| Citi Field |
 |
 |
| Location |
126th St. & Roosevelt Ave.
Flushing, New York 11368 |
| Coordinates |
40°45′25″N 73°50′45″W / 40.75694°N 73.84583°W / 40.75694; -73.84583Coordinates: 40°45′25″N 73°50′45″W / 40.75694°N 73.84583°W / 40.75694; -73.84583 |
| Broke ground |
November 13, 2006 |
| Opened |
March 29, 2009 (college game)
April 3, 2009 (exhibition game)
April 13, 2009 (regular season) |
| Owner |
Queens Ballpark Company, LLC. |
| Operator |
New York Mets |
| Surface |
Grass |
| Construction cost |
$900 million
($975 million in 2012 dollars[1]) |
| Architect |
Populous (formerly HOK Sport)[2]
Jack L. Gordon Architects PC[3] |
| Structural engineer |
WSP Cantor Seinuk[2] |
| Services engineer |
ME Engineers[2] |
| General Contractor |
Hunt/Bovis Lend Lease Alliance II (a Joint Venture)[2] |
| Main contractors |
International Concrete Products |
| Capacity |
41,922 (2012-present)[4]
41,800 (2009-2011)
45,000 (including standing room) |
| Record attendance |
42,080 (April 5, 2012)[5] |
| Field dimensions |
|
Left field
Left center
Deep left center
Center field
Deep right center
Right center
Right field
|
335 feet (102 m)
358 feet (109 m)
385 feet (117 m)
408 feet (124 m)
398 feet (121 m)
375 feet (114 m)
330 feet (100 m)
|
|
| 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 opened 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 New York financial services company which purchased the naming rights. The $850 million baseball park was 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.[6][7]
The first game at Citi Field was on March 29, 2009, with a college baseball game between St. John's and Georgetown.[8] The Mets played their first two games at the ballpark on April 3 and April 4, 2009 against the Boston Red Sox[9] as charity exhibition games. The first regular season home game was played on April 13, 2009, against the San Diego Padres. On May 16, 2012 it was announced that Citi Field would host the 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. This marked the second time the Mets have hosted the game, the first being 1964, the inaugural season of Shea Stadium.[10]
Since the 1990s, the Mets had been looking to replace Shea Stadium. The team unveiled a preliminary model of the ballpark in 1998; it featured a retractable roof and a movable grass field, which would have allowed it to host events including conventions and college basketball. The Mets also considered moving to Mitchel Field or Belmont Park in Nassau County, Long Island; Sunnyside Yard in Queens, or the West Side Yard in Manhattan.[11]
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.[12] 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.[13] 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.[13] Business officials criticized the plan as giving too much money to successful teams with little reason to move to a different city.[13]
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.[12][13] 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.
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.
By 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.[14] By September 2008, most of the Citi Field signage had been installed.[15] By December 1, 2008, all of the seats and the playing field had been installed.[16]
During the 2010 offseason, the bullpen area in right-center field underwent a complete renovation. When the edifice opened in time for the start of the 2009 MLB season, 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 parallel to it.[17] 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.[18] Additionally, the height of the home run boundary line directly in front of the Home Run Apple in center field was reduced from 16 feet (4.9 m) to 8 feet (2.4 m) in an attempt to produce more home runs.[19]
In response to criticisms that Citi Field is too much of a "pitcher's park", general manager Sandy Alderson changed Citi Field's dimensions in time for the 2012 MLB season in order to make it more friendly to hitters.[20] Changes include building an 8 feet (2.4 m) wall in front of the high 16 feet (4.9 m) wall in left field that many had dubbed the "Great Wall of Flushing", removing the nook in the "Mo's Zone" in right field, and reducing the distance in right center field from 415 feet (126 m) from home plate to 390 feet (120 m). The new walls are colored blue in order to address fan complaints that the old black walls with orange trims did not reflect the colors of the Mets.[21] The Mets have also created a new seating section located in between the old and new left field walls called the Party City Deck and can accommodate 102 additional fans.[4]
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 41,922. 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.[22] 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.[22] In the outfield section of the ballpark, there is a pedestrian bridge named Shea Bridge which resembles the Hell Gate Bridge.[18]
Similar to Shea Stadium, Citi Field's field dimensions make it a pitcher friendly park. 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.[23]
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.[24]
The interior of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda
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 (49 m) 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 (2.4 m) sculpture of Robinson's number 42.[22] 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.[25]
Citi Field's Home Run Apple located in center field.
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.[26] 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 between the Jackie Robinson Rotunda and the entrance to the Mets–Willets Point subway station.[27]
The immensely popular
Shake Shack stand at Taste of the City in center field, with the skyline from
Shea Stadium's scoreboard on top of it.
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.[28][29]
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).[22][30] 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.[30][31] Citi Field also offers a choice of fresh fruit at several stands around the stadium.[32] 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.
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.[22] 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.[33][34]
The original
Mr. Met costume is one of the many exhibits on display at the Mets Hall of Fame and Museum.
David Cone's jersey from his 19
strikeout game on October 6, 1991, housed in 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.[35] The museum boasts several displays including autographed memorabilia, original scouting reports on players such as Daryl Strawberry, and handwritten notes from the team's first manager Casey Stengel. In addition to this the team has installed interactive touchscreens that guide visitors through various aspects of the franchise's 48-year history, and there are television screens and timelines that help weave all the disparate elements into a cohesive narrative.
Despite the modern amenities, Citi Field has not been without criticism. Most notable have been fan complaints of obstructed views, as well as fan outrage at overemphasis in the celebration of the Brooklyn Dodgers' legacy over the history of the Mets.[36][37] 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.[38]
During its first three seasons in existence, Citi Field has also been criticized for being too much of a "pitcher's park", and has been cited as the cause of 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,[39] while Bay had the worst offensive production of his career in his first season with the Mets in 2010, only hitting 6 home runs, 47 RBI's, and OBP of just .347, and a slugging percentage of a career low .402.[40] Jeff Francoeur, who played with the Mets during their first two years at Citi Field, criticized the ballpark's dimensions, calling it "a damn joke."[41] During the 2011 season, Citi Field allowed 1.33 home runs per game, the third lowest total out of the 16 National League ballparks.[21]
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, even though it is not located in the actual neighborhood of Flushing.[clarification needed]
Citi Field is reachable via mass transit systems such as the New York City Subway via the 7 <7> trains at the Mets – Willets Point station, and the Long Island Rail Road station on the Port Washington Branch also called Mets – Willets Point. New York Water Taxi operates a free ferry to the stadium from Pier 11/Wall Street and the East 34th Street Ferry Landing before every game.[42] For selected games, SeaStreak provides ferry service between Highlands, New Jersey and the stadium. Both ferry services use the slips at the 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.
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), but preceding Prudential Center, MetLife Stadium, Red Bull Arena and Barclays Center, 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 MetLife Stadium's $400 million deal.[43]
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.[44]
Both Citigroup[45] and the Mets[46] maintain that the naming rights deal is secure, despite Citigroup's economic troubles. This deal has been criticized in light of the late-2000s financial crisis 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." [47] Radio talk show host Brian Lehrer suggested the name "Debits Field" which combines baseball history with public outrage over the Citi bailout.[48] 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."[49][50][51] 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."[52][53] However, Geithner rejected congressional demands to cancel the naming rights deal.[54]
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.[55]
The naming rights controversy reemerged when details about owner Fred Wilpon's involvement in Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme came to light when a lawsuit was filed on behalf of victims of Madoff's investment scandal in 2011.[56]
* Home run hit in first at bat. MLB Regular Season records only.
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.[58] 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,[59] with ESPN Uni Watch writer and blogger Paul Lukas calling it the "worst sleeve patch in MLB history".[60] Several fans pointed out a resemblance between the sleeve patch and the logo for Domino's Pizza,[61] and the patch was mocked on an episode of The Colbert Report.[62] As a compromise, the Mets unveiled a second patch in February 2009, which was worn on the side of the caps and featured the arches of the Jackie Robinson rotunda.[63]
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.
Memorial in the
Jackie Robinson Rotunda inside Citi Field, dedicated April 15, 2009
| Stadium Name |
Shea Stadium |
Citi Field[64][65] |
| Opening Day |
April 17, 1964 |
April 13, 2009 |
| Capacity |
57,405 |
41,922 (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 |
4,327[66] |
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 - 410
Right center - 396
Right field 2 - 371
Right field 1 - 358
Right field line- 338 |
Left field line- 335
Left field (2009-2011) - 371
Left Field - 358
Left center (2009-2011) - 384
Left center - 385
Center field - 408
Right center (2009-2011) - 415
Right center - 398
Right field (2009-2011) - 378
Right field - 375
Right field line- 330 |
- April 13, 2009 - Jody Gerut of the San Diego Padres hit the first home run at Citi Field, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history to open a ballpark with a leadoff home run.[67]
- April 17, 2009 - Gary Sheffield hit his 500th home run against the Milwaukee Brewers, becoming the first player to reach this milestone as a pinch hitter. It was Sheffield's first home run as a Met, which made Sheffield the first player to hit number 500 as his first home run with a new team.[68]
- June 28, 2009 - Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees recorded his 500th career save, becoming only the second relief pitcher to reach this milestone. The Mets gave Rivera the pitching rubber from Citi Field used in the game in honor of his achievement. (Rivera's only run batted in, on a bases-loaded walk, also occurred in the game.)[69]
- August 8, 2011 - Jason Bay hit his 200th home run against the San Diego Padres.[72]
- September 11, 2011 - Citi Field hosted a nationally televised game against the Chicago Cubs to mark the tenth anniversary of the attacks of that day in 2001. The pregame ceremonies featured members of the 2001 team who played at Shea Stadium on September 21, 2001, the first major sporting event held in New York City since the attacks.[73][74]
- April 25, 2012 - David Wright became the Mets' all time leader in RBIs when he hit a two run home run in a 5-1 victory against the Miami Marlins. With that hit, Wright passed Darryl Strawberry with 735 career RBIs.[75]
Paul McCartney performed a series of three sold-out concerts at Citi Field on July 17, 18 and 21, 2009 as a part of his Summer Live '09 tour, along with The Script. 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, who came out on McCartney's first night for the Beatles' classic, "I Saw Her Standing There." McCartney's opening show would later be released as Good Evening New York City.
Dave Matthews Band performed two concerts at Citi Field on July 16 and 17, 2010, along with the Zac Brown Band.[77] The second night was later released as Live in New York City.
The documentary film Last Play at Shea, chronicling Billy Joel's final concert at Shea Stadium in 2008, premiered on August 21, 2010 at Citi Field.[78]
On June 7, 2011, Citi Field hosted its first soccer game. The game was a friendly match between the national teams of Ecuador and Greece, who played to a 1-1- tie. The success of the game has led the Mets to consider having Citi Field host future soccer games as well as the NHL Winter Classic.[79] Citi Field hosted another soccer match on July 26, 2011 between the Italian team Juventus F.C. and the Mexican Club América as part of the 2011 World Football Challenge. Juventus won the match 1-0.[80]
- Shea Stadium, the home of the Mets from 1964 to 2008
- Yankee Stadium, a baseball stadium in The Bronx for the New York Yankees, which opened in April 2009
- Prudential Center, an arena in Newark, New Jersey for the New Jersey Devils, which opened in October 2007
- Barclays Center, an arena in Brooklyn for the New Jersey Nets, currently under construction
- MetLife Stadium, a new football stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey for the New York Giants and New York Jets, which opened in April 2010
- Red Bull Arena, a new soccer stadium in Harrison, New Jersey for the New York Red Bulls, which opened in March 2010
- ^ Staff. Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–2012. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Smilow, Jeffrey; Thompson, Allen (August 2009). "New Era in New York" (PDF). Modern Steel Construction. http://www.modernsteel.com/Uploads/Issues/August_2009/082009_mets.pdf. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
- ^ Diamond in the Rough
- ^ a b Belson, Ken; Sandomir, Richard (April 3, 2012). "Mets Hope New Design at Citi Field Brings Back the Long Ball". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/04/sports/baseball/mets-hope-new-design-at-citi-field-increases-home-runs.html. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
- ^ Citi Field record attendance against Braves
- ^ 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 January 9, 2010.
- ^ 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 January 9, 2010.
- ^ 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 February 25, 2010.
- ^ 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 October 6, 2009.
- ^ DiComo, Anthony (May 16, 2012). "Mets to Host 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field". Mets.com. http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120516&content_id=31423894&vkey=news_nym&c_id=nym. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
- ^ 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 May 21, 2010.
- ^ a b "Bonus Season for Baseball". The New York Times. January 17, 2002. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A06E7D91138F934A25752C0A9649C8B63. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
- ^ a b c d 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 October 3, 2009.
- ^ "Daktronics to provide 12,000 square feet (1,100 m2) of integrated scoring and video display technology at Citi Field" (Press release). New York Mets. January 28, 2008. 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 October 6, 2009.
- ^ 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 October 6, 2009.
- ^ 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 December 3, 2008.
- ^ 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 November 13, 2009.
- ^ a b "Mets Expand Club Presence at Citi Field" (Press release). New York Mets. November 21, 2009. http://www.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20091121&content_id=7698126&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
- ^ 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 February 9, 2010.
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- ^ "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 November 26, 2008.
- ^ 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 April 14, 2010.
- ^ 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 November 24, 2008.
- ^ 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 November 25, 2008.
- ^ 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 November 25, 2008.
- ^ 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 January 30, 2009.
- ^ Grim, Ryan (January 29, 2009). "Rename Citi Field: Bipartisan Push In House". The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/29/rename-citi-field-biparti_n_162361.html. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
- ^ 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 October 3, 2009.
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- ^ Haberman, Clyde (February 7, 2011). "At Citi Field, Stains Are Not From the Grass". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/nyregion/08nyc.html?_r=1. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
- ^ Gagne, Matt (March 29, 2009). "Mets Nowhere in Sight at Citi Field as Georgetown tops St. John's". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/03/29/2009-03-29_mets_nowhere_in_sight_at_citi_field_as_g.html. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
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- ^ 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 February 18, 2009.
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- ^ "["Tip of the Hat/Wag of the Finger"]". The Colbert Report. January 15, 2009.
- ^ 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 February 27, 2009.
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- ^ 2003 Major League Baseball Franchise Directory - SportsBusiness Journal
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- ^ 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 June 2, 2010.
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- ^ Greenberg, Jay (June 8, 2011). "Citi Field's Soccer Experiment a Success". MLB.com. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110608&content_id=20197798&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb&partnerId=rss_mlb. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
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AT&T Park ( Giants; San Francisco, California) • Busch Stadium III ( Cardinals; St. Louis, Missouri) • Citi Field ( Mets; Queens, New York) • Citizens Bank Park ( Phillies; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) • Comerica Park ( Tigers; Detroit, Michigan) • Coors Field ( Rockies; Denver, Colorado) • Oriole Park at Camden Yards ( Orioles; Baltimore, Maryland) • PNC Park ( Pirates; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) • Rangers Ballpark in Arlington ( Rangers; Arlington, Texas) • Turner Field ( Braves; Atlanta, Georgia) • U.S. Cellular Field ( White Sox; Chicago, Illinois) • Yankee Stadium II ( Yankees; Bronx, New York)
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![Spartan Race - CitiField, NY - 4/13/2013 [2 of 5]](http://web.archive.org./web/20130808130437im_/http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9XJFcgigwCY/default.jpg "Spartan Race - CitiField, NY - 4/13/2013 [2 of 5]")
