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Baseball Returns To Citi Field With Cardboard Mets Fans And Air High-Fives
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 19, 2020
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Adam Hunger/AP/Shutterstock
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 19, 2020
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Major league baseball resumed in NYC on Saturday night with a "Spring" training exhibition game between the Mets and the Yankees at Citi Field. Though many aspects of the game remain unchanged (the Mets lost), there were new coronavirus precautions intended to keep players and fans safe. The most notable change was the complete absence of fans, some of whom have been replaced with cardboard replicas who observed the proceedings in cheery silence.
The cardboard cutouts, which feature photos of actual fans, are free for season ticket holders who re-up for 2021, but can also be purchased for $86. (Net proceeds are being donated to the Mets Foundation COVID-19 Relief Fund, and the team says some Mets "gear" is required for the photo used for the cutout.)
So far the fan cutouts are only occupying a handful of stadium seats, but the Mets anticipate filling the stands with 5,000 cutouts for the official season opener on Friday. It's a good first step toward a completely animatronic Black Mirror sports experience, until you can one day send your covid clone to enjoy the game on your behalf.
The Mets also piped in fake cheering to go with the fake fans, and players maintained social distance with simulated high-fives. Yankees manager Aaron Boone called the air high-fives “really weird, really awkward” but "hopefully, we can get a little creative, especially in the regular season."
Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier hit a home run while wearing a face covering, a fitting response to criticism he's faced from various imbeciles who called him a "sheep" for following health experts' guidance on mask wearing during a deadly pandemic.
The Yankees won 9-3. Here's a full recap. The two teams face off again today for another scrimmage game, and the Mets will battle the Atlanta Braves at their home opener on July 24th.
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COVID-19
coronavirus
baseball
sports
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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