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EmailAt least two NYC City Council members agree with you... Staten Island Republicans Vincent Ignizio and James Oddo say the ballpark's name should be changed to Citi/Taxpayer Field.
Make Citi drop naming rights for new Mets ballpark!
THE ISSUE
On the brink of collapse, Citigroup this week announced one of the largest layoffs in history, with plans to eliminate 52,000 jobs. Citi also took a $20 billion bailout from the U.S. government, and taxpayers will be forced to guarantee $306 billion in risky assets.
Despite all of this, Citi plans to go forward with spending $400 million over the next 20 years to purchase the naming rights to the New York Mets' new ballpark, Citi Field, which opens in April 2009. “We remain committed to our relationship to the Mets; it is important to us,” Steve Silverman, a spokesman for Citi, told the New York Times.
As the major shareholders of Citi, we the taxpayers now have the right to say where our money is best spent. Vote YES to make a statement that we want Citi to pull out of its naming-rights deal and practice fiscal responsibility.
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Arguments For
By mrissues - Dec 2, 2008
Lately, Mets fans have endured two hideous Septembers, which, in a weird way, makes Citigroup and the Mets ideal partners — “both entities had collapses,” Oddo said. And while he professes great admiration for the Mets’ general manager, Omar Minaya, Oddo notes that management of bank and ball team have something in common: both retain their jobs.
The first step is the name. The Mets can do without the $20 million a year, since all they would do with the loot is recruit some other ghastly bullpen. Better they start all over, on the cheap, like the rest of us are learning to do. With apologies to Ronald Reagan: Mr. Wilpon, tear down this sign.
Related link: George Vecsey, New York Times
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Arguments Against
By pollo - Nov 26, 2008
Normally I'd agree with you, but Citi signed a contract with the Mets two years ago. It's a done deal already. If Citi tried to back out, the Mets would sue the pants off of them (assuming Citi has any pants left). Signage has already been bought, paid for, and installed. It would take time for the Mets to find a new naming-rights sponsor. You can't just change your mind and say "no thanks."
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