Jan
29
2011

Mets Will Host The 2013 All-Star Game: Just What the Doctor Ordered

An article by Clayton Collier

Nearly forty seven years ago Johnny Callison hit a walk off home run in the 1964 All-Star Game at Shea Stadium, that being the first and only time the Mets in their 49-year history would host an All-Star Game. Now in 2011, Sports Illustrated and sources close to Jon Heyman are reporting that the New York Mets will host the All-Star Game. The report is unconfirmed by MLB but many sources close to the situation say it is going to happen. This on the heels of the Wilpon’s looking to find a minority investor in the Mets.

Yesterday, the Wilpons in a conference call stated that they would like to sell up to 25% of the team to “Make sure they have the necessary resources to compete and win”. The Wilpons are currently in a messy lawsuit following the Bernie Madoff scandal that possibly left the Wilpons with an extra $50 million in their pockets, something trustee Irving Picard has been entrusted to recover for the victims of Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. Picard may be seeking up to one billion dollars from the Wilpons as a result of the whole mess. This puts possible financial restraints on the Mets in one of the most pivotal off seasons in franchise history coming up following the 2011 season.

I recap all of this because having the All-Star Game at Citi Field in 2013 will bring in a ton of revenue to the team in the upcoming years. All-Star Games sell out faster than you can say “Albert Pujols” and feature people from all over the country coming to see baseball’s greatest stars, and they pay top dollar to do so. Like it or not, but if the Mets get themselves another investor and hit the jackpot on this All-Star Game, it has the potential to secure the Wilpons as the owners of the Mets.

I know the All-Star Game itself with tickets and food and what not generates about the same revenue as Opening Day, but when you add in all the advertising, marketing and merchandising opportunities, it will generate even more much needed money. Fans will pay hand over fist for the jerseys, caps, souvenirs, programs, etc. It will be a cash cow for the Mets in 2013. Until then, the Mets have a lot to worry about as far as their financial future.

About the Author: Clayton Collier

Clayton, a Long Island native and die-hard Mets fan, started writing online about three years ago. He is currently a Journalism major with a minor in Broadcasting at Seton Hall University. Although very disappointed with the current state of the team, Clayton remains hopeful that the young prospects in the farm system will bring the Mets back to a respected franchise in baseball once again. Besides writing for MMO, Clayton is also a staff member at 89.5 WSOU, Seton Hall's modern active rock radio station. You can contact Clayton by following him on Twitter: @Clayton_Collier or E-mailing him at MaybeNextYearMets@yahoo.com

12 Comments + Add Comment

MetsMan86 January 29, 2011 at 2:21 pm

OH MAN! I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE HOW MUCH I CANNOT AFFORD TO GO TO THIS!
- Clayton Collier January 29, 2011 at 2:23 pm
  
  Haha lets hope we can. I cant wait to go in 2013, Im planning a 30 Clubs in 30 Days trip that season so thatd be an awesome thing to finish it off with!
happy little mets fans January 29, 2011 at 2:26 pm

What a joke this article is. You know what, in 29 major league fandoms the fans care about the team winning. This article depicts perfectly what metsies care about. you metsies care about the wilpons pocketbook and you don’t give a hoot about your team winning. oh the poor metsies like bayonne who actually want to win. sorry rreal fans the metsies aren’t f or you.
stick January 29, 2011 at 2:34 pm

might want to change the beginning. the 1964 game was at Shea, not Citi Field!

also, not all that revenue (ASG merchandise) goes to the host team. MLB is getting that.
- Clayton Collier January 29, 2011 at 2:39 pm
  
  oops did I say Citi Field? lol sorry about that. I know it was Shea. just jumped the gun on that one.
  
  But as far as ASG revenue, the host team gets most of the money, publicity etc. and if not for anything, brings alot more fans to the park.
theonlymaskman January 29, 2011 at 2:41 pm

Were you joshing us when you wrote: “Nearly forty seven years ago Johnny Callison hit a walk off home run in the 1964 All-Star Game at Citi Field”? To my memory, the home park of the Mets in 1964 was Shea Stadium. Do you remember otherwise?
- Clayton Collier January 29, 2011 at 2:42 pm
  
  Sorry I accidently wrote that… I fixed it now. If you refresh it you can see i fixed it.
  - theonlymaskman January 29, 2011 at 4:53 pm
    
    Thanks. It’s better than the revisionist form of history.
Brandon Butler January 29, 2011 at 5:12 pm

This has been long overdue. The Mets keep getting jipped when they ask about the possibility of hosting an MLB All-Star Game. I’m glad Bud Selig listened to the outcry about it, and actually did something about it.
Matt January 29, 2011 at 5:55 pm

It’s truly sad that the ownership of any major sports team would have to worry about their financial future, especially one in New York City. When team’s have sketchy financial futures, isn’t that when talks of contraction begins?? If the Wilpons cannot afford to own this team…sell it to someone who can. Constantly hearing about their financial issues is pathetic…you own a major league baseball team in New York, sell it for around a billion dollars and walk away with a smile on your face. I’m sure a billionaire like Mark Cuban, Donald Trump, Mikhail Prokhorov, or a wealthy loyal fan like Jerry Seinfeld would love to own this team and turn it into a winner…something it has not been consistently for over 20 years, its safe to say the success of 1999, 2000, and 2006 were aberrations and not the norm for this team.
run this citi January 29, 2011 at 9:11 pm

Should be some Home Run contest, lol.
- Clayton Collier January 29, 2011 at 10:05 pm
  
  Haha I was thinking about that. “Albert Pujols with three home runs to win the 2013 State Farm Home-Run Derby” lol

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