Mets Honor McDonald's Grimace With a Purple Seat

The beloved mascot became the team's good luck charm

McDonald’s beloved Grimace mascot, threw out the first pitch at Citi Field on his birthday, June 12. At the time, the New York Mets were .500. After Grimace’s not-so-fastball went viral and the Mets went on a hot streak, winning their next seven games. 

As the season winds down and the Amazins vie for a playoff spot, the team’s good luck charm returned to Citi on Monday to help unveil a commemorative purple seat created in his honor and timed to fan appreciation night.

Located in section 302, row 6, seat 12—an homage to the date of the big guy’s pitch—the Grimace seat will be around for at least the remainder of the season. The seat sold out and is up for resale on secondary markets.

“When we initially had Grimace out for his first pitch, I don’t think anyone could have anticipated what came next in terms of how our fan base embraced Grimace, coupled with an incredible win streak from the team,” says Andy Goldberg, CMO of the Mets. “We obviously were watching how our fans and social media were reacting closely, and only after our fans had fully embraced it did we even start to dip our toe in the water.  We have some of the best and most passionate fans in all of sports and it was important to really let the fans own and run with this.  Since that initial wave, we of course kept an eye on the Grimace phenomenon and had ongoing conversations with McDonald’s, who is a long-standing partner, on if and when we might lean back into the Grimace phenomenon.”

An how do Mr. and Mrs. Met feel about the Grimace phenomenon?

“They absolutely get along and have embraced each other—in fact I would say they are all best friends now,” Goldberg tells Muse. “At the end of the day—all three are Mets fans.”

LFGM!