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CitiField

OlerudOwned Nov 10 2006 09:41 AM

Not exactly high-up sources, but someone I trust who's father is working at the "New Mets Ballpark" says that there has been a sign erected at the site saying "CitiField: Opening 2009". A second person with a similar situation [url=http://hotfoot.metsblog.com/blog/_archives/2006/11/10/2489656.html#comments]e-mailed MetsBlog[/url] to confirm it. So whattya think? I say it's kind of dumb, but no worse than most corporate names. CitiField at Bob Murphy Stadium would be cooler.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 10 2006 09:46 AM

I loved Bob Murphy, but I think naming a ballpark after him is a bit too much. As for corporate names, I liked the idea of Met Life Park. CitiField? Icch. I'd prefer CitiBank Park. One thing worse than a corporate name is a cutesy corporate name.

soupcan Nov 10 2006 09:55 AM

We knew it'd be a corporate name. I agree with Yancy, MetLife would've been the perfect fit but really it doesn't matter. I think the spelling of 'CitiField' bothers me more than the name. 'City Field' really isn't half bad. I guess Banco Popular's days are numbered.

KC Nov 10 2006 09:59 AM

I don't care what they call it so long as it's called the home of the 2008 World Series Champion New York Mets. Old mofo suggestion from way back always made me chuckle: The Polo Grounds, by Ralph Lauren.

Edgy DC Nov 10 2006 10:03 AM

I'd really rather not have a field name that morphs so easily into ShitiField the moment the disgruntled start grumbling about something or other. Estadio Popular. Now there's a name.

HahnSolo Nov 10 2006 10:04 AM

We can hope Citicorp at least stays around for a while. My one wish for a corporate sponsor was that it was a stable one, so that we weren't renaming the ballpark every other year like in SF and Arizona.

soupcan Nov 10 2006 10:09 AM

Edgy DC wrote: Estadio Popular Ooooh, nice one. I dig that.

seawolf17 Nov 10 2006 10:09 AM

It doesn't matter to me. I'm calling it Bob Murphy Stadium.

Johnny Dickshot Nov 10 2006 10:28 AM

I dropped off the Dickshotmobile for service just a couple blocks from Shea this morning. I will investigate when I pick it up, prolly early tomorrow. I walked from the garage to the 7 this morning admiring Shea, which is kind of a sad place in November.

Frayed Knot Nov 10 2006 12:27 PM

The sign part seems a bit fishy. Seems to me that they'd announce something prior to just erecting a sign w/o any fanfare. A large part of the reason corps do this sort of thing is for the pomp and circumstance that goes along w/it. ]I dropped off the Dickshotmobile for service just a couple blocks from Shea this morning. I will investigate when I pick it up, prolly early tomorrow. How many pieces will it be in when you pick it up?

Edgy DC Nov 10 2006 12:32 PM

Bring a camera.

Johnny Dickshot Nov 10 2006 01:21 PM

Frayed Knot wrote: How many pieces will it be in when you pick it up? Hopefully one. The rubber cowl between the bottom of the windshield and the hood became un-stuck and needs replacing and resealing. After all that the rain the other day, the passenger side floor could double as an aquarium.

metirish Nov 10 2006 01:49 PM

] Mets stadium: CitiField? BY KEN DAVIDOFF Newsday Staff Writer November 10, 2006, 3:15 PM EST The Mets are very close to striking a deal for the naming rights to their new stadium, and Citigroup is the likely winner, Newsday has learned. The Mets will officially break ground on their new ballpark, set to open in 2009, on Monday. The new name of the ballpark will likely be announced at that time. The Mets have long indicated that they would sell the naming rights to their new ballpark. It is believed that they have also discussed those rights with Verizon and Pepsi. Citigroup has conducted market research to determine the best name for their new stadium. Among the names proposed were: Citigroup Ballpark, Citi Ballpark, Citibank Ballpark, Citibank Yard, Citibank Coliseum, Citibank Diamond, Citibank Field. The web site hotfoot.com reports that a sign on the grounds of the new stadium reads, "CitiField: Coming in 2009."

metirish Nov 10 2006 01:52 PM

They should conduct some market research here.

OlerudOwned Nov 10 2006 01:53 PM

Hotfoot.com is a Bird Repellant website, but they were close.

MFS62 Nov 10 2006 08:15 PM

Edgy DC wrote: I'd really rather not have a field name that morphs so easily into ShitiField the moment the disgruntled start grumbling about something or other. Or hearing the "Flushing Toilet" comments from Yankee fans about Shea. I agree. ShitiField is just too close to get unnoticed - even by Yankee fans. Later

Nymr83 Nov 10 2006 08:23 PM

I'd rather CitiBank Field than Citifield.

SteveJRogers Nov 10 2006 08:25 PM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: I dropped off the Dickshotmobile for service just a couple blocks from Shea this morning. I will investigate when I pick it up, prolly early tomorrow. I walked from the garage to the 7 this morning admiring Shea, which is kind of a sad place in November. Same here, kind of an empty "Gee I hate this time of year" feeling. Kind of makes you wish the Dome idea went through and the building could be used year round ala MSG/Nassau/Continental/ect

Johnny Dickshot Nov 10 2006 08:45 PM

Citibank already has its name on the ugliest building in Queens: Lonely, windswept and absurdly out of scale:

Johnny Dickshot Nov 10 2006 08:48 PM

even better shot here:

metirish Nov 10 2006 08:52 PM

Yep, I hate that building..always did...

SteveJRogers Nov 10 2006 08:53 PM

Is that their World HQ? Man, that makes the Co-Op city Hi-Rises off of the Hutch look like a bustling Manhattan skyline!

MFS62 Nov 11 2006 08:27 AM

Aside from looking out of place, that is one ugly-arse building. The only times I've been to Queens in the past few years have been to go to Shea, and I come over the Whitestone Bridge and go home the same way. Where is it? Later

metsmarathon Nov 11 2006 08:49 AM

around mile 14 of the nyc marathon... 1 Court Sq Long Island City, NY 11120 basically between 44th dr & 45th ave, along 25A Jackson Ave, just south of the queensboro.

Johnny Dickshot Nov 11 2006 01:07 PM

As skyscrapers go, it's not the worst thing ever. It's just its scale is so wrong for the hood it's not even funny. They're currently building a neighboring building so it won't look quite so lonely, and tho it will probably always be too big, there's lots of industrial-to-residential/biz developments going in near there today.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 11 2006 01:10 PM

I agree, the building doesn't look bad itself. In Manhattan nobody would even notice it. I remember when it was about to be built. I had a co-worker who lived in Long Island City and she was part of the neighborhood group opposed to its construction. Needless to say, the group failed in its task. If I remember right, and I may not, I think it was intended to be the start of a Long Island City skyline, which appears to be slow in developing. The LIC skyline is much like the one in Allentown, Pa. Just one building that sticks out like a sore thumb. I've long thought that LIC would have been the perfect place to build the replacement for Shea. But nobody with any authority seemed to share that opinion because I never heard a word about any location other than the Shea parking lot.

Johnny Dickshot Nov 11 2006 01:20 PM

There was talk in the 1960s of building a park above the Sunnyside Yards, IIRC, for the Jets but that plan never got off the ground. This issue with building in LIC, aside from the fact that residential is the highest/best use today, is that to face Manhattan would mean looking into the setting sun in every game.

G-Fafif Nov 11 2006 02:30 PM

Edgy DC wrote: I'd really rather not have a field name that morphs so easily into ShitiField the moment the disgruntled start grumbling about something or other. If there are any other "South Park" diehards out there, perhaps the first thing that crossed your mind was the Chinese takeout place called City Wok whose phone is answered for comedic effect by an Asian man who pronounces the "C" in "City" as "Sh". Their specialty is the City Beef. Well, at least it figures to be fertile ground.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 11 2006 03:10 PM

Not official yet, but looking more and more so. ="Associated Press"] Out with the old: Mets new park to be named CitiField NEW YORK -- Goodbye, Shea Stadium; hello, CitiField. The Mets and Citigroup Inc. have agreed on a 20-year sponsorship deal for the team's new ballpark that is worth more than an average of $20 million annually and includes stadium naming rights, a baseball official said Saturday. The source spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal will not be announced until Monday at the formal groundbreaking. This will be a record for U.S stadium naming rights, topping the approximately $10 million annually the NFL's Houston Texans receive from Reliant Energy to call their home Reliant Stadium. The agreement between the Mets and the financial services company includes options for both the team and Citigroup that could extend the deal to 35 years. Other commercial arrangements are part of the contract, the official said. Construction on the ballpark -- next to the current stadium in Queens -- began last summer and is scheduled to be ready for the 2009 season. The Mets have played at Shea Stadium since 1964, the team's third year in the league. The ballpark is named for William A. Shea, a lawyer who helped bring National League baseball back to New York. The decision comes three months after the U.S. Tennis Association renamed the nearby USTA National Tennis Center after tennis great Billie Jean King. Monday's announcement will take place at a ceremony to be attended by Gov. George Pataki and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Citigroup is one of the world's largest full-service banks, with 200 million customers in more than 100 countries. Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press

Benjamin Grimm Nov 11 2006 03:12 PM

I can't blame them for taking $20 million per year. That's a lot of dough, and it would be hard for anyone to resist. I just wish the name wasn't so hokey. CitiBank Park or CitiBank Field would have been more acceptable, even if it does sound more corporate. I guess we can just pretend that the name is "City Field" which sounds kind of 19th Century.

OlerudOwned Nov 11 2006 03:12 PM

The story was in the Post as well, and they too screwed up the URL for hotfoot.metsblog.com. No love for the blogosphere.

KC Nov 11 2006 03:22 PM

Was it necessary to work in Billie Jean King and the USTA Center? What does that have to do with anything? I'm sure everyone interested in the new Mets stadium name is reading that saying, "WOW, has it been three months already?".

Valadius Nov 11 2006 03:48 PM

Stupid, stupid, stupid name.

KC Nov 11 2006 03:55 PM

What's stupid stupid stupid about it? They're going to get record setting revenue from it and everyone knows full well it was going to be named after some corporation anyway so it sounds like they hit a home run.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 11 2006 04:02 PM

My objection is to the cutesy spelling. It's the 21st Century though. I guess I have to get with the program.

KC Nov 11 2006 04:08 PM

I think whatever they got is gravy, and I like to bust Valad's chops. He wants to run for congress one day but can't express himself better than it's stupid stupid stupid? Comes off sounding like an entitled eight year old to me.

Valadius Nov 11 2006 04:28 PM

CitiField? Come on now. CitiBank Field? Citigroup Field? Fine. But CitiField just doesn't cut the mustard.

metirish Nov 11 2006 04:38 PM

There could be worse names of course,I agree that MetLife would have been cooler, I just hope the name doesn't change every few years like Pac Bell or whatever it's called these days.

iramets Nov 11 2006 04:46 PM

Adam Rubin of the Daily News has a blog, and here are his comments. Do you agree with his ranking? i don't really see why orange juice is more offensive than beer: Mets' New Ballpark: CitiField Here's the Daily News' account of the new stadium's name: CitiField. It will be officially unveiled Monday, at a "ground-breaking ceremony" -- which is an interesting way to bill the event, since all I heard were posts being banged into the ground at Shea for a couple of months. Short of MetLife sponsoring the ballpark, I think this is about as good as it can be with a corporate name. Here are other corporate-named stadiums around baseball. I'll rank them from least offensive to most offense. Tell me what you think. Chase Field - Diamondbacks Miller Park - Brewers Rogers Centre - Blue Jays Coors Field- Rockies Safeco Field - Mariners Great American Ball Park - Reds Tropicana Field - Devil Rays Comerica Park - Tigers PNC Park -Pirates PETCO Park - Padres McAfee Stadium - A's Minute Maid Park - Astros (It's better than former name: Enron) U.S. Cellular Field - White Sox AT&T Park - Giants Citizens Bank Park - Phillies Ameriquest Field in Arlington - Rangers

metirish Nov 11 2006 04:49 PM

I would say Minute Maid Park is the worst...

SteveJRogers Nov 11 2006 05:04 PM

iramets wrote: i don't really see why orange juice is more offensive than beer: I think it's just that beer and venues go together (not just sports) and while you'd want your kids to go to sporting events the atmosphere is a grown-up place, and like it or not Tropicana and Minute Maid conjure up images of adolecences and pre-teen years. It be like naming a venue Disney (after the company, not the person) or Seasme Workshop (producers of Seasme Street) its more of something that is appropriate for a little league park or a community rec center, not a place for professional/collegitate athletics and such

OlerudOwned Nov 11 2006 05:17 PM

Miller and Coors also have connections to their areas, so those names seem to fit better. Enron was a nice fit in Houston...

metirish Nov 11 2006 07:18 PM

Bloomberg News reports that's it's a 20 year deal worth $20 million a year to the Mets, a record for naming rights,the previous record was $10 million that Reliant Energy paid the Houston Texans,that's a lot of cabbage.

Nymr83 Nov 11 2006 07:32 PM

that sounds like a great deal, the Mets wouldn't be getting a dime out of "Shea II."

metirish Nov 11 2006 07:37 PM

Yeah really, and there are mutal options to extend it for 35 years...nice bit of biz by Fred. I bet in the next few days we'll be seeing articles about how the Mets made a mistake by not naming the Stadium after Jackie Robinson.

Nymr83 Nov 11 2006 08:19 PM

is someone going to pay them $20 million a year to do so? this is a great business decision, the name they get "stuck" with isn't really bad (you can say it easily, it doesnt scream "this is just dumb" like minute made or us cellular) and htats 20 mil a year they can spend on providing a better product.

metirish Nov 11 2006 08:26 PM

Of course not,but those articles will probably fail to mention waht a great deal this is,instead they will focus on how the Mets could have made a statement against capatilism and "done the right thing" by Jackie,even though he never played for the Mets....

old original jb Nov 11 2006 08:45 PM

Next is naming rights for the players. We'll be seeing "Citibank" Reyes, "Microsoft" Wright, and "Google" Beltran in seasons to come.

Nymr83 Nov 11 2006 09:52 PM

do you actually have a problem with corporate sponsorship of stadiums?

metirish Nov 11 2006 09:54 PM

If you are talking to me nymr83 then the answer is no.

Nymr83 Nov 11 2006 09:57 PM

i was talking to the cynical post above mine, you seem to have the right attitude that its good for the team, who the heck cares what a building is called, i wish someone would pay me to name my house

SteveJRogers Nov 11 2006 10:15 PM

Nymr83 wrote: i was talking to the cynical post above mine, you seem to have the right attitude that its good for the team, who the heck cares what a building is called, i wish someone would pay me to name my house Whats more, you know that if the Mets actually went ahead and DID name it after Jackie Robinson, people would actually not stop there. Name the mound after Sandy Koufax, name the CF Wall after Willie Mays, ect I think though, alot of the "Mets ought to do right by Jackie" comes more from the Mets pre-Wilpon ties to the Dodgers/Giants rather than the fact that Wilpon was a Dodger fan, friend of Sandy Koufax and designed CitiField to echo Ebbetts. I mean look through old Yearbooks from the 60's and 70's, seems like the Mets OTG were yearly reunions of mostly old Dodger "Boys of Summer" era teams There was certaintly a time where the Mets thought of themselves as the caretaker of the Dodger-Giant legacy and I think thats where the nostalgic sentiment comes from rather than an anti-capitalism/pro-honoring a pioneer stance

Benjamin Grimm Nov 12 2006 05:13 AM

I can't imagine that anyone would suggest that the pitcher's mound be named after Sandy Koufax.

Elster88 Nov 12 2006 07:25 AM

SteveJRogers Nov 12 2006 07:36 AM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: I can't imagine that anyone would suggest that the pitcher's mound be named after Sandy Koufax. Well if you name the ballpark "Jackie Robinson" to honor a pioneer and to quell that opinion that shames you into doing it, I'm sure other groups would try to do the same. Like with the small movement to retire 21 in perpetuity in honor of Roberto Clemente the way 42 is for Jackie (I've also seen 3 for Ruth mentioned along the time the NHL retired 99 in perpetuity for Gretzky) I could see if they actually went along with naming the ballpark for Jackie Robinson, and if Koufax passed away (God forbid) that there would be a small movement suggesting that Koufax be memorialized in some fashion for the same reasons the Mets stuck Jackie's name on the ballpark. Maybe the mound would be a huge extreme, but there would be a movement to suggest naming something (maybe changing the stretch of Rosevelt Ave that Shea is on to Koufax Lane)

Benjamin Grimm Nov 12 2006 07:52 AM

I don't think we need to worry about Sandy Koufax dying. I've heard him described as "immortal."

RealityChuck Nov 12 2006 11:36 AM

There's no reason it can't be "Jackie Robinson Citifield" or "Shea Citifield." The nice thing about "Citifield" as the name is that it's short and allows for adding a name to it.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 12 2006 11:40 AM

Except that CitiBank is paying $20 million per year, and they probably don't want Jackie Robinson freeloading on their name.

Edgy DC Nov 12 2006 11:48 AM

I care. That's why we have this thread.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 12 2006 11:51 AM

I care too. Here's what we should do: Pronounce it as two words, not one. City Field, not CitiField. As I mentioned earlier, it sounds much better that way. I could imagine the 1887 Metropolitans playing at a park called City Field.

MFS62 Nov 12 2006 03:14 PM

Yancy, you're right. Pronouncing it as two words does give it a certain retro ring. Later

soupcan Nov 13 2006 07:29 AM

My idea you thieving bastages...

Vic Sage Nov 13 2006 08:12 AM

1) In choosing a name for the new stadium, they were obviously going to sell the naming rights. the money is too significant for them not to have done so. And its not like Jackie Robinson had anything to do with the Mets. And beloved Shea was named after a lawyer. 2) Given the premises of (1) above, "CitiField" (or "City Field") is less reprehensible than alot of other names they could have been stuck with. It feels right for a team called "Metropolitans" to play on a City Field.

iramets Nov 13 2006 09:31 AM

Isn't "City Field" an oxymoron? Is it in the city or is is out on a field? Is it a breath mint or a candy mint?

Johnny Dickshot Nov 13 2006 09:37 AM

It's a dessert topping and a floor wax.

Edgy DC Nov 13 2006 09:41 AM

SteveJRogers wrote: I could see if they actually went along with naming the ballpark for Jackie Robinson, and if Koufax passed away (God forbid) that there would be a small movement suggesting that Koufax be memorialized in some fashion for the same reasons the Mets stuck Jackie's name on the ballpark. Movement shmovement. Even with our team president a personal friend of Sandy Koufax's, I think we're all pretty capable of distinguishing between the legacies of Sandy Koufax and Jackie Robinson.

metirish Nov 13 2006 10:35 AM

The new stadium will include the "Jackie Robinson Rotunda", no word on who the mound will be named for.

Frayed Knot Nov 13 2006 10:51 AM

btw, the simulated signage on the simulated stadium that's being shown for today's 'groundbreaking' shows it as; Citi Field (two words) not CitiField

metsmarathon Nov 13 2006 10:54 AM

it was all on that long-discarded hot dog wrapper...

metirish Nov 13 2006 10:54 AM

Mets.com has it as Citi Field.

sharpie Nov 13 2006 10:55 AM

Better. Hate the non-space capital letters thing. Now if we can just change that second i to a y we'll be ok.

soupcan Nov 13 2006 11:05 AM

Wow, they sure do get those signs up fast!

Edgy DC Nov 13 2006 11:07 AM

Is that infield outline on the raised plaza supposed to be the site of the current Shea infield? In the futuree all jetstreams will intersect at right angles.

soupcan Nov 13 2006 11:12 AM

="Edgy DC"]Is that infield outline on the raised plaza supposed to be the site of the current Shea infield? Nope

Edgy DC Nov 13 2006 11:14 AM

I thought so. It also looked small. Now it looks like Pac-Man is after the new stadium.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 13 2006 11:17 AM

I love the ghostly hologram of Shea in the Citi Field parking lot! That's a great idea! And I do like the space between Citi and Field. It makes the name a whole lot better, and increases the possibility that it will be pronounced as if the i was a y. Citi Field/City Field. Not bad at all. And a lot better than names like 3M, Petco, Safeco, and many others.

metirish Nov 13 2006 11:41 AM

Official release from Citigroup. http://www.citigroup.com/citigroup/press/2006/061113a.htm

Benjamin Grimm Nov 13 2006 11:47 AM

For posterity: Here's the part about honoring Jackie Robinson: ="CitiGroup press release"]Citigroup and the Mets in the Community This landmark partnership will accelerate Citi’s and the Mets’ current significant commitments to the community with new resources to develop and launch outreach platforms and programs in and beyond New York City, involving both the Citigroup Foundation and the New York Mets Foundation. As the first step in this effort, the Mets and Citi will commission a statue and name the entry rotunda of Citi Field – inspired by the classic design of Ebbets Field – to honor Jackie Robinson, the legendary pioneer and great American who broke baseball’s color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. The partnership will include a significant commitment to recognize and perpetuate, in and around the rotunda and the community, Robinson’s legacy and the “nine values” he embodied as articulated by his daughter, Sharon Robinson: courage, integrity, determination, persistence, citizenship, justice, commitment, teamwork, and excellence. “The Robinson family and Jackie Robinson Foundation are extremely proud of the creation of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda at Citi Field,” said Rachel Robinson, Founder, Jackie Robinson Foundation. “The statue of Jack and the experience of passing through the rotunda will serve as a source of inspiration for future generations and as a powerful reminder of Jack’s commitment to excellence and social progress.” In addition, Citi and the Mets through a pledge to the Jackie Robinson Foundation will help create the Jackie Robinson Foundation Museum and Education Center in lower Manhattan. As much as a tribute to Jackie Robinson, the Museum and Education Center will educate children about Jackie Robinson’s pioneering spirit and leading role in social change. This partnership will support new programs for the Jackie Robinson Foundation, including leadership development and scholarships for students who exemplify Jackie’s humanitarian ideals.

apmorris Nov 13 2006 11:50 AM

It seems all very 1990's - too safe too post modern, and the now the name does not help. That brick would work if it was in Flatbush not standing alone in Flushing.

Johnny Dickshot Nov 13 2006 11:50 AM

This is the graf we should be paying attention to/dreading: ]Citi and the Mets will pursue international sports, media, and entertainment related business ventures in the years ahead. Citi’s leadership position as the largest financial institution in the world and the Mets’ expertise in sports and entertainment provide this partnership with unprecedented resources and understanding of market dynamics to launch, develop, or acquire socially responsible, world-class businesses.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 13 2006 11:55 AM

What about that paragraph instills dread? It matters little to me if the Mets are making money overseas. If anything, it means they'll be able to continue to afford the expensive players. I'm not disputing your dread, just asking you to spell out what you're seeing that I'm not.

soupcan Nov 13 2006 11:56 AM

I already bank with Citibank. This just means the Mets will love me as much as I love them! Oh great day!

Benjamin Grimm Nov 13 2006 11:59 AM

I bank at Citizens Bank. (It's like CitiBank, but with zen.) Does that mean the Phillies love me? I'm afraid that love if it exists is unrequited.

metirish Nov 13 2006 12:04 PM

I wonder if the yankee brass are looking at the Mets with a little envy,Mets have some powerful partners and even though they have bundles of money $20 million a year is not chump change...are they going to sell naming rights to their new stadium?

Benjamin Grimm Nov 13 2006 12:11 PM

They can't. They're too tradition bound. They'll have to call it Yankee Stadium, and then they're going to have to brainwash their followers into thinking it was built in 1923, like they did with the second incarnation of their ballpark.

Johnny Dickshot Nov 13 2006 12:15 PM

It doesn't take a wild imagination to imagine that being in bed with Citibank for a team in the Bundesliga when the Euro collapses could cause the Mets to dial back their budget for that pitcher they wanted. Conversely, the investment(s) being so successful the Mets take a back seat. I mean, I'm sure it's designed to be a great big fat $ucce$$ for the Wilpons and could certainly benefit the team on the field but I don't care that much for the Mets to be squirting their brand and attention all over the globe.

Willets Point Nov 13 2006 12:16 PM

Yankee is a corporate name.

Johnny Dickshot Nov 13 2006 12:19 PM

The MFYs will sell. It'll just be " Goldman Sachs Yankee Stadium" or Yankee Stadium by Cadillac" or something similarly transparent and retarded and probably snooty.

metirish Nov 13 2006 12:22 PM

Trump Towers at Yankee Stadium.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 13 2006 12:24 PM

I just hope that Preparation H or Depends makes them an offer they can't refuse.

Willets Point Nov 13 2006 12:26 PM

Companies that may be bidding on naming rights: Company #1 Company #2 Company #3

Willets Point Nov 13 2006 12:27 PM

="Yancy Street Gang"]I just hope that Preparation H or Depends makes them an offer they can't refuse. Or a feminine hygiene product cuz that's always funny.

metirish Nov 13 2006 12:34 PM

From Bloomberg News... ] Citigroup said Thursday it will pay to put its name on Boston's Wang Center for the Performing Arts for 15 years. ]Citigroup's shares rose 26 cents to $50.89 at 12:01 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 13 2006 12:42 PM

The Black Flag company should sponsor them:

soupcan Nov 13 2006 12:48 PM

'The House That Poop Built'

Edgy DC Nov 13 2006 12:49 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Nov 13 2006 01:04 PM

Among my concerns is the length of the deal, reminding me of the long-term cable deal, signed in the late eighties, that Nelson Doubleday jumped into aggressively, that paid the Mets handsomely up front, but was outdated before it was quite half over.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 13 2006 12:51 PM

Good point. By 2029, $20 million will probably be just enough to take a family of four to a ballgame. The cost would cover tickets, parking, four hot dogs, four beverages, two caps, and a scorecard.

metirish Nov 13 2006 01:43 PM

Edgy DC Nov 13 2006 01:46 PM

Re-sign Richie Hebner NOW!!!

iramets Nov 13 2006 01:50 PM

Or Danny Graves.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 13 2006 01:52 PM

I hope that swinging that shovel doesn't mess up David Wright for another three months.

metirish Nov 13 2006 01:53 PM

Edgy DC Nov 13 2006 01:58 PM

iramets wrote: Or Danny Graves. Word!

HahnSolo Nov 13 2006 02:08 PM

I think Mayor Mike is breaking some kind of union rule by not wearing a helmet.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 13 2006 02:11 PM

He doesn't want to mess up his pretty hair. Were there any other players wielding shovels other than Reyes and Wright? Or are they the only ones not recuperating from offseason surgery?

Johnny Dickshot Nov 13 2006 02:15 PM

I heard John Maine was there, but he was pushing the wheelbarrow.

HahnSolo Nov 13 2006 02:17 PM

Who are the 2 people flanking Fred? And who is the redhead next to Willie?

metirish Nov 13 2006 02:20 PM

Lewis Kaden of CitiCorp and Rachel Robinson,Council Speaker Christine Quinn is the red head.I first thought Rachel Robinson was Sandy Alomar.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 13 2006 02:23 PM

You flatterer!

Frayed Knot Nov 13 2006 02:35 PM

"... any other players wielding shovels other than Reyes and Wright? Or are they the only ones not recuperating from offseason surgery" No, but they were the only two with 'FACE OF FRANCHISE' stamped on their foreheads during an out-patient process that took place quietly last week. Both were slipped some extra under-the-table money in addition to their recent contracts in exchange for agreeing to the 'F-o-F' tatoo and to represent the players in all photo-ops for the next decade or two.

metirish Nov 13 2006 05:37 PM

Wright even spoke today at the event..... http://www.sny.tv/multimedia/index.jsp

Edgy DC Nov 13 2006 05:44 PM

Seems Rachel Robinson should have been at the simultaneous groundbreaking for the MLK Memorial.

SteveJRogers Nov 13 2006 07:46 PM

="Frayed Knot"]"... any other players wielding shovels other than Reyes and Wright? Or are they the only ones not recuperating from offseason surgery" No, but they were the only two with 'FACE OF FRANCHISE' stamped on their foreheads during an out-patient process that took place quietly last week. Both were slipped some extra under-the-table money in addition to their recent contracts in exchange for agreeing to the 'F-o-F' tatoo and to represent the players in all photo-ops for the next decade or two. Heh! Like this: So it looks like they are to be "forever linked" is what you are impling! =;)

metsguyinmichigan Nov 13 2006 07:53 PM

Anybody else surprised about the Jackie Robinson statue news? I pondered about it on the blog. I'm all in favor of honoring Jackie -- as long as we properly address Mets history as well.

metirish Nov 13 2006 07:55 PM

I suspect that Wilpon has a great relationship with his wife and wanted to do something that he felt would honor her husband,I've no problem with it and I think the Mets will take care of it's history in time.

MFS62 Nov 14 2006 05:36 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Nov 14 2006 05:36 AM

I heard that Gov. Pataki actually said something like this: ]"I grew up a Yankee fan and to be honest, it didnt' break my heart when the Giants and Dodgers left in the early 60's" Please tell me he didn't say that at a Mets- related event. He couldn't even weave something about the Mets in his comments, but named every other team that played here in his lifetime? What reaction did he hope to achieve by saying that? How much of a schmuck is he? EDIT: plus, he got the freakin' decade wrong. Later

Benjamin Grimm Nov 14 2006 05:36 AM

Don't listen to the lame duck.

iramets Nov 14 2006 05:50 AM

"Mets Fans Against Pataki in 2008!" form a double-line here, please.

metirish Nov 14 2006 06:37 AM

Wally on the new place.... ] Cash makes universal engine go November 13, 2006, 10:29 PM EST For the first time in anyone's memory, there were garbage trucks working the pockmarked stretch of 126th Street in Queens that separates the "Iron Triangle" from what will soon be the site of the most exclusive ballpark ever built. There were street sweepers, too, to clear the road of the debris that normally rots there 365 days a year, and a police detail to ensure the limousines a clear path to where the charade would take place -- a dozen ceremonial silver shovels plunged into already broken ground -- signifying the "start" of a project already well under way. "I've been here 56 years and this is the first time they ever cleaned the street," said Daniel Sambucci Sr., owner of an auto salvage company on the wedge of industrial land in Willets Point that sits in the crosshairs of the Mets' new playground. "They finally swept away all the garbage because they're here today," Sambucci said. "They" were Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the lame-duck governor, George Pataki, and deputy mayor Dan Doctoroff, a failure on two fronts -- the West Side Stadium and the 2012 Olympic bid -- assorted lower-level politicians, jock-sniffing bankers and other foofs of all types. None of them could find the No. 7 train without John Rocker as a guide, and since this was a part of New York they would normally never see, Sambucci had hoped to greet their arrival with a flock of area workers bearing homemade placards reading "No Eminent Domain." Instead, he settled for two signs posted on the chain-link fence that faced the ballpark. But the big shots had more important things to do than pay attention to the problems of some auto mechanics. They had come to give thanks, praise and money -- mostly money, fistfuls of it -- to Fred and Jeff Wilpon, architects of the $110-million team that couldn't quite get past the St. Louis Cardinals and into the World Series. All agreed that the Wilpons were great people. Their main virtue, it seemed, was simple: They were slightly less shameless than George Steinbrenner or Woody Johnson, owners of the Yankees and Jets. As Mayor Bloomberg pointed out, "Not once did they threaten to leave New York City." Such loyalty could not go unrewarded. Consequently, according to an April 21 memo by the city's independent budget office, the Wilpons were given $150 million in city subsidies, another $89 million in state subsidies, including exemptions from paying rent and property taxes, a sweetheart deal on the parking revenues, and an end run around a 1986 law prohibiting the use of tax-exempt bonds for the construction of sports facilities that will save them $105 million. Then there's the $20-million annual naming rights fee from Citigroup, which is enough to pay for Carlos Beltran, although perhaps not quite enough to make him swing at a two-strike curveball. There will be a mere 42,500 seats in CitiField, some 12,000 fewer than at rotten old Shea, but who needed $20 seats, anyway? The increased ticket prices and 54 luxury boxes will more than make up the difference. Best of all, every dollar spent at CitiField will go to the Mets and their owners. They will enjoy all the benefits of owning a state-of-the-art stadium while bearing none of the responsibilities of ownership except for maintenance costs. No wonder they love New York so much. Try getting that deal in say, Seattle. And the city expects not a thing in return. According to the IBO, "There is little reason to expect a large gain in local economic activity [from the new ballpark] ... since most of the spending will replace spending that would have occurred at the existing stadium." Or, as IBO chief of staff Douglas Turetsky translated: "People drive to the game, park their cars, and go home. It's not like a ballpark in the middle of the city. Nobody's going to go to dinner in the area or check into a hotel." Still, the land behind the ballpark soon will likely be seized under the state's right of eminent domain, the business owners paid off and evicted, and developers will swoop in to grab 50 suddenly much more valuable acres at the geographical center of the city. "I don't want to leave. I got 60,000 square feet, and anywhere else in the city will cost me $300 a foot," said Sambucci, who unlike the Mets, pays the city $54,000 a year in taxes. "Who can I complain to about that?" Unfortunately for him, the people to see were all across the newly swept street with Fred and Jeff Wilpon, helping them work their master plan: Stick a shovel in the ground today, stick a hand in your pocket tomorrow.

HahnSolo Nov 14 2006 06:46 AM

]None of them could find the No. 7 train without John Rocker as a guide, Bloomberg has long taken the subway to City Hall, rather famously. Come on, Wally. On another note, I thought there were going to be more luxury boxes. I like that there are 54...doesn't feel like the stadium will be overwhelmed by them.

metsmarathon Nov 14 2006 07:02 AM

wow. every line in there should be followed by a "ba-dum bum" or more correctly, "wokka wokka" i liked wally much better during his brief tenure as a radio host than as a print journalist.

metirish Nov 14 2006 07:07 AM

Yeah,it seems not long ago he was writing articles about how Shea was a dump.....

Edgy DC Nov 14 2006 07:10 AM

]And the city expects not a thing in return. According to the IBO, "There is little reason to expect a large gain in local economic activity [from the new ballpark] ... since most of the spending will replace spending that would have occurred at the existing stadium." While I share the cynicism of ballpark economic benefits, IBO is ignoring that there has been little in the way of opporunities to spend money in the vicinity of Shea, while I glean now that that is to change --- pushing out chop shops in favor of Fuddruckers. Not that I don't find the use of eminent domain for commercial development offensive as Hell. I do. I do now. Yes, I do.

soupcan Nov 14 2006 07:28 AM

Two articles from today's NYTimes not in the Sports section... From the Metro section... November 14, 2006 NYC Field of Honor Becomes Field of Dollars By CLYDE HABERMAN William A. Shea at the 1964 ceremony naming the Mets’ stadium for him. The Mets’ new stadium is to be called Citi Field. William Alfred Shea was off by a decade and a half. He once predicted that 15 minutes after he died, his name would be taken off the Queens stadium where the New York Mets play baseball. It took 15 years instead. But Mr. Shea got the big picture right. Nothing lasts forever, certainly not a name on the facade of a ballpark, certainly not when huge bucks are at stake and corporate egos need nourishing. For 42 years, the Mets’ home field has been called Shea Stadium. It is called that for a reason: to honor Mr. Shea, never mind that ever-shrinking numbers of the team’s fans have a clue who he was. Mr. Shea, who died in 1991 at 84, was a lawyer and a power broker. He, as much as anyone, brought National League baseball back to a bereft city after the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants took a powder in 1957. The New York Metropolitan Baseball Club Inc. came into being in 1961. When it moved into a new home of its own in 1964, it made sense to many to name the home Shea Stadium. It was an honor in the dictionary definition of the word: high regard or great respect. It is an honor that has now become a casualty of modern business. Yesterday, the Mets made it official that their new playground, rising next to the old one in Flushing Meadows, will not be called Shea Stadium. The new name is Citi Field, in obeisance to Citigroup, the banking titan. Citigroup has entered into a 20-year partnership with the ball club and, news reports have it, will give the team $20 million a year. That is a fair-size chunk of change (even if it would not fully cover the annual salary of New York’s highest-paid ballplayer, Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees, who proves every October that he could not hit water if he fell off a pier). In exchange for its millions, Citigroup receives naming rights. Naming rights are not to be confused with honor. Honor is something bestowed upon you. It is not something that you can insist is your due. A company name spread above the front door on demand is a billboard. To appreciate the concept of honor, you need look no farther than across the elevated tracks of the No. 7 train running alongside Shea Stadium. On the other side of the tracks lie a tennis center named for Billie Jean King and stadiums bearing the names of Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong. In that way, those giants of sports and music are honored. They did not pay for the privilege. Putting up money without receiving a billboard in return is an alien concept in corporate America today. You don’t like it? Well, get real, said Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who used to run an information services company that he named for himself. “The real world is that you have to have a naming opportunity and sell it for a lot of money if you can afford a stadium in this day and age,” the mayor said yesterday after a ceremonial groundbreaking for Citi Field. Fred Wilpon, the Mets’ principal owner, made a similar point. “It is imperative that we receive revenues,” he said. None of the 10 people who spoke yesterday, mostly politicians and business executives, mentioned William Shea in their prepared remarks. Only after reporters asked later about the name change did Mr. Wilpon allow that “we will honor Bill Shea somewhere in this stadium.” Where, exactly? Who knows? But Shea family members take Mr. Wilpon at his word. They also accept the loss of their name with equanimity. If Citigroup money helps the team, then “it’s absolutely fantastic,” said Kathy Shea Anfuso, a daughter of William Shea. Much the same was said by a grandson, F. Scott Shea. As for the fading of the family name, so be it. “How can you be grumpy about something that’s been so fabulous for 40 years, 45 years?” Ms. Anfuso, who lives in Portland, Ore., said by phone. Scott Shea, a real estate lawyer in Los Angeles, was less than thrilled with the name Citi Field. Sounds “like an abandoned dump site out by the airport,” he said in a telephone interview. But he added, “having said that, I truly don’t believe the name on the door or the facade really matters that much; it’s what’s inside the walls of the new ballpark that counts.” The Mets are betting that fans will feel the same way in time, despite some inevitable grumbling now. That seems a safe bet. All that most fans want is a winning team. But it does not mean they can’t tell the difference between an honor and a billboard. E-mail: haberman@nytimes.com From the Business section... November 14, 2006 Advertising The Mets’ New Marquee Name By STUART ELLIOTT One rendering of the Mets’ new stadium, Citi Field, has no trace of Citigroup’s present umbrella logo. Experts in the realms of sports marketing, corporate identity and brand building are offering sharply divergent views of the value of the huge deal that will name the new ballpark of the New York Mets for Citigroup. The agreement, announced formally yesterday, will label the Mets’ new stadium, scheduled to open in spring 2009, Citi Field. The current ballpark, Shea Stadium, is named after William A. Shea, a lawyer who helped bring National League baseball back to New York after the Dodgers and Giants left for the West Coast. To designate the new stadium Citi Field, Citigroup is agreeing to pay more than $20 million a year for at least 20 years, published reports estimate, making the deal the most lucrative one in the United States for what is known as naming rights. The experts, however, raised questions about whether New York baseball fans, famous — or notorious, depending upon your point of view — for their feisty opinions, will welcome a sponsored name or spurn it, complaining, “Shea it ain’t so!” Although corporate names have been familiar features of the sports landscape around the country, the Mets are becoming the first major team in New York in the big four sports (baseball, basketball, football, hockey) to name its home after a marketer. “There are definite dangers,” said Andy Sernovitz, chief executive of an organization called the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, which seeks to help advertisers understand how consumer chat about a brand or product can affect sales and reputation. “The risk of word-of-mouth backlash, especially among die-hard loyals, is significant,” Mr. Sernovitz said, noting the novelty of the corporate naming for the New York sports market and the fact that “there are such historic, personal feelings about Shea Stadium and the name.” “If it’s ‘The Man has bought your stadium,’ it’s hard to get warm feelings out of that,” Mr. Sernovitz said. He added that he would recommend that Citigroup offset that by trying to “show some respect” and that it acknowledge the potential pitfalls of the naming. Among the steps that Mr. Sernovitz suggested Citigroup should consider were “a ceremony inviting people to say goodbye to Shea” and “taking the old sign on tour, bringing it to Times Square” and other public gathering places. Robert K. Passikoff, president at Brand Keys, a brand and customer loyalty research company in New York, also pointed out that “hard-core fans, whether it’s New York or San Diego, resent stadiums changing their names,” because “they feel it adulterates what they see as pure and clean and all-American” about baseball. “You’ll have a portion of the consumer base that is going to be resentful,” Mr. Passikoff warned. The Mets have played in Shea Stadium since 1964. Before that, they played for two seasons in the Polo Grounds, the former home of the New York Giants, while waiting for Shea to be completed. The owners of the Mets, the Wilpon family, are replacing Shea with the new ballpark, being built next to Shea in Flushing, Queens, partly because of complaints that Shea is outdated. “Mets fans, as much as they complain about Shea, have grown attached to the name,” said Jim Andrews, editorial director of IEG Sponsorship Report, a newsletter published in Chicago. So “there certainly will be some backlash” against Citi Field, he added. A discussion about the name change on a sports blog, DeadSpin (deadspin.com), reflected divided opinions among fans. While several attacked the new name, not all the DeadSpin readers were upset, judging by some of their comments. “I could care less about the name as long as the stadium has good sightlines,” wrote a reader who posted under the name Critic. “And beer.” Another reader, posting under the name Brad Lee, joked that “the new musical theme for the Mets is ‘We Built This Citi.’ ” Similarly, some experts said they saw positive aspects to the arrival of Citi Field onto the New York sports scene. “Because it’s New York, and because Citigroup is such an enormous business in the New York area, it’s a perfect marriage for the New York Mets,” said David Bialek, president at the ANC Sports Marketing division of ANC Sports Enterprises in Purchase, N.Y. As for the novelty of an advertiser’s name getting top billing in New York, “I think fans are accustomed to this type of commercialization,” Mr. Bialek said. “There no longer exists the anger or animosity that existed when these deals first began.” In fact, “I would suggest Mets fans would look at the size of the deal with pride: ‘The Mets are deserving of $20 million a year,’ ” Mr. Bialek said. John Fraser, executive vice president at Element 79 Sports in Chicago, part of the Element 79 agency owned by the Omnicom Group, said the fact that the marketer’s name was being affixed to a new field may ameliorate any hard feelings about the disappearance of the Shea Stadium name. “It’s easier to get fans and media to use a name if it’s a new entity,” Mr. Fraser said, adding, “If you’re lucky, you can get a cool nickname like the Cell or the Bob.” His references were to the diminutives that developed over time for the ballparks of two other baseball teams: U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, home of the White Sox, and Bank One Ballpark, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks (now Chase Field because J. P. Morgan Chase acquired Bank One). Bob Dorfman, executive vice president and creative director at Pickett Advertising in San Francisco, who tracks the value of professional athletes as endorsers, said: “Ten years ago, it was, ‘You’re destroying the purity of the game.’ Now, they say, ‘We can afford more money to buy a better team.’ ” “Certainly there will be die-hard Mets fans who will be up in arms” about the corporate name, he said, “but it would be more of a big deal if it were the Yankees.” (For the record, the New York Yankees, also building a stadium to open in 2009, say they plan to reuse the Yankee Stadium name.) At a news conference yesterday at Shea Stadium, Lewis B. Kaden, chief administrative officer at Citigroup, said the relationship with the Mets would extend beyond naming rights to other initiatives. He suggested that Citigroup might take advantage of the Mets’ popularity in Latin America and Japan, where Citigroup has bank branches and issues credit cards. Steven J. Freiberg, co-chairman of the Citigroup global consumer group, said the company could also use Citi Field as a showcase for new technologies like contactless payments, which enable shoppers to buy merchandise using specialized bank cards or payment tags. (Anything to reduce the length of the beer lines.) The naming deal comes as Citigroup is doing a lengthy review of its companywide brand strategy, looking at ways to unify its image; the review includes the well-known umbrella logo. Some posters depicting Citi Field at the news conference were missing the umbrella; others showed a red curve over the “Citi” part of “Citi Field.” No decision about the future of the umbrella has been made, Mr. Freiberg said. Eric Dash contributed reporting.

Edgy DC Nov 14 2006 07:34 AM

The more you think about it, the more unique the name Shea is, as Bill was neither a public icon nor a majority owner.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 14 2006 07:41 AM

And I'm glad that Shea Stadium will end its days with its original name, unlike Riverfront, and Candlestick, and SkyDome, etc.

Edgy DC Nov 14 2006 07:41 AM

And it'd've been nice if the 'Pons had a better answer prepared for this inevitable question than that Shea would be honored in "some way."

metirish Nov 14 2006 07:43 AM

We even have A-Rod bashing in the first article....

Benjamin Grimm Nov 14 2006 07:43 AM

This would make a nice statue: Just don't place it on the Sandy Koufax Mound. Then it would get in the way of the game.

Frayed Knot Nov 14 2006 07:48 AM

"... the Mets are becoming the first major team in New York in the big four sports (baseball, basketball, football, hockey) to name its home after a marketer." At least they are if we choose to ignore the Devils/Nets home of 'Continental Airlines Arena' for purposes of having the facts fit the pre-determined theory.

Frayed Knot Nov 14 2006 07:53 AM

metirish wrote: We even have A-Rod bashing in the first article.... And, per usual, it's a gratuitous and unneccesary reference. I guess this guy's a non-sports writer who figures that using the ARod analogy makes him sound like what he thinks a regular jock writer is supposed to sound like. The NYTimes should be above that.

Johnny Dickshot Nov 14 2006 08:06 AM

Clyde with a ridiculous and unfair potshot at Arod. I wondered about the logo too. Citibank used to have that severe, italicized ALL CAPS logo, which to me always communicated deathly seriousness of purpose and motion, then fattened it up to indicate it was a corporation and not just a bank. Then they got married to Travelers insurance and adopted a goofy/friendly thing with the umbrella. They also seemed to have first backed off 'bank' and then, 'corp' and prefer to be known just as 'citi' today, which I think sort of smells like 'We're not a bank, or a group, or an insurance company... we're just a thing. We're a global brand.' On a stadium, particularly one that's allegedly retro in design, it might be best to have used some version of the previous logo. You wonder if there's gonna be a registered trademark/servicemark kinda dealies all over the place too.

Edgy DC Nov 14 2006 08:19 AM

"And that's the 14th CitiBlastTM of the year by Carlos Delgado!"

Willets Point Nov 14 2006 08:23 AM

I find it sad that no one was in attendance for the 1964 ceremony.

Edgy DC Nov 14 2006 08:26 AM

We put bunting on the façades and everything.

metirish Nov 14 2006 08:27 AM

His hand looks huge.....

iramets Nov 14 2006 08:29 AM

But we took bunting off for Cliff Floyd.

Frayed Knot Nov 14 2006 08:45 AM

Edgy DC wrote: "And that's the 14th CitiBlastTM of the year by Carlos Delgado!" Although lets not pretend that stuff like that is anything new. Commercialism is often considered crass in its day yet somehow becomes 'charming' over time. 'White Owl Wallops', 'Ballantine Blasts', and 'Hit Sign Win Suit' ads are frequently recalled fondly by NYC baseball fans of a particular age.

metsmarathon Nov 14 2006 11:51 AM

help me out here... ]Citigroup has entered into a 20-year partnership with the ball club and, news reports have it, will give the team $20 million a year. That is a fair-size chunk of change (even if it would not fully cover the annual salary of New York’s highest-paid ballplayer, Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees, who proves every October that he could not hit water if he fell off a pier). $20M x 20 = 400 > $25M * 10 = $250M and while alex rodriguez might be the highest paid player in new york, he is not the player who gets paid the most by a new york baseball team. that honor belongs to derek jeter. But he too plays for the wrong team. why should we even care if our naming rights can pay for players on the yankees? on the mets, its pedro martinez, but his 2006 salary of just under $15M doesn't make for nearly as much fun.

Nymr83 Nov 14 2006 12:07 PM

edgy, are they in fact using eminent domain to kick the chop shops out? if so i'm with you a 100% i don't like it. after the foolish Kelo decision 17 states had amendments on the balloth is year to limit eminent domain to its traditional role of takings for public use (roads, hospitals, schools, fire houses, etc) i'm not sure how many of them passed. the Kelo case was a 5-4 decision and is one more conservative appointee away from being overturned (as it should be.) i pray for that day.

Edgy DC Nov 14 2006 12:33 PM

I don't know how they're proceeding to take over Chop Shop City, but the city has stated an intention to, and the vendors clearly feel threatened that eminent domain will be invoked. Frayed Knot wrote: ="Edgy DC"]"And that's the 14th CitiBlastTM of the year by Carlos Delgado!" Although lets not pretend that stuff like that is anything new. Commercialism is often considered crass in its day yet somehow becomes 'charming' over time. 'White Owl Wallops', 'Ballantine Blasts', and 'Hit Sign Win Suit' ads are frequently recalled fondly by NYC baseball fans of a particular age. Or the Schaefer Player of the Game.

Edgy DC Nov 14 2006 12:37 PM

One of the logos Dickshot left out:

Johnny Dickshot Nov 14 2006 01:07 PM

So that's where the puckered butthole logo came from. I associate Citibank with having the area's first ATMs, though I don't know whether that is accurate or not.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 14 2006 01:11 PM

Are there ATM's at Shea? I've only been there a few times over the past several years, but I don't recall noticing any. They do have them at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. And I'm sure Citi Field will have plenty of them too.

Frayed Knot Nov 14 2006 01:17 PM

There are ATMs at Shea - and shirley there will be plenty at 'Citi' I recall CitiBank maybe not having the first ATMs but that they were the ones whose ATMs didn't initially work in conjunction with anyone else's. A card that worked w/their machines didn't work anywhere else and vers vica. I know some bank was tweaked that way early on in the ATM-era and I think it was them.

soupcan Nov 14 2006 01:20 PM

-I think Johnny's right about Citibank being the pioneer in ATM-ing NYC. I recall that as well. And FK's recollection as those Citi ATMs not jibing with all the others is correct also. -Whenever I think of Frst National Bank, I think of Bugs Bunny. -Yes there are ATM's at Shea. Banco Poplular ATMs. Guess they'll be on their way out soon. I wonder if Citibank will start taking over as a presence starting as soon as next season. I suppose that depends on the length of the agreement with Popular.

Edgy DC Nov 14 2006 01:50 PM Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Nov 21 2006 07:17 AM

1812: Founded as City Bank of New York while there was a war going on. The first president was Samuel Osgood, who had been the U.S.'s first Postmaster General. 1865: They joined the U.S.'s new national banking system and became The National City Bank of New York. 1913: They became the first contributor to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. 1914: Became the first U.S. national bank to open an overseas banking office when its branch in Buenos Aires was opened. my guess is that they opened there instead of London or Munich or something because the US auto industry was trying to secure rubber holdings down there. I'm probably wrong. 1918: The International Banking Corporation (IBC), founded to establish overseas US banks. It became a wholly owned subsidiary and was subsequently merged into the bank. 1919: They became the first U.S. bank to have $1 billion in assets. 1955: Merges with First National Bank and becomes The First National City Bank of New York. 1962: The Mets are born and the bank celebrates by shortening their name to First National City Bank. 1965: Gets into the credit card business by buying Carte Blanche from Hilton Hotels. 1968: Under US government pressure, they sell Carte Blanche. They create their own credit card --- "The Everything Card" -- promoted as the East Coast BankAmericard 1969: The Mets win the World Series, and First National City Bank decided that the Everything Card was too costly to promote as an independent brand and joined Master Charge (now MasterCard), like everybody else. 1976: Celebrates the bicentennial by shortening the namefurther to the Orwellian Citibank. Establishes Citicorp as a "one-bank holding company." Late 1970s: Citibank becomess one of the first U.S. banks to introduce automatic teller machines in the 1970s, in order to give 24-hour access to accounts. 2001: Bought out Cal-Fed to finally get some juice going in California. Settled a $45 million class action lawsuit for improperly assessing late fees. Following this Citibank lobbied in Congress to pass legislation that would limit class action lawsuits to 5 million dollars unless they were initiated on a federal level. Some consumer advocate websites report that Citibank is still improperly assessing late fees. 2004: Buy out First American Bank of Bryan, Texas, and get some juice in Texas. 2006: The fuckers struck a deal with 7-Eleven to put its ATMs in over 5,500 convenience stores in the U.S. October 1, 2006: This is interesting, but I'm not sure why. A massive re-orginazation designed to streamline the various Citibank banking charters occured. Under the new structure, the following divisions were consolidated into Citibank, N.A.: Citibank, FSB Citibank (West), FSB Citibank, Texas, N.A. Citibank Delaware Citibank Banamex USA Citicorp Trust, N.A. (California) Citibank, Nevada, N.A. Citibank USA, N.A. Universal Financial Corp. Citibank South Dakota, FSB There are now only two Citibank banking divisions: Citibank, N.A. and Citibank South Dakota, N.A. (where there's some sort of tax shelter for banks that KC or someone can explain).

Benjamin Grimm Nov 14 2006 01:54 PM

I thought Aaron Burr was involved with the founding of CitiBank, but maybe that was Chase Manhattan.

metirish Nov 14 2006 01:55 PM

From it's site.... ] The bank has been operating in Ireland for over 40 years and is the largest foreign bank in Ireland by employee number.

Nymr83 Nov 14 2006 02:02 PM

]1914: Became the first U.S. national bank to open an overseas banking office when its branch in Buenos Aires was opened. my guess is that they opened there instead of London or Munich or something because the US auto industry was trying to secure rubber holdings down there. I'm probably wrong. or they saw the clouds of war building in europe?

Edgy DC Nov 14 2006 02:16 PM

There's that.

OlerudOwned Nov 14 2006 02:18 PM

So the New York Times is fishing for quotes on Deadspin now. Wow. You think they would've at least written it correctly.

Willets Point Nov 14 2006 03:32 PM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: I thought Aaron Burr was involved with the founding of CitiBank, but maybe that was Chase Manhattan. Burr founded the Bank of Manhattan which later merged with Chase National Bank. The best part is how Burr got the charter for the bank. Knowing the Hamiltonians would never allow him to get a charter for a bank he put in a request for a water company with a clause for it being allowed to start a bank. No one would vote against bringing much needed fresh water to New York so Burr got his water company and his bank. Very clever.

SteveJRogers Nov 14 2006 04:00 PM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: Are there ATM's at Shea? I've only been there a few times over the past several years, but I don't recall noticing any. They do have them at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. And I'm sure Citi Field will have plenty of them too. I believe JP Morgan Chase (back when Seaver was hawking them) was in there first. For some reason I think Fleet/Bank of America was in there for a short time, and then Banco Popular this past year. No doubt Citi Bank ATMs for Citi Field, unless arrangements are made to let other entities in the facility. I mean, do they sell Pepsi products at Minute Maid (Coke) Park in Houston? Pepsi is a major MLB sponser and all. Anyone know if this is the case?

SteveJRogers Nov 14 2006 05:16 PM

Yup, it's now confirmed, I've been a member of the Mets Internet Community for a LOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time! Watched the "Fly By" virtual video on Mets.com and as they were passing by the singages on the outfield wall, I could have sworn the one that said LosMets.com said KCMets.com Cool vid BTW, nice to see the 25 jerseys outside the park and in the rotunda have been rendered No Name On Backs! Hey, lets get Bonds! J/K of course

DocTee Nov 14 2006 05:55 PM

For another perspective on the ball-park of the future, check out the A's new hi-tech digs planned for Fremont...oaklandas.com Among other things, the entire stadium will be wired, allowing spectators to order food from their seats, vote on plays that have been rebroadcast on the diamond vision (was that a strike? a fair ball? -- this is a slippery slope- how long before some Veeck-like exec allows fans to vote on lineups and the like?) etc-- it will either revolutionize the spectator experience or go up in smoke. My money's on the latter. Why can't going to a major league game be entertainment enough?

cooby Nov 14 2006 06:21 PM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: I bank at Citizens Bank. (It's like CitiBank, but with zen.) Does that mean the Phillies love me? I'm afraid that love if it exists is unrequited. Hey, me too! Wow, I have missed out on a lot. I guess Citi Field doesn't sound to bad. Not real exciting but the excitement will be on the field, anyway

metirish Nov 21 2006 07:03 AM

] MTA could sell name rights to Shea stations THE ASSOCIATED PRESS November 21, 2006, 8:01 AM EST Transit officials hope to profit from the record-breaking sale of naming rights for the New York Mets' new ballpark by offering to change the names of nearby stations, according to a spokesman. Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials plan to negotiate with Citigroup Inc., which is reportedly paying an average of more than $20 million annually to name the Queens stadium Citi Field, spokesman Tom Kelly told the Daily News for Tuesday editions. Two stations carry the name of the current arena, Shea Stadium. One is a stop on the Long Island Rail Road, the other is on the 7 subway line. MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow had previously ruled out renaming landmarks like Grand Central Terminal, but board member Mitchell Pally said the move was a reasonable step to prevent fare increases. Gene Russianoff, staff attorney for the Straphangers Campaign, argued that sales of naming rights could go too far. "What's next? Will we give riders directions to take the Bayer Aspirin IRT to Walt Disney's Times Square and then switch to the McDonald's 7 line to the Citigroup stop in Queens -- which also happens to be the stop for the Mets Stadium?" he asked. A spokeswoman for Citigroup did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Citi Field deal set a record for U.S stadium naming rights, topping the approximately $10 million annually the NFL's Houston Texans receive from Reliant Energy to call their home Reliant Stadium. The new $800 million stadium is being built next to its predecessor. The 45,000-seat ballpark is set to open in 2009.

iramets Nov 21 2006 07:20 AM

As with the car, I have to ask: who is Reliant Energy reliant ON? And why are they bragging about being reliant?

Edgy DC Nov 21 2006 07:21 AM

Points worth talking about from Gene Russianoff.

HahnSolo Nov 21 2006 07:31 AM

If selling the naming rights to subway stations in any way can stem a fare hike, then I think most straphangers would not mind.

Edgy DC Nov 21 2006 07:37 AM

Better poll them all. The Strappies speak for somebody.

metsmarathon Nov 21 2006 07:42 AM

="metirish"] ] MTA could sell name rights to Shea stations THE ASSOCIATED PRESS November 21, 2006, 8:01 AM EST Transit officials hope to profit from the record-breaking sale of naming rights for the New York Mets' new ballpark by offering to change the names of nearby stations, according to a spokesman. Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials plan to negotiate with Citigroup Inc., which is reportedly paying an average of more than $20 million annually to name the Queens stadium Citi Field, spokesman Tom Kelly told the Daily News for Tuesday editions. Two stations carry the name of the current arena, Shea Stadium. One is a stop on the Long Island Rail Road, the other is on the 7 subway line. MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow had previously ruled out renaming landmarks like Grand Central Terminal, but board member Mitchell Pally said the move was a reasonable step to prevent fare increases. Gene Russianoff, staff attorney for the Straphangers Campaign, argued that sales of naming rights could go too far. "What's next? Will we give riders directions to take the Bayer Aspirin IRT to Walt Disney's Times Square and then switch to the McDonald's 7 line to the Citigroup stop in Queens -- which also happens to be the stop for the Mets Stadium?" he asked. A spokeswoman for Citigroup did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Citi Field deal set a record for U.S stadium naming rights, topping the approximately $10 million annually the NFL's Houston Texans receive from Reliant Energy to call their home Reliant Stadium. The new $800 million stadium is being built next to its predecessor. The 45,000-seat ballpark is set to open in 2009. jeez... next thing you know, we'll have corporate names on all of our favorite buildings. they'll have the Chrysler building, the Sears tower... even our parades will be stricken! are you ready for a Macy's{/i] thanksgiving day parade?

Frayed Knot Nov 21 2006 07:51 AM

Well they - both the MTA & the LIRR - can't very well call it the Shea Stadium stop anymore. So they'll either have to start referring to it as 'Citi Field' (and they don't want to do that for free) or they'll have to revert to calling it just the 'Willets Point' station (at which point some guy here tries to finagle a kickback out of it). Then maybe Billie Jean King and the estates of Arthur Ashe & Louie Armstrong try to get in on the action.

OlerudOwned Nov 21 2006 12:34 PM

Willets, raise some cash to buy the sponsorship for Willets Point-Shea Stadium.

Willets Point Nov 21 2006 12:35 PM

Chip in. Crane Pool Forum station has a nice ring to it.

metsmarathon Nov 21 2006 01:15 PM

Willets Point Station at the Crane Pool

cooby Nov 29 2006 02:47 PM

We probably all saw this from mets.com Does anyone really like the name Citi Field? -- Jason Z., New Milford, N.J. Would you prefer "Energy Solutions Arena," the newly-renamed home of the NBA's Utah Jazz? Citi Field is less objectionable than a lot of the new ones

Edgy DC Nov 29 2006 10:31 PM

Here in DC, the stop at RFK is called Stadium/Armory.