@Mets planned the #MetsFanFest internally.

I was just informed that the Mets did plan their fan fest internally and did not use anyone from the outside. That makes it even more impressive that they pulled it off considering how tone deaf that they have been to the fans in the past. I just want to put it out there. They did a great job, need some tweaking of things but overall folks were very happy.

Thank you @QBConvention/QBC/Queens Baseball Convention Fans

Hey Guys,

I am sure Dan will eventually want to post something too about this. While it is fresh in my mind I wanted to thank all our fellow Mets fans that have supported the QBC over the years. When we originally started the QBC it was an idea between Shannon Shark of Metspolice.com and myself to try to bluff the Mets into doing a Fan Fest. They shrugged us off. We decided since we mouthed off we have to put our money where out mouths were and we pressed on with our plan. Darren from the7line.com joined in with us and was in the initial planning of the first QBC. He had to pull out of it because of business reasons and Dan Twohig joined in. The three of us were able to pull off the First QBC. While we knew Mets Fans wanted a fan fest, we didn't expect the QBC to have such a good response to how we ran it. We started planning the second QBC after that. The clamoring for the QBC was great and we couldn't believe that the three of us were able to pull off something great two years in a row. Our third year got snowed out. It was also the year that Shannon decided he didn't want to run the QBC anymore. I went from being the guy behind the scenes that was doing all the creative/technical stuff to the guy that had to become the face of the QBC. Shannon was the one footing the bills for the first two QBCs and to his credit, even thought he didn't want to be involved in the planning and running of the QBC he still wanted to help Dan and me in whatever capacity he needed. The duties then became Dan booking the talent, dealing with the vendors, mascots, and the paperwork. I was the one who came up with trying to find the venues, the setup, advertising, coming up with the concepts for the commercials and filming them and logistics. We both had to foot the bill for the events. We have become a pretty well oiled machine even with some bumps along the way.

I don't know if you guys realized this or not, but I have always been a guy that prefers to be behind the scenes. I have never liked being in front of folks talking or doing interviews or even being in front of cameras. The QBC has forced me to deal with and I have become more confident with dealing with folks in general because of it. I can't believe it when people wanted to take selfies with me because I am the QBC guy.

We have had SNY as a sponsor.We have beaten Yahoo with trying to take the QBC from us. Even thought they were the Queens Baseball Club and we are the Queens Baseball Convention, we knew there was going to be some confusion. We have made it onto radio shows and the news. Who knew that this would happen?

Back to our original goal. Force the Mets to have a fanfest. It took years for it to happen but it happened. So we won. Even though we had to cancel the QBC this year, we got our original goal. I went to the Fan Fest over the weekend and was expecting a car wreck. The Mets pulled off a well run event instead(I did hear that the Mets brought someone in to run it, even though it wasn't me and Dan, I am glad they realized they needed outside help for this, if this is true).

Here's some comments from QBC fans-

As someone who works in sports and tries to focus on the guest experience-I want to say Congratulations 2 the @Mets on a great &well run #FanFest.However it is also important 2 recognize @QBConvention @Mediagoon & @dtwohig for paving the way for this amazing day for #Mets fans 👏

— Dan Malandruccolo (@d_malandruccolo) January 26, 2020

Thanks Dan.

Knowing that we were able to pull this off and have our fellow fans telling us we did a good job makes all the stress and hard work over the years pay off. We are working on something. Don't know when we are going to do it but we are going to something. Thank you to everyone. You along with us, showed the Mets that we wanted a fan fest and because of all of us with the QBC( the folks who ran it and the folks who attended it) there is one now. If the Mets drop the ball with it in the future. We will rise like the Phoenix from the ashes.

One more thing. I want to thank all of our QBC family. Starting with my our family of volunteers.

@Mets and NYPD parking in Handicap Spots in Lot A during Fan Fest.

Love to see tons of @nypd cars I’m disabled parking spots at @citifield for #metsfanfest. Really shitty guys!

— valerie gritsch (@valderie) January 25, 2020

Not a good look fellas #metsfanfest @NYPDnews @Mets @CitiField pic.twitter.com/geNvObP3dt

— valerie gritsch (@valderie) January 25, 2020

Should also say, the photos I’ve posted are just a small amount of the cars in accessible spots or access/loading lanes. Most cars were parked crooked as well. 🤬

— valerie gritsch (@valderie) January 25, 2020

I saw the cop turn from in the foxwoods club when you tried to bring it up to him. Supervisor looked cool to diffuse situation. But that’s just wrong. I’m park them in regular spots.

— keith blacknick (@Mediagoon) January 25, 2020

The cop kept trying to tell me to call the local precinct and I told him that’s not my job, it’s his, and they’re breaking the law so he should care. He didn’t.
The supervisor apparently reported it to his bosses, but as of an hour ago when I left nothing had been done.

— valerie gritsch (@valderie) January 25, 2020

I’m also lucky enough that me and my disabled dad got an accessible spot. I met many other disabled fans at #MetsFanFest who also said they saw the cops parked in accessible spots and were stuck parking even farther away. Despicable.

— valerie gritsch (@valderie) January 25, 2020

It’s a shame that I reported it to multiple FANFEST staffers, security, supervisors, and even the cops themselves and still - nothing.

— valerie gritsch (@valderie) January 25, 2020

I think lot A is supposed to be for workers at Citi Field. The Mets not realizing how many cars 

that were going to end up coming to the Fan Fest(short sighted Mets? Never) decided to throw 

Lot A open to the public at the last minute. The cop cars that were there I guess are stored there

for Citi Field Events and they figured Lot A wasn't going to be used. The mistake was that they 

never should have been put in those spots to begin with. They should have been put in the spots 

next to the disabled parking spots. I was up in the Foxwoods where I saw Valerie( who I never met

before and I just happened to be standing there) lose who cool with the NYPD Sergeant. I get the

frustration how it is to deal with the Mets staff at times. He doesn't have any power to have the 

cars moved because he is there on a paid detail. The folks who should be getting the brunt of it

were the Mets and the local NYPD Precinct who's cars are there. This is the kind of stuff that when 

the Mets do something good, they still make themselves look bad. The Mets need to reevaluate 

where they store the NYPD cars.

Here is another not so happy fan from @Mets Fan Fest

Here is a another "negative" tweet about the Mets Fan Fast

Also closed things down early at 5:40 so if you went to autograph session then you had about an hour to walk around. I recommend to never do the 4-6 session in the future unless players stay, things are open until 6:00 and they clear people out after earlier sessions.@Mediagoon https://t.co/hJXwkmK3N2

— Emk (@metsgoblue) January 25, 2020

@Mets:Some complaints coming in from #MetsFanFest

Here's an email that I received today.

Hi Keith,

 Was at the Fanfest yesterday for the 4-6 pm session. We arrived early hoping we can get into the team store but they wouldn’t allow us access until we entered the building. They did let us in early but they could’ve let us in immediately considering it was a monsoon outside. They kept us in rain for at least 30 mins, they weren’t helpful at all. There were lots of older people and young children which I pointed out to the supervisor and she lectured me that I should’ve dressed warmer. After finding out I wasn’t a season ticket holder she told me I wouldn’t be allowed in until 4pm with a smirk on her face and walked away from me. Horrible hospitality. 

 Then when we entered the lines to all the fun stuff were very long because there were still people there from the 12pm session and the 2pm session. I also heard tickets for 12pm were available on stub hub. The Mets should’ve put a cap on how many tickets can be sold at 1 time so it doesn’t get sold out to scalpers. I hope next year they make 1 start time for the whole day. Especially since the 12-2 pm session was really an all day event. Also the autograph session was poorly designed. They put the athletes in a corner and lined the people up like cattle in a narrow hallway. They wrapped the line around 3 times instead of using all the space they have in the hallway and have 1 line. It was clearly oversold and poorly managed. We weren’t given any special items really. We were given an empty Fanfest bag. No t shirt, no mug no pen or schedule. NOTHING. With so much to offer they did so little for the fans. 

I hope you can get this to the people who care.

Thanks

M.