New York Mets Stadium

The New York Mets, popularly known as “The Metsies” are one of the important members of the National League (NL) in Major League Baseball (MLB). The team has been the World Series Champions twice so far. They have also been NL East Division Champions six times and also earned the NL pennants five times so far. In the league, They have a heated rivalry with the New York Yankees (Subway Series). Other rivals include the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves.

The team is currently under the ownership of Steve Cohen and Alexandra M. Cohen. Steve Cohen also serves as the President of the team. On the other hand, David Stearns has been chosen as the new President of baseball operations for the team. Similarly, Carlos Mendoza has been chosen as the new manager for the team after the departure of Buck Showalter.

What is the name of the New York Mets’ Stadium?

Citi Field is the official home stadium for the New York Mets in Major League Baseball (MLB). Its location is in Queens, New York City, New York, United States. The New York Mets have been playing in this stadium since 2009.

Citi Field’s History/ Citi Field Construction and Cost

The construction of Citi Field started as a replacement for the Shea Stadium, the previous home for the New York Mets between 1964-2008. They started looking for a new stadium in the 1990’s. Although Rudy Giulani, then mayor of the city agreed to the terms of the team, his successor Michael Bloomberg rejected this decision, resulting in complications in the creation of a stadium. However, the 2012 Olympic bid for New York City proved to be favorable for the team and paved the way for the financing and construction of the new stadium. In 2006, the official model of the Citi Field was revealed and by 2008, the stadium was complete. It was named Citi Field after Citigroup, a financial services company purchased the naming rights for the stadium for 20 years in exchange for $20 million per year in 2006. The stadium was officially opened to the public April 3, 2009.

Although Citi Field was originally built as a retractable roof stadium, later modifications lead to the roof being removed. The interior design of the stadium is based on the PNC Park, home stadium of the Pittsburgh Pirates. There is an overarching bridge in the stadium which is similar to the team logo and the New York City 2027 bridge. The front entrance has a large rotunda named after Jackie Robinson and showcasing his values. The Home Run Apple is a special feature of the Citi Stadium. It is a giant 18 feet apple which lights up and rises from its pedestal when a New York Mets player scores a home run. There is also the Mets Hall of Fame and Museum which has memorabilia related to the team and its players. For the kids, there is a wiffle ball field called Mr. Mets’ Kiddie Field, which is a replica of the Citi Field. Other features of the stadium include a batting cage, a dunk tank and video game kiosks. Various food stores can also be found at the center stand of the stadium, allowing fans to enjoy both good food and a good game.

The field in the stadium is made up of Kentucky Bluegrass. The left field line is 335 feet, the left center is 358 feet and the deep left center is 385 feet. The right field line is 330 feet, the right center is 375 feet and the deep right center is 398 feet. The center field of the stadium is 408. The construction of the stadium cost $900 million in 2009, which was equal to $1.23 billion as of 2022. It was constructed by Populous.

Citi Field’s Capacity

Citi Field can support around 41,922 fans for baseball games as of 2024. However, it can be expanded to 45,000 with extra seats for fans and standing fans. The stadium witnessed record attendance on three different occasions. 45,186 fans attended the 2013 MLB All-Star game on July 16, 2013. 44,859 fans attended the 2015 MLB World Series Game between the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals. 44,466 fans attended a regular season game in 2016.

Citi Field Seating Chart

The following is the seating chart for the New York Mets baseball games at Citi Field:

What is the parking cost at Citi Field?Parking Map

The following is the parking map available for the fans at Citi Field for New York Mets baseball games:

The New York Mets have suggested their fans to follow the #7 subway line and the Long Island Railroad so that they can conveniently park at Citi Field. The parking lots will open an hour before the stadium gates open. The parking costs at Citi Field vary according to the type of games. In case of regular season games or the U.S. Open, car parking costs $40 while bus, sprinter and oversized vehicles parking costs $80. During postseason games, car parking costs $60 while bus, sprinter and oversized vehicles cost $100. In case of special events at the stadium, car parking costs $60 while bus, sprinter and oversized vehicles cost $100. Payments can only be done through credit/debit cards, mobile payment methods like Google Pay and Apple Pay and Mets Gift Cards issued by the team. Cash payment is not applicable.

Citi Field Notable Events

These are some of the notable events at Citi Field regarding baseball games.

Soccer

The Citi Field has hosted several soccer games for the Major League Soccer (MLS). These are as follows -

Other soccer games in this stadium include the following:

Pro Wrestling

The event “Legends of Wrestling” was hosted at Citi Field on June 7, 2015. It featured The Hardy Boys, Scott Steiner, Lita, Bret “The Hitman” Hart, Ric Flair and Bill Goldberg.

Cricket

The “Cricket All-Stars Series 2015” event was hosted at Citi Field on November 7, 2015. The two teams were Sachin’s Blasters led by Sachin Tendulkar vs Warne’s Warriors led by the late Shane Warne. In the game Warne’s Warriors defeated Sachin’s Blasters by 6 wickets.

Music Concerts

The Citi Field has been home to several music concerts by notable performers like Paul McCartney (2009), Beyonce (2016), Lady Gaga (2017), BTS (2018), Green Day (2021) and Def Leppard and Motley Crue (2022).