NY Mets MLB 2015 News, Rumors: Mets Sued After Cutting Security at Citi Field
In each and every sport there are owners who are hated, despised, and who never get the benefit of the doubt. Most of that is usually self inflicted wounds such as Jeffery Loria in Montreal and Miami, Daniel Snyder in Washington DC and the Wilpon family in New York. The Wilpons own the New York Mets. So, faced with losing money and dwindling attendance, the Mets organization started cutting back on security at Citi Field.
"Due to the cut backs in the budget [2013] we will be unable to maintain the high quality of security that the ballplayers, guests and staff are accustom [sic] to," a Mets budget report obtained by CBS Sports reads. "In addition the greetings at the gates, exchange of pleasantries at the gates and along with the quality [sic] of the searching [sic] at the gates will be reduced."
These documents have come to light as the security officers who were dismissed due to the budgetary concerns are suing the team. Security guards at Citi Field fell on average from 186 to 130. The full report also says that many parts of the stadium were left uncovered by security,
In a post-Sept. 11 world, cutting security is never very popular, yet there has not been a higher number of reported incidents due to the lack of security at Citi Field. However, there was a brawl at a 50 Cent concert held at the field in 2014.
The Mets ownership has been notoriously frugal, and this news added to the fact that they charged minor leaguers to participate in mandatory off-season workouts only paints a larger picture of an ownership being tight with their money. Fair or not fair, that is the legacy of the Wilpons' ownership of the Mets.
