Mets: Three community outreach initiatives Steve Cohen should implement

Annual “Health Care Worker Appreciation” nights at Citi Field

Earlier on in 2020, the Mets put together a series of kind gestures towards health care workers in the tri-state area. In late March, Pete Alonso sent out personalized video messages to health care workers at several Atlantic Health Care hospitals in New Jersey, thanking the employees for their courageous efforts during this time of crisis. Manager Luis Rojas got in on the action, sending similar messages and speaking on the phone with an 82-year-old lifelong Mets fan who had been recently diagnosed with cancer.

The Mets also showed their support for health care workers by organizing a “Light it Blue” night with all of their minor league affiliates, in which they turned all of their scoreboards and other lights blue for one night and put out messages of appreciation to health care workers on social media.

Once fans are safely allowed back in the stadium, the Mets should take their gratitude one step further by formally acknowledging the importance of health care workers in front of the fans. They already have numerous promotional “nights” on their usual calendars, such as Pride Night, Military Appreciation Night, and Star Wars Night. Surely they could find room in the season calendar to annually recognize the importance of medical employees and allow a stadium full of fans to give any health care workers in attendance a hearty round of applause.

These individuals also deserve additional special treatment, such as access to batting practice, signed memorabilia, and player meet-and-greets.

The Mets did have a “Nurse Appreciation Night” back in 2019, which gave nurses and their families and friends access to special discounted seats. Hopefully, Steve Cohen’s budget as Mets owner could allow for all nurses and health care professionals to get into Citi Field for free for at least one game per season going forward.