The Mets are closing in on their first NL East title since ’06, but team execs are already preparing for next season. Mets Exec VP & CRO Lou DePaoli said the team's improved play has helped generate more corporate partnerships this season, including deals with local firms East Coast Power & Gas and Affinity Health Plan. But for the balance of the regular season and a potential playoff run, execs are courting partners for '16. DePaoli: “There’s some incremental money out there (for the rest of the season), but this really gives us some leverage for 2016 and beyond. We’re going to be doing a lot of entertaining and we’ve been doing a lot of that with clients and prospects and I expect us to ramp that up. We’ve been trying to give people a taste of what it’s like to be here with almost 44,000 people.”
WE BUILT THIS CITI: DePaoli said potential partners are experiencing a sellout atmosphere mostly on weekends, when attendance is up 25%. That is the result of pushing all marketing promotions to the weekend. DePaoli said, “We literally don’t spend any money promoting games Monday through Thursday." As the Mets look to the playoffs, business metrics are surging, including attendance, TV ratings on SNY and a 37% surge in merchandise sales. DePaoli said that can be attributed to the team’s play, trade deadline moves -- such as acquiring LF Yoenis Cespedes -- and the team’s home schedule, which has included post-All-Star visits from teams like the Dodgers, Red Sox and this past weekend's series with the Yankees. The Mets also lead all MLB teams in Klout Score, which measures social media interactions. DePaoli: “We’d love to have the most followers but we’d rather have the same amount of people and just be more engaged.” He said postseason presales to season-ticket holders and sponsors “haven’t left much inventory for the general public,” leading the team to hold a lottery last week for playoff tickets. DePaoli: “The fan base is really jumping on board. The team’s performance has helped push us over the top.”
