Report: Former Team Exec Claims Mets Fired Her For Being Pregnant Out Of Wedlock
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Leigh Castergine, the former Mets' head of marketing and ticket sales who was let go last month, is claiming that she was unfairly terminated.
According to the New York Post, a federal lawsuit claims that Mets co-owner Jeff Wilpon discriminated against Castergine because she was pregnant out of wedlock.
"He frequently humiliated Castergine in front of others by, among other things, pretending to see if she had an engagement ring on her finger and openly stating in a meeting of the team's all-male senior executives that he is 'morally opposed' to Castergine 'having this baby without being married,'" the suit says, according to the newspaper.
"I am as morally opposed to putting an e-cigarette sign in my ballpark as I am to Leigh having this baby without being married," Wilpon is accused of saying.
Wilpon also allegedly announced two rules at a meeting.
"Don't touch her belly and don't ask how she's doing."
According to the lawsuit, Wilpon allegedly told Castergine that with still no ring on her finger, she was no longer as aggressive as she used to be and fired her, WCBS 880's Irene Cornell reported.
Report: Former Team Exec Claims Mets Fired Her For Being Pregnant Out Of Wedlock
"Wilpon told her that, when she gets a ring, she will make more money and get a bigger bonus," the lawsuit continues, according to the New York Post.
Castergine was the first female senior vice president in the Mets' 52-year history, Cornell reported.
In a statement, the Mets said: "We have received and reviewed the complaint. The claims are without merit. Our organization maintains strong policies against any and all forms of discrimination."
Prior to working for the Mets, Castergine worked for the Boston Bruins, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers. According to the newspaper she's suing both Wilpon and the team for damages.
The suit claims that when Castergine complained to human resources about Wilpon's behavior, she was quickly relieved of her duties.
Castergine took a shot at the organization as a whole in her lawsuit, stating, "In particular, the team's front office has failed to field a winning team in six years, including 2014, and has made a series of public relations blunders that too frequently led to the franchise being ridiculed in the sports pages.
"The team's ownership and front office have only made things worse. Some fans had become so disenchanted that they pledged not to attend any games until there was a change in ownership. Others compared Castergine's job to selling 'deck chairs on the Titanic' or 'tickets to a funeral.'"
As CBS 2's Tracee Carrasco reported, the suit also claims that Mets management badmouthed players, the team, and even fans.
"If that's the truth I think it's an archaic ideology, and that stinks," Scott Manigat said.
Castergine also alleged discrimination and retaliation in the lawsuit. The suit says that she is seeking an undisclosed amount of money for damages.
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