Schwartz: Sundays At Citi Field Are Amazin' For Families
By Peter Schwartz
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When I was a kid, going to a baseball game was just that.
We went to a baseball game.
Our family would get in the car and we'd arrive at Shea Stadium or Yankee Stadium just before the first pitch. Sure, sometimes we would get there in time to watch some batting practice, but for the most part our experience was watching the game.
Today, the experience is a whole new ballgame, and that is clearly evident for families who take in a Mets game at Citi Field. In fact, the team is currently in their second year of branding their weekend home games with special themes.
There are "Free Shirt Fridays" when fans take home a uniquely designed Mets themed T-shirt. There are also "Super Saturdays" that feature fireworks nights, postgame concerts and cool giveaways.
And then you have "Family Sundays" that include activities in the plaza, promotional giveaways for the first 15,000 fans and the popular postgame Mr. Met Dash, when kids get to run around the bases.
"Going to the game as a family is a tradition and we want to celebrate that," said Mark Fine, the Mets' senior director of marketing. "It's very important for us to grow fans at a young age because they pick their team quickly in life. The concept is that Sunday is a family day in the household and we wanted to make it a very full experience."
The experience starts when you get off the train -- or out of your car -- upon arrival at Citi Field. In the plaza area near the old Shea Stadium apple, the kids can play games, get their face painted, or dance for prizes from an entertaining DJ.
Once inside the ballpark, the destination is out behind center field for Fan Fest, an interactive area that has been extremely popular at all home games since Citi Field opened in 2009.
The area includes Kiddie Field, where the kids play the field, try to hit a whiffle ball over the fence, and then run around the bases. There's also a batting cage, dunk tank, video game area, as well as kids-themed merchandise and concessions areas.
Some traditionalists may feel that all of these activities may take away from the actual game, but the whole day has become a big hit with Mets fans.
"Sundays have just really taken off," Fine said. "Families really enjoy coming out to the ballpark. All of our games are currently scheduled in the afternoon so it's perfect for families in that regard."
What the Mets are doing is clearly working. At the All-Star break, they had the sixth-largest attendance increase in all of Major League Baseball at 7.72 percent, and that has been driven by weekend dates, which are up 16.38 percent.
Those weekend numbers should get an even bigger boost during the second half with two series against the Nationals and sets with the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers and Pirates.
The Family Sunday promotion has contributed to that success, with the objective being to attract young fans to the ballpark. A recent study showed that if a child attends their first game by the age of eight, they will go to 59 percent more games over a lifetime than if they attended their first game at the age of 14.
In order for that to happen, the Mets feel that they need to give kids an experience that is more than just the game.
"If our goal is to get kids into their first game by age eight, we probably can't expect them to sit all nine innings in a seat," Fine said. "So we need to give them a full experience when they're here."
And that includes promotional giveaways geared towards kids. Some upcoming Family Sunday giveaways for the first 15,000 fans include:
-- Curtis Granderson Fathead: July 26 vs. Dodgers.
-- Travis d'Arnaud magnet card: August 16 vs. Pirates.
-- Matt Harvey Fathead: September 20 vs. Yankees.
During the game itself, the Mets play kids-themed music and games in between innings. If you look around the ballpark, you'll see plenty of youngsters enjoying the entertainment. In fact, the Mets have been doing a great job of filling seats at Citi Field with plenty of families, especially on Sundays.
"If you look around, there are more kids at our games by a larger percentage than any of the other venues," Fine said. "We want to be very very family friendly. It's just a different experience going to a baseball game than it is in other sports."
Speaking from experience, my family has attended several Family Sundays at Citi Field, and a great time was had by all.
From the pregame activities to the Fan Fest, to watching my kids run the bases after the game, it's hard to find a better way for a family to enjoy the experience of a sporting event than what the Mets have to offer on Sundays in Flushing.
The Mets, with their outstanding young pitching and the fact they've managed to stay in contention for the NL East title, are giving fans plenty of reasons to make their way to Citi Field.
For families, the great baseball is being supplemented by a terrific overall experience on Sundays.
For Mets Family Sunday ticket information, click here.
Don't forget to follow me on Twitter: @pschwartzcbsfan. You can also follow the New York Mets: @Mets.
