In less than one month, Mets fans have pooled their money together to start a movement to get Fred and Jeff Wilpon to sell the Mets.
As of Wednesday, more than $5,000 was donated to the KickStarter campaign, and now two ‘#FreeMetsFans- Sell The Team’ billboards will grace Roosevelt Avenue.
Step one complete, 2 billboards from Lamar on Roosevelt Ave are on hold for Opening Day 03/03/2015. Just need to raise 5k
— #FreeMetsFans (@MetsBillboard) December 12, 2014
The above Tweet was from Dec. 12. After a successful 484 Tweet campaign, the mission has been accomplished.
Total team effort. Don’t know what to say but thank you for doing all the work to get this funded. Now the fun begins! #LGM#FreeMetsFans
— #FreeMetsFans (@MetsBillboard) January 8, 2015
As of Dec. 26, two weeks after the movement began, $1,700, or 34 percent of the organizer’s goal had already been raised. That means fans donated more than $3,300 over the next 13 days.
Gary Palumbo is an avid Mets’ fan who’s just had enough of the current regime. He’s a longtime reader of both Mets Merized Online and Amazin’ Avenue.
“I love the Mets and believe the owners are not responsible stewards of the team,” Palumbo says on the KickStarter page. “Their poor decisions have placed the team into a position where they no longer invest in a manner of placing the team in contention for the playoffs. They manage the team simply to keep it as a family heirloom.”
From the KickStarter Page:
Two billboards on Roosevelt avenue are currently placed on hold to see if we can raise the funds over the next 30 days. The launch date for them is tentatively scheduled for 03/30/2015 (MLB opening day) and would remain in place for four weeks. Once funding is raised, I would like all of the contributors to recommend a message and we can vote on the best ones along with voting of how the design will look.
The money needed is $5000. Renting the two billboards will cost $4000 for 4 weeks. There is a $450 charge to print and install the images onto the boards. The rest of the money will go to cover the Kickstarter commission and production of thank you gifts to the contributors.
The main goal for my project is for us to come together with a collective voice and be able to represent our frustration. It’s also about having fun and not being hateful. It’s just a game, BUT I really want the Mets to be better at it with long term continued success.
Not all fans were completely in favor of the movement. Read more here to see fan reaction.
For more information on the campaign, click here.
