The Mets and Samsung debuted several new LED ribbons at Citi Field yesterday, including 64-foot displays across the lip of each of the dugouts, a feature at only a few other ballparks across MLB, including Oracle Park. Installed by the electronics company during the Mets’ past 10-game West Coast road trip, the new display ribbons replace printed advertising on the lip of the dugouts. Mets CTO Mark Brubaker told SBJ the displays would be used predominantly for advertising. Also new is a display ribbon at the top level of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, above the “Today’s Lineup” digital display that debuted earlier this season, and a 300-foot display ribbon above the Delta Sky360 Club, behind home plate. During warmups and batting practice ahead of yesterday’s game, Brubaker said the Mets consulted their centerfielders about the new display ribbon considering it’s directly in their sightline. “We proactively have been trying to get feedback from them,” said Brubaker, who added the feedback they received from players regarding the new ribbon has been positive.
The Mets and Samsung announced their partnership in December. Mets VP/Corporate Partnerships Brian Fling said the club has since reduced its static signage at Citi Field by 33% this year and expects to reduce it by another third next season. “Our goal is to remove pretty much all static signage from the bowl, with the exception of maybe some of the iconic (signage), such as Coca Cola (in right field),” Brubaker said. That doesn’t include the outfield wall, though; Brubaker said the club last year had internal discussions about putting LED signage on the outfield wall before ultimately agreeing not to proceed, a decision that was aided in part by an injury that occurred to a Mets outfielder in '21 when he collided with the padded wall. “We don't want to try to over-engineer something with digital displays,” Brubaker said. A few more digital updates are expected to come to Citi Field in July. The display ribbon on the lip of the excelsior level, which currently runs between first and third base, is set to be extended into the outfield on either side. And the lamp posts alongside the escalators in the Rotunda are scheduled to be replaced with similar-looking lamps that have large LED displays on them that will be used to feature information like the lineup and player stats. During the offseason, the Mets and Samsung plan to install a new centerfield scoreboard, highway-facing digital displays behind the new scoreboard, and more digital signage above the media booth, behind home plate.
