New York Mets owner Steve Cohen made significant moves this offseason, re-signing All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso and acquiring perennial MVP contender Juan Soto.
Mets fans expressed their excitement on social media, and Cohen is hoping to see that enthusiasm reflected in packed stands at Citi Field this season.
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Cohen voiced his frustration over the low fan turnout at Mets home games last year. Despite the team reaching their first NLCS since 2015, they barely cracked the top-20 in attendance.
“I didn’t like it,” Cohen said. “That really bothered me.” The Mets attracted 2,329,299 fans over 79 home games last season. ESPN ranked them 17th in total attendance, while Baseball-Reference had them at 18th.
The Toronto Blue Jays (2,681,236), Los Angeles Angels (2,577,597), and Colorado Rockies (2,540,295) all surpassed the Mets in attendance, despite finishing at the bottom of their divisions.
Cohen pointed to a late-season series against the Washington Nationals, noting, “I think there were 18,000 fans in the stadium during a great pennant race.” The Mets averaged 29,484 fans per game in a stadium that holds nearly 42,000. Despite this, Cohen remains hopeful.
The FanDuel Sportsbook has set the Mets’ over/under win total at 92.5 in the highly competitive National League East, with the Atlanta Braves at 93.5 and the Philadelphia Phillies at 91.5.
“I think the fans are having a great time,” Cohen said. “When I look out on the stadium, I think it’s a great game presentation. We have a great team,” he added, concluding, “I think it’s gonna be a fun place to be this year.”
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