The intracity rivalry between the Mets and Yankees always makes for a fun game to watch. There are always a lot of bragging rights on the line when the Mets and Yankees meet, and you’ll hear plenty of trash talking making a Mets-Yankees game at Citi Field a can’t miss experience.
Said to be one of the more heated rivalries in the National League, you’ll be in for a treat when attending a Mets-Phillies game. Between the many brawls of the 1980s, to the unbalanced scheduling in the early 2000s that made divisional rivalries meet each other more frequently, to the controversial statements made by both teams regarding their rivals’ status in the NL, this rivalry is always interesting to watch.
The rivalry between the Mets and Braves has been going strong since the Braves moved to the NL East in the early 1990s. The two have met in the playoffs several times over the years including the 1969 and 1999 NLCSs. If you want to attend a good matchup, then there are few better than a Mets-Braves game.
Right now the Nationals are the Mets biggest competition for the NL East title, which means there’s a lot at stake whenever the Mets and Nationals square off.
Mets Tailgate Guide
Atmosphere
The isolation of Citi Field makes for a steady stream of orange and blue fans coming to the stadium via car and train on game day. Widely known for its incredible concession selection, Citi Field is a great place to catch a game of baseball. The large open spaces allow for fans to walk to the game, which livens up the atmosphere on game day.
Also because of Citi Field is fairly isolated, the city of New York promised with the new stadium would come an assortment of noteworthy concessions and the Mets delivered. When preparing for a game at Citi Field, it’s in your best interest to come hungry and explore all the stadium has to offer before the game starts. The concessions at Citi Field open three hours before game time and plenty of fans take advantage of that.
Tailgating is allowed at Citi Field, but many fans will venture anywhere from a half-mile to a mile outside of the stadium (the subway stops before and after Citi Field) to visit local pre-game hot spots. The fans that stick around Citi Field for the pre-game celebration usually end up at McFadden’s, or other areas within the stadium. With some of the friendlier fans in New York, Citi Field is a lively, modern stadium that presents an excellent place watch the Mets play and enjoy a day of baseball fun.
Make sure to check out one of the iconic landmarks from the former Mets field Shea Stadium, the Home Run Apple. Standing 16.5 feet tall and 18 feet in diameter, this massive apple is a piece of Mets history and a must-see. Stop by the original Home Run Apple in the parking lot to get the full Mets game day experience.
The Jackie Robinson Rotunda is located in the front entrance of Citi Field and honors one of the most important players in the history of baseball. Check out his famous quote “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives” etched into the rotunda as well as the eight-foot sculpture of his iconic number, 42.
Pine Restaurant and Sports BarIf you’re looking to get a little rowdy before the game, this is the spot for you. The bar itself is on the ground floor of a Holiday Inn but don’t let that stop you from potentially seeing former Mets players and all the memorabilia on the walls of this fan favorite spot.
Parking Lots Around StadiumCiti Field allows tailgating in the parking lots surrounding the stadium but no alcohol is permitted, and you must stay in your designated space.
McFadden’sLocated in the right field corner of the stadium is the newly added McFadden’s, which is open before, during, and after the game. The bar stays open into the wee hours of the morning so the party will always continue at McFadden’s.
Roosevelt’s Sports BarAbout a twelve-minute walk east of the stadium is this local watering hole that proudly serves the Mets community. Many fans stay until the pre-game show starts on the many TVs in the bar, and return to either celebrate a victory or nurse a loss as the bar is open until 4 a.m.
Flushing Meadows-Corona ParkIf you want a more relaxed pre-game celebration, enjoy the beautiful Flushing Meadows-Corona Park with a picnic and (discreet) drinking. The park is also home to monuments from the 1964 World’s Fair - most notably the Unisphere, a massive stainless steel globe that weighs in at an incomprehensible 700,000 pounds.
Mets Stadium Guide
In Game
Influenced by great ballparks such as PNC Park and Coors Field, Citi Field opened in 2009 with an homage to New York City in its architecture, as well as some of the historical features of the former Shea Stadium. Home to the New York Mets, the architecture of Citi Field reflects the role bridges play in New York City; the city is linked by over 2,000 bridges. The Mets take the symbol of the bridge to a deeper level with their logo. They use the bridge to honor the bridge between the past of New York baseball – the Giants before their move to San Francisco (1883-1957) and the Dodgers before their move to Los Angeles (1884 – 1957) – to the present New York Mets.
Despite the influence of modern ballparks, preserving the history of New York baseball was important in the building of Citi Field. The former Shea Stadium was the only ballpark in the major leagues to have orange foul poles instead of the standard yellow and that tradition is carried over to the new stadium. The Mets also brought the iconic Home Run Apple that was a part of Shea Stadium to the new field – a bigger one was built for inside the park, but the original Shea apple can be found in the Mets Plaza.
Citi Field also offers some of the best concessions in all of baseball, many of which are unique to New York. With options from the Shake Shack – one of New York City’s favorite burger joints – to Blue Smoke – a loved Manhattan BBQ place – you should come to Citi Field hungry.
Located right behind home plate on the Promenade level is the Promenade Club, which offers two full bars and-and pub-style food options that fans can order and bring back to high-top tables to watch the game.
Located on the field level in center field is the Fan Fest, which opens when the gates do and close after the final out in the seventh inning. Walk on over to hit a home run on Kiddie Field (a miniature version of Citi Field), take a few swings in the batting cages, or test your arm for accuracy and velocity with the Mets Dunk Tank radar gun.
The Mets Hall of Fame and Museum celebrates the Mets history and includes many exhibits such as the World Series rings, plaques honoring legendary Mets players, and much more.
Do a little bit of exploring and see all the unique food items inside Citi Field such as a s'mores version of bacon on a stick: bacon dipped in chocolate, sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs and marshmallows. Be sure to check out the food court Taste of the City featuring food from famed restaurateur Danny Meyer (Union Square Hospitality Group) and The World’s Fare Market, featuring foods from all over the world - experience a taste of Tokyo, China, Korea, and Italy.
Famous for their unofficial title of the best burger in New York, Shake Shack’s location in Citi Field is a real fan favorite. The line can get pretty long, but you can use that extra time to admire the city skyline from Shea Stadium’s old scoreboard above the Shake Shack signage.
Voted the best mascot in sports by Forbes Magazine, Mr. Met has been the beloved face of the New York Mets since 1963. Keep your eyes peeled for Mr. Met at the game as you wouldn’t want to miss him.
After a third straight season of disappointment in 2009, Mets fan Darren Meenan made himself and a few of his friend's T-shirts that read “I SURVIVED” followed by a series of heartbreaks Mets fans had experienced. On the opening day of the 2010 season, Meenan launched his Mets fan t-shirts and has since become a household name for the Mets fan base and merchandising. If you’re a die-hard, you definitely will own one of his t-shirts.
As stated above, Darren Meenan created a t-shirt line for die hard Mets fans that has evolved into a fan section that tries to get a big group together at least once a month for home and away Mets games. Win or lose; these fans make their presence known to all within the stadium, whether it be at Citi Field or an away game.
When a Mets player hits a home run, look over into center field at the Home Run Apple. Brought over from Shea Stadium, the giant apple with a light-up Mets logo on the front rises from its housing in center field.
The New York Mets uniform colors are blue and orange, in honor of the city and its baseball past. Blue represents the Brooklyn Dodgers (now the Los Angeles Dodgers) and orange represents the New York Giants (now the San Francisco Giants). Blue and orange are also the colors of the New York flag, giving these colors true significance to the fans and team
Fight Songs
Meet The Mets
This song is played while the New York Mets take the field for the first time
MEET THE METS,
MEET THE METS,
Step right up and greet the Mets!
Bring your kiddies,
bring your wife;
Guaranteed to have the time of your life
because the Mets are really sockin’ the ball; knocking those home runs over the wall!
East side,
West side,
everybody’s coming down
to meet the M-E-T-S Mets of New York town!
Oh, the butcher and the baker and the people on the streets,
where did they go? To MEET THE METS!
Oh, they’re hollerin’ and cheerin’ and they’re jumpin’ in their seats,
where did they go? To MEET THE METS!
All the fans are true to the orange and blue,
so hurry up and come on down –
’cause we’ve got ourselves a ball club,
The Mets of New York town!
Give ’em a yell!
Give ’em a hand!
And let ’em know your rootin’ in the stand!
Come on and MEET THE METS,
MEET THE METS,
Step right up and greet the Mets!
Bring your kiddies,
bring your wife;
Guaranteed to have the time of your life
because the Mets are really sockin’ the ball; knocking those home runs over the wall!
East side,
West side,
everybody’s coming down
to meet the M-E-T-S Mets of New York town!
Of New York town!
Lazy Mary
This song by Lou Monte is played during the seventh inning of Mets games.
C’ ‘na luna mezz’u mare
Mamma mia m’a maritare
Figlia mia a cu te dare
Mamma mia pensace tu
Se te piglio lu pesciaiole
Isse vai isse vene
Sempe lu pesce mane tene
Se ce ‘ncappa la fantasia
Te pesculia figghiuzza mia
Là lariulà pesce fritt’e baccalà
Uei cumpà no calamare c’eggi’accattà
C’ ‘na luna mezz’u mare
Mamma mia m’a maritare
Figlia mia a cu te dare
Mamma mia pensace tu
Se te piglio lu pulezia
Isse vai isse vene
Semp’a scuppetta mane tene
Se ce ‘ncappa la fantasia
Te scuppettea figghiuzza mia
Là lariulà pesce fritt’e baccalà
Uei cumpà ‘na scuppetta c’eggi’accattà
Lazy Mary you better get up
She answered back I am not able
Lazy Mary you better get up
We need the sheets for the table
Lazy Mary you smoke in bed
There’s only one man you should marry
My advice to you would be
Is to pay attention to me
You’d better marry a fireman
He’ll come and go, go and come
Sempe la pompa mane tene
Se ce ‘ncappa la fantasia
Te pomperia figghiuzza mia
Là lariulà pesce fritt’e baccalà
Uei cumpà ‘na pompina c’eggi’accattà
0 cummà ca m’ voglio marità
Trovame ‘na uagliotta
Ca me voglio marità
Trovame ‘na uagliotta
Ca me voglio marità
Trovame ‘na uagliotta
Ca me voglio marità
Hey!
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