New York City Mayor Eric Adams, alongside the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), has recently projected that the home games of the New York Yankees and New York Mets will bring in a staggering $909 million in economic activity for the city during the 2025 MLB regular season. The announcement comes as a bolster to a city already witnessing a resurgence under the Adams administration. Mayor Adams expressed enthusiasm for the teams' economic contribution, stating, “Today’s numbers show that our hometown teams continue to be a home run for our local economy. Whether you are a Mets or Yankees fan, when our teams play in New York City, we all win,” according to a statement from the Mayor's office.
Adams highlighted the importance of the local sports scene in driving economic growth and job creation. Further accentuating the point, NYCEDC President and CEO Andrew Kimball noted “Baseball is a key driver of our local economy — creating jobs, supporting small businesses, and encouraging both New Yorkers and visitors to spend money in our city,” endorsing the sentiment that both visitors and local New Yorkers tend to spend more amidst the baseball season. The projection was meticulously calculated, accounting for direct impacts from visitor spending -- including tickets, concessions, merchandise, and other related expenditures -- as well as payrolls for stadium employees and additional spending rippling through the economy, as detailed by the Mayor's office.
The breakdown of the projected impact is such that the Yankees’ home games are expected to generate a higher economic impact than the Mets, namely $594 million versus $315 million, respectively, throughout the 2025 regular season. This disparity is ascribed mostly to the Yankees' higher ticket prices and more robust expected attendance numbers, grounded not on present performance but rather historical attendance figures from seasons past, as explained in the official announcement.
In line with the hopeful projections, NYC's tourism sector is also picking up pace, with 2024 seeing nearly 65 million visitors, only a hair's breadth away from breaking pre-pandemic records. This is coupled with New York City marking an all-time high in total job numbers, sporting a record-breaking 4,861,813 jobs, an achievement celebrated by Mayor Adams earlier this month. The connection between the city's economic health and the prosperity brought by America's favorite pastime appears to be more than just a swing and a hit.
New York State Assemblywoman Larinda C. Hooks emphasized the critical nature of the projected revenues in creating "real jobs" and empowering local businesses, indicating a community-centered approach towards economic strategy. And it's not just baseball stirring the pot. The imminent transformation of Willets Point near the Mets' Citi Field is hailed as an exciting development by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., who is equally thrilled about the Mets’ potential and the economic home run they represent for Queens.
