Citi-FIeld is no longer special. Well ok, it is still the home of the Mets, but part of what made our centerfield iconic was the eateries. Remember way back when, all the way back to 2009 when Citi opened its doors? Part of the draw was the Shake Shack, Blue Smoke, etc, all in the outfield with the Mets skyline from Shea on top of it.
When people talk about the most recent surge of ballparks, they are talking about what the literature calls post-modern ballparks (yes seriously, there is literature in academia on the subject I'm about to share with you). Generally ballparks are broken into three categories. There are the old ballparks like Wrigley and Fenway, the modern ballparks like Shea Stadium and then the post-modern ballparks. The modern ballparks were McDonaldized, in that they were about efficiency and things like that. Cookie-cutters are the other name for them but they were designed purposefully (to make money). The post-modern ballparks are an example of a manufactured de-McDonaldization where they are still designed to be efficient, but are also manufactured to look like they aren't, to bring back fans to grimy world of corporation ran baseball. (All of this is based on a course, Sport in Society, offered at the University of Maryland College Park with they the cynical comments being my own).
Our Center Field was advertised to us as an example of something that was supposed to be unique to Citi-Field, but turns out, it isn't.
In today's Washington Post, which you can read here, Dan Steinberg reveals the new attraction opening at Nationals Park. They have their own Union Square, featuring the Shake Shack, Box Fritas, Taqueria and Blue Smoke. The article specifically mentions how the Shake Shack will feature Citi Field pricing from back in 2009. (Also, tip of that hat to my friends at 15Min2Exit for the link)
One of my personal qualms with Nationals Park is its lack of identity. They pay homage to all DC sports, then pay homage to the greats of baseball from other teams, including rivals, on the concourse. If you walk in one one entrance it feels like a block party, if you walk in other side, it feels like a serious baseball establishment. Now they are adding another layer of problems where on one side of the stadium they offer DC's finest food in Ben's Chili Bowl and on the other side of the stadium they have food from New York. The exact food from New York!
Bottom line: when I go to a ball park, I expect it to be a different experience, even if that different experience is manufactured. When I'm in Baltimore, I don't expect to find New York Deli (oops, they have that), when I'm in Queens, I expect to find New York food that I can't find in other ballparks, and when I'm in DC, I expect to actually know who the home team is based on the stadium.
(I do recognize of course that the Mets probably had little to do with this at all)
