Mets Improve Game Day Experience With Enhanced Technology

 

All photos by Jason Schott.

The Mets unveiled updates to their ballpark at their "New in 2022 at Citi Field" event on Thursday, and a big part of that is the updated technology, which fans are sure to notice from the second they walk in, thanks to their partnerships with Samsung and Wicket.

Oscar Fernandez, the Vice President of Technology Solutions, said, "We feel these enhancements are a major first step in creating an even better experience at Citi Field with leading-edge technology. Our owners, Steve Cohen and Alex Cohen, have supported a vision to improve the fan experience in every way possible at Citi Field, and embraced new technology to achieve these goals for our fans to give the the best venue experience as possible. A perfect example of that is our new partner, Wicket, with our new Mets Entry Express technology that will allow fans to use their face as their ticket to enter the ballpark safely, securely, and quickly.”

Samsung Electronics America is partnering with the Mets to make Citi Field one of the most technologically advanced ballpark in Major League Baseball. 

The biggest innovation fans will notice is the five levels of new LED ribbon boards lining the front of each deck of Citi Field, including the Promenade, Premium, and 100 levels ribbon boards. These replaced  advertising billboards in such places as right field, or were added to areas of the park not adorned with signage. 

The new LED boards in right field.

This is designed to deliver synchronized content along with more than 1,300 LCD screens displaying brilliant high-definition content even in direct sunlight, which is a major consideration when dealing with an outdoor facility.

The Mets partnership with Samsung to transform Citi Field from a static environment to an all-digital fan experience is controlled by an immersive new IPTV system that utilizes Samsung's MagicINFO software. There are triple the number of cameras capturing real-time action from every angle, and double the number of slow-motion replay systems. This allows the Mets to immediately deliver many angles of big plays and entertainment in brilliant clarity to every seat in the house.

There are now enhanced digital displays at the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, and a complete digital conversion from static screens at the Taste of the City Food Court. 

The digital upgrade extended to the players' experience, as there are new high definition Samsung screens in the dugouts to the bullpen and even the clubhouse. 

In addition, major upgrades are planned for the 2023 season, including a new dynamic centerfield scoreboard. There will be 1,000 additional LCD screens around the ballpark, new fan experience with tight pitch LED throughout the concourse area, two new large LED boards for game play viewing on the Promenade Plaza area.

Wicket (wicketsoft.com) is a software company focused on computer vision and biometric technology and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Wicket has developed and deployed software products for big venues in sports and entertainment. 

The Mets Entry Express Program is a facial ticketing system at Citi Field. The voluntary opt-in program in which you register your face one time, enables faster, touchless entry into the ballpark through designated lanes with east online enrollment available to anyone attending a Mets home game. Fans can enter quickly and conveniently without using a paper ticket or their phone. Their face is their ticket.

Launched in August 2021, fans will be greeted at Opening Day this year by Mets Entry Express lanes at all main Citi Field gates, play at entrances to premium seating areas.