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Knowledge Tech Sports Mets embrace mock holiday that pays former slugger |
It’s the mock holiday that New York Mets’ fans love to hate, tormenting the franchise, and blamed for all of the team’s woes.
Now, on the 10th anniversary Thursday of Bobby Bonilla Day, instead of hiding from the contract albatross that pays the retired slugger $1,193,248.20 every July 1 through 2035, the Mets, for the first time, are actually embracing it.
The Mets want to turn a horrific financial decision into a real baseball holiday, celebrating Bonilla’s business acumen.
Considering Steve Cohen is the richest owner in baseball, worth about $15 billion, he can appreciate a man with great business sense.
“It’s amazing, people stop me all the time,’’ Bonilla, 58, told USA TODAY Sports. “People forget my birthday, but no one forgets July 1. I get more texts and calls that day than any other during the year.’’
Cohen, who was quite aware of Bonilla’s annual salary when he purchased 95% of the team in October for $2.475 billion, reached out to Bonilla three weeks later.
It wasn’t about trying to pay him off.
It certainly wasn’t to complain.
Cohen suggested that they have a Bobby Bonilla Day every year at Citi Field, with Bonilla paraded in a car around the field, and presented an oversized check for all of the fans to see.
While the logistics of the ceremony couldn’t be completed in time this year, the Mets instead have decided to host a Bobby Bonilla Day on July 28.
They engaged in a promotion with Airbnb where four fans can watch the Mets play the Atlanta Braves in a VIP suite. The fans can spend the night in the two double beds, have permission to use Mets’ weight room and showers the following morning, and even throw out the first pitch the following day game against Atlanta.