5/14/2008 10:57:00 AM Premier makes big pitch for BDA in NYC Scores of Bermudians attend promotional event at Shea Stadium in New York
Leaving home: Premier Dr. Ewart Brown and Mr. Met help count down the number of remaining home games the New York Club has at Shea Stadium before they move into a new ballpark. *Photo by Don Burgess
It was Bermuda Night at Shea Stadium on Monday… well, sort of. It was also Asian Heritage Night so there was a split billing. Bermuda had many advertisements around the park and was involved with the two major pre-game activities but an Asian band played on the field prior to the start of the game and Asian Night figured prominently on the scoreboard. Premier Dr. Ewart Brown took part in several pre-game festivities. Along with mascot Mr. Met, he took down a sign on the centrefield wall that read 66 and revealed a 65, signifying the number of games that the New York club has left at Shea Stadium. The team will be moving next door into a new arena for the 2009 season. A few minutes later Dr. Brown threw out the first pitch to Mets’ catcher Brian Schneider. He almost bounced his pitch to the plate but Schneider reached out to claim it and the crowd gave a roar of approval for his effort. The Premier then made his way up to the Department of Tourism’s luxury box. More than 70 Bermudians attended the game, including local contest winners who had to prove they were big Mets fans. The contest winners were treated to a night in the luxury box that included such luminaries as reggae star Collie Buddz and HSBC Bank of Bermuda president Philip Butterfield. The luxury box was crowded. While the contest winners – the real fans – sat and watched the game, only getting up to grab something to eat or drink — the inner portion of the box was full of people mingling and talking, few of them watching the game. Bradley Barton was one of the contest winners. He watched the game from the front row of the box, standing and cheering for his beloved Mets. And there was much to root for early in the game as the team built a lead before losing 10 to 4 to the Washington Nationals. “I’ve been a Mets fan for 40 years and this is great,” he said. “I’ve never seen a game from this vantage point, and being here with a contingent of Bermudians and friends makes this absolutely wonderful.” Dr. Brown mingled with the box contingent and it seemed like everyone wanted to bend his ear for a few minutes. One woman showed him her cellphone that had pictures of the flooding that took place in Bermuda earlier in the day.
Long-term relationship All in all it was a busy night for the Premier. He arrived at the stadium just prior to 5pm and had dinner with the Mets management at Shea. The promotional deal with the Mets is costing the Department of Tourism $500,000. Dr. Brown said: “They’re interested in a long-term relationship and that’s what we would like to have as well. The Mets are on the rise as a team and in the New York market they will be able to favourably compete with the Yankees.” He said with six daily flights out of the New York area it makes sense to have this kind of relationship with the Mets. “They estimate they’ll have four million people in the park for the season, but who knows how many millions on television? To have this kind of exposure in the number one market is absolutely awesome.” Prior to, and during the game, Tourism staffers were signing Mets’ fans up for a chance to win a trip to Bermuda. The six-person team included two men with video monitors strapped to their chests displaying the beauty of the island. By the fifth inning they had signed up more than 150 people. The Field Level concourse also included two wall-mounted flat screens that were also advertising Bermuda. During the fourth, Bermuda’s ‘Feel the Love’ marketing slogan was prominent on the big electronic big screen in centrefield as well as on the side electronic billboards on the side of the stadium. It was also where one ‘lucky’ Mets’ fan has a chance to win a trip to Bermuda if the home club hits a grand slam during the inning — something that is unlikely to happen. Carlos Beltran tied the Mets record for grand slams in a season by hitting three in 2006. The next Bermuda Night is scheduled for September 22 when the Mets take on the Chicago Cubs. Bermuda Idol winner Larita Adderley is slated to sing the U.S. national anthem. See Friday’s Bermuda Sun for more photos and another story about Bermuda Night at Shea Stadium.
