When the Citi hit the fan

By Mike McGann
Posted Monday, November 24, 2008

Twenty billion freaking dollars. That’s how much money is getting dumped — and I use that term advisedly — into Citibank. Meanwhile, Citi is still supposed to dump $20 million per year into naming rights for the Mets’ new ballpark — $20 million a year over 20 years, or a total of $400 million.

And now that’s cash being paid by you and me.

Already, the calls for this deal to be voided by the government are being made, as well they should. But it shouldn’t come to that: the Mets should gracefully opt out of the deal and find someone else to buy naming rights. Granted, the market is now lousy and he odds of even finding a deal for half of money per year for half the number of years — but the public has put enough money in the Wilpon Family pocket.

This has to happen and happen right now. And if the Wilpons need some help making the decision, start calling. Try 718 507-METS (6387) to complain. Next, call your local member of Congress and your U.S. Senate offices.

If that doesn’t work — well, there are a lot of options, many of which are ugly, horrific and painful (and mind you, completely legal) that could make life around the Mets’ corporate offices really uncomfortable. If needed, I’d be happy to share some of those ideas, cultivated during my political career. And while being able to launch such a campaign would help both this site and my own political career (never underestimate the value of trashing the Mets while running for office in the heart of Phillies’ turf), I honestly and truly hope it doesn’t come down to this.

But you have to worry that the Mets are really blind enough to not realize that this needs to be dealt with now. Undoubtedly, the Wilpons are being told by the team’s media relations staff that that issue will blow over. It won’t. Really.

It. Will. Get. A. Lot. Worse. Soon.

If the Mets thought Black Friday was a bad time, this will make that look like a walk through the park — so, Fred, anyone telling you this isn’t going to be a major issue either is trying to screw you or is so oblivious that he needs to be put out to pasture. The only miracle is that this isn’t a major topic yet on Daily Kos and The Huffington Post — and that may only be because it is a holiday week. By next Monday, this will explode into a giant mess, when the UAW starts asking questions like “we can give buyout money to the Mets and yet, not spend money to save three to five million jobs in the auto industry?” I’m not saying that’s right, but it is what the headline will be, sooner rather than later.

Boycotts and cancellation of ad programs will follow. The media — well, at least ones the Mets haven’t bought off — will go berzerk and the issue will dominate not just the back pages, but front ones as well, going well beyond the Allianz issue with the new football stadium in New Jersey.

The bottom line will be this: while the Yankees declined to sell naming rights at all, the Mets are getting $20 million a year in federal money — taxpayer money — on top of all the money spent to upgrade facilities to build the new park, not to mention the murky question about the public financing of the facility, and who is really paying for what.

Fred, think Bonfire of the Vanities for a guide on how quickly things can come unraveled for a rich guy who loses touch with the reality of media in New York. It’s a slippery slope and the Mets are right on the precipice.

But hopefully, it won’t come to that. Fred Wilpon needs to step up and untangle his team and his wallet from the massive federal bailout.

Hopefully. If not, well, at least no one will be arguing about Luis Castillo for a while.
 

So the ballpark needs a new name. How about Jackie Robinson Field? Yeah, that won’t happen. Why? Try changing it after the fact and the Rev. Al Sharpton will set himself on fire outside of the entrance with every media outlet on Earth rolling tape. So unless the Mets are willing to keep it Robinson Field forever, it’s best to never even go down that road.

So why not this? Gil Hodges Field. Yes, in a few months it can be Time Warner Stadium at Gil Hodges Field, but so what? This is a rare opportunity for the Mets to step up and improve their image by only taking a small financial hit up front. And adding a corporate sponsor in a year or two won’t be as big a deal — in fact, no deal at all.

What do you think?