Earlier today, the Mets announced that they will allow fans to submit cardboard cutouts of themselves to be placed in Citi Field’s seats. With fans not expected to return to Citi Field until 2021, at the earliest, teams are looking into ways to revolutionize the fan experience in an unprecedented time.

At the time this article was published, there is no website available for fans to submit their pictures.

The Mets haven’t publicized how they will roll-out of the plan, although Tim Healey of Newsday reported that season-ticket holders who have renewed their plans for the 2021 season will receive a complimentary cutout, and can buy others at a discount. Fans who don’t have a season-ticket package will need to pay a to-be-announced fee for their likeness to be present at Citi Field this season.

While the Mets encourage their fans to submit pictures of themselves, they maintain that fans are prohibited from sending in any advertisements, phone numbers, anything involving offensive language, political statements, negative references, or anything of the sort.

With this announcement, the Mets are following the footsteps of other MLB, KBO, and CPBL clubs, all of whom have implemented a similar program. Major-League teams, such as the Brewers and Athletics, plan to have only fans’ cutouts in the stands, but leagues in Asia have expanded their policy to include stuffed animals/Pokemon. Rob Freidman of PitchNinja has popularized the movement by tweeting the highlights of Pokeman in the stands.

While Pokeman in the Citi Field stands is anything more than a pipe dream at this point, it represents the change in thinking of teams’ fan experiences departments as they look towards a 2020 season that will most likely happen without fans.

The Mets will be hosting the Yankees in an exhibition game on July 18th and their homestand of the season will occur on July 24th at 4:10 p.m. against the Atlanta Braves.