03/30/2016
By Ivan Pereira
Ya gotta believe the Mets and Citi Field are stepping up their game this season after last year’s World Series run.
Officials Wednesday unveiled the new amenities at the Flushing ballpark that will be available this season including two new food vendors and an entirely new recreational space located above right field.
Lou DePaoli, the team’s executive vice president, said the 28 participating food offerings at the stadium represent a wide variety of tastes from across the city and fans are never disappointed.
“That the one thing we are known for, besides the best pitching rotation,” he joked.
Here is what fans can expect if they check out any of 81 home games this season.
Food
Citi Field has several spots to grab a bite between innings including at its Foxwoods Club, Delta Sky Club and around the perimeter on each level.
Fans can get everything from a Shake Stack burger, sushi from Daruma of Tokyo and a shrimp basket from Catch of the Day. Chefs and restaurant owners, like Leon Hartman, the owner of Two Boots Pizza, said they were honored to offer their best dishes at Citi Field.
Hartman, who is a lifelong Mets fan, created a stadium-only pie, “The Mojo Rising,” which has steak, onions, mushrooms, provolone and Mets sweet red pepper pesto.
“Last year, the magic was back,” he said. “This year, we are trying to bring it one step higher.”
Two New York favorite spots are joining the food roster: Fuku, which will offer its spicy fried chicken sandwich, and Milk Bar, which will offer signature cookies. David Chang, Fuku’s owner, said baseball has always been a passion.
“Growing up, watching baseball games with my dad was a real Americana experience,” he said.
Social media integration
Although the Mets promise exciting action on the field, they are encouraging fans to snap and share their experiences on social media. In fact, they will be highlighting their best posts throughout the stadium.
The team partnered with Nikon and created five photo spots where fans can take scenic shots of the stadium and nearby area. Citi Field crews will display the photos that use hashtag #NikonMets on the big screen in center field. Other social media posts will be displayed on a special video screen in the new right field area, the Coca-Cola corner.
Coca-Cola Corner
Citi Field will have a new, open area for all fans in the upper deck right field. Located under a 26 foot by 84 foot sign for the soda company, the section has tables, food stands, comfy booths and turf flooring.
Fans will have a chance to test their gaming skills with an interactive home run derby game that can be played off a giant TV screen. There are also cornhole tables with beanbags.
Promotional days
Every Friday, the Mets will offer fans a free T-shirts with a different theme each week, such as one that says “Duda Smash,” and another featuring a giant picture of Jacob deGrom’s head.
There will be two weekends this season that celebrate the Mets’s biggest legacies. During Memorial Day weekend, the Mets will honor the 30th anniversary of their 1986 championship season. A replica T-shirt will be given out on the May 27 game, players and coaches from that team will be part of a pre-game ceremony on Saturday and the first 15,000 fans will receive a championship game Sunday.
During the weekend of July 29 to July 31, the Mets will spotlight catcher Mike Piazza, who will be inducted into the MLB hall of fame this year. Fans will receive a replica jersey Friday a bobblehead on Sunday and the man himself will be on hand when his number, 31, is retired Saturday.
