The New York Mets love to tweak the name of their spring training home. This is the fifth name change in the 17 years the park has been open.
Welcome to Clover Park.
According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, the New York Mets have decided it was time to rename their spring training home.
The Mets have renamed their spring training complex for the fifth time in 17 years, this time to Clover Park. Name history:
-Thomas J. White Stadium
-Tradition Field
-Digital Domain Park
-Tradition Field (again)
-First Data Field
-Clover Park— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) January 13, 2020
The Mets have changed the park’s name a dizzying number of times. When it first opened in 1988, it was named Thomas J. White Stadium.
The park was named after the man who worked to bring baseball to St. Lucie, real estate mogul Thomas J. White. In 2004, the stadium changed names for the first time.
With the Wilpons looking for a way to add revenue, they sold the naming rights in 2004. The Tradition Landing Company bought the rights and the Mets changed the park’s name to Tradition Field.
In 2010, the name would be abruptly changed again. During a game with the Atlanta Braves, the Mets quickly announced the stadium would be called Digital Domain Park. This was the result of the Mets agreeing to a multi-year deal with Digital Domain for naming rights.
The deal with Digital Domain lasted much shorter than expected. The deal was canceled after two years. In response, the Mets worked out a naming rights deal with the community of Tradition, Florida. This prompted them to rename the field to Tradition Field yet again.
The stadium changed names again in 2017. The Mets agreed to a partnership deal with First Data and renamed the field First Data field. The deal was originally for 10 years.
During the offseason, Fiserv bought out First Data. The naming rights transferred from First Data to Fiserv as a result. As part of the agreement, the Mets agreed to rename the field for the fifth time in 17 years. That’s how the park has come to be known as Clover Park.
A long and arduous journey that shows the results of a constant search for a better deal. If this history lesson doesn’t give New York Mets fans caution about the Steve Cohen deal, nothing will.
