Citi Field’s latest financial statements show that the Mets last season “averaged 28,035 a game, down nearly 7 percent from the 2011 season,” according to Richard Sandomir of the N.Y. TIMES. Ticket receipts from the stadium’s most expensive 10,635 seats “fell nearly 13 percent" to $43.9M from $50.5M in '11. Advertising revenue also fell to $44.2M from $46.1M. Luxury suite revenue “took a small hit," dropping from $7.7M to $7.5M. But revenue “from concessions, parking and ‘other’ increased.” Revenue “fell overall," to $121.5M from $126.9M, and from $143.9M in ’10. The biggest expenses cited are the annual payment on stadium bonds of $42.7M and $22.6M “in what is called ballpark, ticket operations and maintenance.” Expenses overall “rose slightly” in ‘12, to $84.4M from $83.9M (NYTIMES.com, 3/5).
HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION: Indians CF Michael Bourn, who came close to signing with the Mets during the offseason, said the Mets are "headed in the right direction." He said, "Mets fans shouldn't have anything to be mad at. They're trying to move in the right direction. I can say that. I know that." Bourn indicated that he "considered everything from David Wright’s contract extension to who the Mets had coming up in their farm system and their future commitment to spending money." In N.Y., Anthony McCarron notes Bourn "firmly believes, as he said over and over again, that the Mets are not going to be hapless down the road." Bourn ended up signing with the Indians instead of the Mets due to uncertainty regarding whether the Mets would have kept "the 11th pick in the year's draft if they had landed him" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/6).
