According to ESPN stats, attendance at Citi Field is down about 10% in 2012 through the first 19 home games. The Mets are averaging 27,683 paid per game. They finished 2011 averaging 30,108 in a park with a capacity of 42,000.
The Mets finished 2011 averaging 14th in MLB in home attendance. So far in 2012, they’ve slipped to 16th in the league.
Of course, much of attendance can be attributed to on-field performance. But the Mets have surprised early this season tied for third in the NL East and attendance is still slipping. The visiting opponents have a lot to do with interest in buying tickets as well. So far, the Mets have hosted the Braves, Nationals, Giants, Marlins, D-Backs, Brewers, and Reds.
The backlash against the Wilpons for the Madoff Ponzi scheme lawsuit also has something to do with fans staying away from Citi Field in my opinion. Allowing Jose Reyes to walk away in free agency because of related financial constraints didn’t help sway ticket buyers either.
It’ll be interesting to watch how attendance fluctuates this season. My guess is that the average game attendance continues to slide as the Mets begin to gravitate toward their predicted finish of an under-.500 team.
The Mets Report 
I am one of those that has stayed away due to the Wilpon’s. The team itself is gritty and overachieving. Ticket prices are dirt cheap. Yet I said I will not go to Citi Field and give any of my money to the Wilpon’s. If this had been the Yankees contending every year I would have felt bad. But I truly believe the Wilpons had an idea something was wrong. There are no guarantees in investing and they ran their club prorating contracts like Bonilla like they would even by paying him interest. That means they expected gains above and beyond what they were paying out. They have never paid off the loan to buy the team. They are big time underwater on Citi Field. They nickle and dime every investor so they can’t become majority owner but that they can use the funds to pay off debt. And if it wasn’t for the “539” connection between the Wilpon’s and Selig, MLB would be more aggressive in making sure the finances of the Mets is more solid.
I would go support my team in Philly or DC or Yankee Stadium where the Wilpon’s can’t get my money, but you won’t see me at Citi.
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Thanks for the comment. I would bet that you’re in the majority of Mets fans.
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according to baseball reference the Mets attendance is down about ~1100 a game through this date as compared to last year. (That’s what, 3-4%) they were about equal prior to the last homestand, which was a rainy one.
ESPN/season stats credit 2011 with the peak months which the 2012 Mets haven’t hit yet. The Mets will draw more than last year, between the All Star Game and the better team.
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Draw and actually human beings attending the games where the real gravy money gets made are two entirely different animals.
The all-star game NEXT season is not going to sell more tickets for the Mets right now. Continuing to win MIGHT sell more tickets in June, but more likely only July and August. Paying customers do not rebound that quickly.
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We’re only talking about tickets sold. Both years.
Renewals and early purchases for season tickets get first priority. So people will indeed be buying in this year, and the Mets will presumably continue to roll out ‘buy the rest of this year and get earlier priority’ packages all season.
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Isn’t attendance almost always below average during the beginning of the year? I would think more people would go to games in the summer once school gets out, plus they haven’t had the Yankees series yet.
Also how does the double header factor in since it was single admission.
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Thanks for the comment Jim. That’s why I compared the overall home attendance so far. The Mets have slid to 16th overall from 14th at the end of last season. That equalizes the seasonality among all teams.
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You CAN NOT compare full season to APRIL and MAY when its A) Rainy B) Colder and C) Kids are in School
That like saying compared to last years ice cream sales for the full year… this yeara sales looks horrible.
This was written with an agenda in mind and them fit the numbers to make it work with the piece.
And please check those stats after this next few homestands if there any good weather that average is going to shoot right up.
Maybe the Mets should do like the Yankees do to inflate their attendance, you can buy 2 tickets for their next 3 games and get 2 free.
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Thanks for the comment. I compared the overall standings among all teams. The Mets slid to 16th overall from 14th last season. That equalizes the seasonality that affects all teams this time of year.
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u don’t know dilee. they have the whole season left. what ru a fortune teller?.
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I’m just speculating. Not a fortune teller.
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