Heading to the ballpark? Here's what Yanks, Mets fans love about attending MLB games in 2023

NEW YORK — It was just before noon and there wasn't a cloud in the sky in Queens. First pitch wasn’t for at least another hour, but thousands of fans poured into Citi Field to see a recent Thursday matinee as the New York Mets hosted their hated division rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies.

And for the fans visiting on this afternoon, their appetite for a newer and faster-paced baseball game would be equally met with an appetite for all the amenities the stadium has to offer.

“Love it. There’s a ton of food options for both me and my son,” said 37-year-old Steve Ward of Rockville Centre, New York, who had his 3-year-old son Theo enjoying chicken tenders and french fries, on hand at his first-ever baseball game.

“There’s plenty of activities for him to check out if he needs a break from sitting in his seat," Ward said. "Citi Field has done a great job providing different options for kids and families in general. They’re hitting the mark on everything for everyone.”

What's also been a big hit is that in a span of less than five months, the sport of baseball has changed dramatically. Major League Baseball has implemented a pitch clock, restrictions on the infield shift, and larger bases, among other items, all designed to speed up the product and enhance the fan experience.

Combine that with the amenities the ballparks now offer, and you have a big hit with fans. Attendance figures for the early portion of the season show that the Mets have seen their numbers slightly increase from 31,663 fans per game in 2022 to 31,900 this season. The Yankees rank first in attendance in the American League this season at 39,803 fans, up from 38,719 in 2022.

We visited both Citi Field and Yankee Stadium over the past couple of weeks. Here are the contributing factors:

MLB pitch clock really speeds things up

The early results are in on the pitch clock, and it’s a fan favorite.

“I love the pitch clock. It really moves things along really well, but it doesn’t feel rushed, either,” 26-year-old Dennis Gannon said before the Mets-Phillies series opener on May 31. “The game isn’t slow anymore. It’s going to help people come back, since it has killed a lot of the dead time.”

In a survey of over 1,000 MLB fans in April, 62% were in favor of the pitch clock, while just 22% were against the new rule (16% were unsure how they felt about the change).

Pete Courtemanche of Morristown was attending the Mets-Phillies game, and though originally hesitant about the concept of a pitch clock, he's now enjoying the new rule.

“I was skeptical of the pitch clock at first, but it’s growing on me for sure," he said. "Overall, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the impact of the rules, as it doesn’t feel that it changed the spirit of the game.”

With a quicker contest, Courtemanche added, it’s now more appealing to attend a weeknight game when you get in and out faster than in years past.

More of the same sentiment was being relayed at the Yankees-White Sox series opener on June 6 at Yankee Stadium.

“I kinda like it," said Chris Marnigo of Long Island. "It speeds the game up. I played the game my whole life. The game definitely gets slow for people. The quicker tempo you can get, the more likely I think you’ll have a closer game. Games seem tighter than in years past.”

“Baseball needed to get in that realm of a quick, fast-action pace like hockey and basketball,” said Patrick Vitzthum of Long Island. “It’s definitely a good thing. It’ll be an adjustment for players, but they’ll eventually adapt to it. In two-three years, I believe we’ll forget it was a change in the first place, as it’ll be the new normal.”

More appealing for young families

An important aspect of growing the game is reaching out to families with young kids who will hopefully attend games for years to come. This was an emphasis at the Mets-Phillies game.

Mark Welby, a Phillies fan from Pennsylvania who lives in Astoria, Queens, with his wife and twin girls, believes the Mets passed the test in what they offered him and his family.

“It’s been great so far," Welby said. "There's tons of food options for the kids, who made a beeline for the ice cream, of course. Since it's towards the end of the school year, it’s nice to see a lot more kids and the younger generation out here.”

For a game on a Thursday afternoon, it was a great turnout in Flushing as a predominantly young crowd of 38,302 fans were on hand to see the Mets sweep Philadelphia.

A big factor was that the Mets and WPIX-11 were hosting the 15th annual Weather Education Day, where 8,000 students from the tri-state area (New Jersey, New York and Connecticut) were welcomed to Queens for meteorology lessons and to stay for the game. This is just one of the ways the Mets and MLB are trying to appeal to a younger audience.

“The first game I went to this season I brought my 5-year-old son, and it was a great experience," said Courtemanche. "Overall, it was a very enjoyable time to come to the stadium and see a game.”

What Citi Field has to offer

The "Mets Fan Fest" on the Field Level behind the gigantic center-field scoreboard is a big hit. In this 20,000-square-foot area, there's a miniature replica baseball field where kids can hit like Pete Alonso and run the bases like Francisco Lindor.

The space also includes batting cages and different activities throughout the season, such as a speed-pitch dunk tank, bouncy houses, video games and other fun-filled options for kids. So the parents don't miss out on the action on the field, the game plays on the back of the massive scoreboard.

There are also two built-in bars, along with restaurants galore, such as Shake Shack, Metropolitan Fry Factory and Kosher Grill. Take a walk across the Shea Bridge from center field to behind the right-field foul pole and you'll find other options, including BN Sushi and Vegan City, which offers meatless burgers, sausages, hot dogs and nachos.

Another prime location is the Coca Cola Corner in Sections 301-305 in right field. There are Coke-shaped cap table tops along with picnic benches to enjoy some food and drinks.

"First time up at the Coca-Cola Corner. The food here is pretty darn good," Courtemanche said. "Even though our seats aren’t up here, we decided to meet up here and take in this view."

What Yankee Stadium has to offer

At Yankee Stadium, the main go-to spot was the Pepsi Lounge, above Monument Park in center field. With a sellout crowd of 46,007 fans on hand to see the Yankees and Red Sox play on June 9, every square inch was taken up by both fan bases.

If you're looking for a more relaxed choice, you should check out the New York Yankees Food Court, between Sections 126 and 127A. Here, there is a plethora of food options, with a bar that's standing-room-only directly in the middle.

And, of course, Monument Park is a main draw for fans who want to take in the Yankees' great history before first pitch of that day's game.

"Seeing [Monument Park] the last time I was here was a game-changer," said New Milford's Braeden Devine. "It has my childhood heroes like Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and others that came before them all in one place."

Younger generation of fans

Devine, who is a recent graduate of New Milford High School, believes baseball's rule changes in 2023 have played a big part in getting a younger generation of fans to show up for games.

"I really like the new rules," he said. "Before, I’d catch myself on my phone, not paying attention as much while watching the game. This year, not so much. The pitch clock is good for baseball. It makes the game more interesting and fun.”

Brothers Joe DiMeo, 20, and Anthony DiMeo, 17, of Poughkeepsie, New York, had a memorable experience when they attended the Yankees' season-opening series against the San Francisco Giants.

"It was my first time in the outfield," Anthony said. "It was incredible hearing and seeing the 'Bleacher Creatures' in the right-field bleachers do roll call."

The DiMeos also went to a game at Citi Field last season. Despite their fandom residing with the Bronx Bombers, they were impressed with their experience and believe it caters to the younger audience.

"While Yankee Stadium has all the tradition, Citi Field provides something that feels newer, and in my opinion appeals to a younger crowd like ourselves,” Anthony said.

Devine was on the same page, saying, "Citi Field had a cool concourse. Everything’s covered in Yankee Stadium, whereas Citi Field is different in the aspect that it feels more open."

Even as a die-hard Yankees fan, Marnigo, the Long Island resident, admits that Yankee Stadium needs to make some adjustments.

"I think our [stadium] needs some work," Marnigo said. "When it comes to options around the ballpark, Citi Field is definitely better.”

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: New York Yankees and New York Mets in-game fan experience 2023