For the last two seasons, the Italian American Baseball Foundation has tried to organize an Italian Heritage game with the New York Mets.
Our organization has been behind the national surge in Italian recognition at ballparks across Major League Baseball. It only makes sense that the Mets would host a game considering the number of Italian immigrants who came to New York and built lives for their families in this region. But that’s not the case. No game after trying.
The Mets have been extremely difficult and almost non-communicative during the outreach process. After emailing sales, marketing, and promotions representatives, from executives to directors and managers, we finally heard from a sales rep who would like the IABF to buy tickets to a group outing. This is not an Italian Heritage game, it was a way for the organization to make money off ticket sales.
Remember that the Mets are offering Italian Heritage games for the following heritage and affinity groups: Filipino Heritage, Black Legacy, Pride Night, Irish Heritage, Korean Heritage, Japanese Heritage, Women’s Equality, Taiwan Day, Jewish Heritage, and Hispanic Heritage Nights.
This week we asked the Mets if other non-profit organizations that help grow the game of baseball and advocate for their players are organizing the other heritage nights and if they were also asked to buy tickets to a group outing. We have not heard back, and the silence is deafening yet again.
The Yankees are offering FIVE Italian Heritage nights. There are almost 20 other clubs also offering Italian Heritage games. None of them are asking us to buy tickets and most of them are giving IABF a cut of the ticket sales to help fund our scholarships and youth development programs.
It’s an outrage that one of the teams in New York has decided to exclude Italian Americans from a heritage game at their ballpark. However, we’ll enjoy the week of games provided in the Bronx. You can learn more about these games at IABF.Foundation.
Want to see an Italian Heritage game in Queens? Email anyone on the Mets’ sales, marketing, and promo team you can find. And then call the front office. Tag them on social media. Hold them accountable and let’s make this happen. Italian American baseball fans in New York deserve better.
