New York Mets fans have seen their frustration with the team’s owners steadily rise in recent years due to lack of spending and a payroll less than you would expect for a team in New York. It’s gotten to the point where two fans worked together to have two billboards placed near Citi Field urging the owners to sell the team.
Gary Palumbo raised the $6,700 needed on Kickstarter to pay for the billboards and received some help from David Restiano, who came up with the designs. The one not pictured above reads “Fred, Jeff & Saul, Ya gotta leave.” In the case of both billboards, the names refer to Fred Wilpon, Jeff Wilpon and Saul Katz.
Despite the growing resentment from fans, it looks as though they will be stuck with the Wilpons for the near future as they have reiterated their intent to remain in charge of the franchise. As for how the billboards were received, Mets manager Terry Collins thought the money could have been put to better use.
“I think it’s a waste of time, but that’s just my own opinion, Collins said via Newsday. You want to spend $6,000? Go feed the homeless.”
There was considerable optimism around this year’s Mets team prior to the season. New York has quality starting rotation led by Matt Harvey, a now healthy David Wright, and an exciting young center fielder in Juan Lagares. And it’s quite possible a winning product on the field would go a long way towards easing the hard feelings towards management. It may not be enough, but it would be a good start. That said, a change in ownership seems to be the near unanimous choice among Mets fans.
Photo via: Twitter/MetsBillboard
