Before the season started, the New York Mets thought they could boost season ticket sales for 2008 if they promised buyers awesome seats at Citi Field in 2009. The catch was that you had to buy season tickets for both the 2008 and 2009 season this year, which could get pretty costly.Mets fan Judd Burstein was one of those fans who bought in to the Mets promise, and he dropped $17,000 on tickets for this year and next. Burstein, who is a celebrity lawyer (as opposed to a poor person lawyer), has four field level seats between first base and the outfield this season at Shea, and he was pretty sure he'd have similar seats next season as well. Well, he won't, as he recently found out that his season tickets next year will be in the upper deck of left field.
Of course, since Judd is a lawyer, he can think of only one response. He's suing the team.
"They picked the wrong person to cheat," said Burstein, whose clients include boxers Oscar De La Hoya and Lennox Lewis, as well as advertising mogul and talk-show host Donny Deutsch.
In the suit, which Burstein will file today in Manhattan Supreme Court, he claims he got a letter last year urging him to renew his tickets with the promise he'd get "priority" seats at Citi Field.
"Plainly, the Mets lied when they promised 'priority,' " he wrote. "Rather, they took money and then allowed thousands of others to jump the line."Actually, I'm pretty sure taking money and then allowing everybody to jump ahead in line is how the Mets approach the NL East standings as well, so Burstein shouldn't be that surprised.
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It's pretty hard to argue against Burstein being angry with the team, because if it had happened to me, I'd probably be pretty angry about it as well. Of course, since I would probably have to hire one of those poor people lawyers, I'd likely only end up with the same seats and a free foam finger that says the Mets are number one.
I get the feeling that Burstein will end up with quite a bit more than that.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
9-09-2008 @ 7:27AM
sandy said...
I didn't realize it's the new fashion to be blatantly anti-semitic.
Reply
9-09-2008 @ 7:37AM
Gary said...
Simpson video is a virus. Don't do it !!!
Reply
9-09-2008 @ 7:35AM
Alan said...
As to Dennis Robart , never mind the article , the important thing to you is he's Jewish . We all would hope that in 2008 that thinking would have changed , I guess there will always be an idiot out there like him
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9-10-2008 @ 2:20AM
jumpcook9596 said...
The first mention of anything or anyone being Jewish is your post. I guess you really don't (in your words) "hope that in 2008 that thinking would have changed". However, at the same time I guess you have proved that (your words again) "there will always be an idiot out there".
9-09-2008 @ 7:50AM
Rusty@theRustyGourmet.com said...
I can't blame Burstein for being upset. I would be too.
How many other fans did the Mets give the 'foam' finger to?
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9-09-2008 @ 8:23AM
Chaz said...
People still watch baseball? Olbermann and Mathews of nbc, GONE.What a great day.
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9-09-2008 @ 9:53AM
Chaz said...
What a great day,Olbermann and Mathews gone as Anchors from NBC.
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9-09-2008 @ 8:37AM
ron said...
He should file suit on behalf of all mets fans who were shafted like this, that way the fans who cant afford to fight Goliath will have a fight. Prices on sports tickets are out of control.
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9-09-2008 @ 9:37AM
Willy said...
"Prices on sports tickets are out of control" You are absolutely right, and yet, people keep paying! So, who is at fault? I say the fans - it's supply and demand - they demand ridiculous prices, and some idiot will supply it. If everyone - EVERYONE - would just not pay, you could get season tickets for ten bucks. Hell, maybe for free. since it looks better when the stands are full.
9-09-2008 @ 8:48PM
Tom said...
You're right about ticket prices. The average Joe Fan can't buy tickets, not because of the team prices but because all the tickets are purchased pre-season ("season tickets"), hogs who probably have never been to a game and probably never will. Example: I recently went on Stub Hub to check prices to see a Yankee game. Not to see the yankees but to visit the "Cathedral" one more time before its torn down. I found bleacher seats ($12.00 pre-season) being advertised for $5000.00! You do the math for the percent of profit this "fan" is looking for. The last time I got tickets from Stub Hub ($40.00 bleacher seats), they came from Arizona where the "scalper" lived. Probably wouldn't know a baseball if it hit him in the head! I hope they all go bankrupt on their "investment" tickets !
9-09-2008 @ 9:57AM
RockinRambo said...
As if following the Mets in the 70's wasn't disheartening enough. You'd think with all the money the pro ball league makes, they'd try to stop screwing with the very source of their success. Now, it looks like they're gonna treat their fans, like they treat their staff. Good-bye Willie Randolph, good-bye Shea Stadium, good-bye glory. Just the tip of the iceberg? It's no f#ckin wonder the Mets are known as The Other New York Baseball Team
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9-09-2008 @ 10:10AM
Johnny Ocean said...
Just another example of the politics of big city sports...Do you think the Yankees are doing the same thing?
You Bet.....
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9-09-2008 @ 10:22AM
nancy said...
Maybe if the fans of all sports didn't show up for one weekend it would send a message that we are tired of paying outrageous prices for these athletes playing boys games.
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9-09-2008 @ 10:25AM
dom said...
you hit the nail on the head
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9-09-2008 @ 10:34AM
jj said...
The article didn't say, but did the guy even try to get the Mets to correct where his seats were?
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9-09-2008 @ 11:29AM
rick d said...
Hmmm, if I was going to spend 17 grand on season tix, i probably would have asked. "where are these?" before i authorized payment. Seems personal responsibility doesnt come into play here.
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9-09-2008 @ 10:42AM
Monty Python 1975 said...
Right, a scum lawyer suing a scum ball team. What else is new?
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9-09-2008 @ 10:56AM
American Patriot said...
He's not just a Celebrity Lawyer-
He is Jewish :)
You already know the rest :) SUE SUE SUE! OY VEY!
Hey Dennis,
I dare you to say that s**t to my face you limp assed keyboard commando. This is one Jewish former US Marine who can use some exercise. So C'mon tough guy, whadday say?
Reply
9-09-2008 @ 11:03AM
chuckie said...
Those left field nose-bleeders probably are the new "priority" seats. The Mets just forgot to tell the guy they loved him while butt-XXXXing him.
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9-09-2008 @ 11:45AM
jim5109 said...
I'm one of the "poor" lawyers. They did the same thing to me. They did graciously offer to place me on the waiting list for the $12,000 per seat tickets. What a bargain!