. ↑ Sisk, Richard (February 13, 2009). "Mets fans will have to deal with Citi Field as name of stadium, says Rep. Barney Frank". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/02/13/2009-02-13_mets_fans_will_have_to_deal_with_citi_fi.html. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 
  50. ↑ Enrich, David; Futterman, Matthew; Paletta, Damian (February 3, 2009). "Citi Explores Breaking Mets Deal". The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123363029719042381.html?mod=djemalertNEWS. Retrieved 2009-02-03. 
  51. ↑ Kepner, Tyler (January 14, 2009). "Mets’ Latest Off-Season Problem? A Dull Patch". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/sports/baseball/15patch.html. Retrieved 2009-02-18. 
  52. ↑ Paul, Tony (January 16, 2009). "Cause for a pause: Mets' fans, critics reach consensus -- patch needs work". The Detroit News. http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090116/SPORTS0104/901160334. Retrieved 2009-02-18. 
  53. ↑ Lukas, Paul (January 9, 2009). "Ladies and gentlemen, the worst sleeve patch in MLB history". ESPN.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/090109&sportCat=mlb. Retrieved 2009-02-18. 
  54. ↑ Sandoval, Edgar; Melago, Carrie (January 14, 2009). "Love 'em or hate 'em? Yankees, Mets reveal 2009 stadium patches". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2009/01/13/2009-01-13_love_em_or_hate_em_yankees_mets_reveal_2.html. Retrieved 2009-02-18. 
  55. ↑ "["Tip of the Hat/Wag of the Finger"]". The Colbert Report. January 15, 2009.
  56. ↑ Noble, Marty (February 19, 2009). "Mets unveil additional patch for caps". MLB.com. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090219&content_id=3852106&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb. Retrieved 2009-02-27. 
  57. ↑ "Citi Field Side-by-Side Comparison". http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/ballpark/citifield_comparison.jsp. Retrieved 2009-06-26. 
  58. ↑ Gagne, Matt (April 14, 2009). "Padres' Jody Gerut opens Citi Field with a bang, homering on third pitch". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/04/13/2009-04-13_padres_jody_gerut_opens_citi_field_with_a_bang.html. Retrieved 2009-06-26. 
  59. ↑ Ghiroli, Brittany (April 18, 2009). "Sheffield joins elite club with No. 500". MLB.com. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090417&content_id=4316960. Retrieved 2009-06-26. 
  60. ↑ Waldstein, David (September 29, 2009). "Burnett Looks Sharp as He Prepares for First Postseason". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/sports/baseball/30yankees.html. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 
  61. ↑ Waldstein, David (August 23, 2009). "As if Losing Isn't Bad Enough for the Mets". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/sports/baseball/24mets.html. Retrieved 2010-02-25. 
  62. ↑ McCullough, Andy (May 10, 2010). "Rod Barajas, Henry Blanco proving to be reliable catching tandem for Mets". The Star-Ledger (Newark). http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2010/05/rod_barajas_henry_blanco_provi.html. Retrieved 2010-06-02. 
  63. ↑ Lustig, Jay (January 26, 2010). "Dave Matthews Band to perform at Citi Field in July". The Star-Ledger (Newark). http://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2010/01/dave_matthews_band_to_perform.html. Retrieved 2010-01-26. 
  64. ↑ "UFL Team Will Play at Citi Field". New York Post. Associated Press. August 14, 2009. http://www.nypost.com/seven/08132009/sports/mets/ufl_team_will_play_at_citi_field_184398.htm. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 
  65. ↑ Kossak, Andrew (October 22, 2009). "UFL wisely moves Sentinels game out of Citi Field". Pro Football Examiner. http://www.examiner.com/x-620-Pro-Football-Examiner~y2009m10d22-UFL-moves-Sentinels-game-out-of-CitiField. Retrieved 2009-10-22. 
  66. ↑ New York Mets (July 27, 2010). "Billy Joel's "The Last Play at Shea" movie premieres at Citi Field Saturday, August 21 at 8:00 p.m.". Press release. http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100727&content_id=12677222&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym. Retrieved 2010-07-28. 
  67. ↑ Weprin, Alex (April 23, 2009). "‘Ugly Betty’ Celebrating Renewal At Citi Field". http://www.broadcastingcable.com/blog/BC_Beat/12576-_Ugly_Betty_Celebrating_Renewal_At_Citi_Field.php. Retrieved 2010-01-15. 

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