Mets Reportedly Present Games 'as a Party' in Response to Yankees' 'Corporate' Feel

As the New York Mets continue to look for ways to close the gap on the New York Yankees for fan supremacy in New York City, one of the ways they are differentiating themselves is by creating a more loose atmosphere at the ballpark.

Per ESPN's Jorge Castillo, one of team owner Steve Cohen's points of emphasis since purchasing the Mets in 2021 was to present their games "as a party" in direct contrast to the "corporate, buttoned-up" feel of Yankees games.

Some of the recent additions to the Mets' in-game presentation include a dance team known as the Queens Crew and the biggest video board in MLB at 17,400 square feet.

These don't even include elements that players come up with that build in popularity. Last season, for example, the release of Jose Iglesias' song "OMG" soon after Grimace threw out the first pitch before a game was credited with sparking the team to go on a run that carried them to the NLCS.

It's no secret the Yankees aren't known for creating a carefree atmosphere. They didn't allow players to have facial hair for nearly 50 years before this season, when they relaxed the policy to allow for "well-groomed beards."

The Mets are never going to catch the Yankees in terms of popularity because the Bronx Bombers have been around since 1913, 49 years before the Mets debuted, and have won 27 World Series titles.

For the Mets to take out a bigger chunk of the fanbase in New York City, they need to find ways to differentiate themselves from the Yankees. A loose in-game atmosphere is one way to do that.