You can feel the excitement and curiosity when one of the most famous and successful franchises in sports known as the New York Yankees opens up a mosaic-like stadium that leaves fans everywhere with their jaws on to the ground and their eyes bulging out of their heads, similar to Jim Carey in “The Mask.”
Indeed, the New Yankee stadium might be the hot girl that stands out and draws attention, or that brand new car that has heads turning while it shines with brightness, but the bottom line is that the New Yankee stadium does not carry that same gritty baseball feel that the old stadium did- when your adrenaline was pumping and you were ready to watch the Yankees play.
Back in the old place, fans went to the park and were ready to watch baseball.
Instead, in the new ballpark, it seems that the fans are only interested in the many new amenities that the New Yankee stadium has to offer, such as their famous steakhouse called NYY Steak, a few bars and, of course the museum displaying all of the traditional Yankee memorabilia worn by the all-time Yankee greats such as Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth.
The outside has a vintage look of the original Yankee stadium that was built in 1923. With the old stadium standing right across the street looking like an abandoned building, your heart will get heavy and your thoughts will go back to the history and special memories that were created there, such as Aron Boone’s walk-off home run against the Red Sox that took the Yankees to the World Series in 2003, Derek Jeter’s diving catch into the crowd where he came out cut up and bloody and Charlie Hayes’ game-winning catch, which induced the Yankees 1996 World Series win.
That’s not to say that their isn’t any history in the new ballpark, as you’ll find out quickly upon entering the New Yankee Stadium.There is a huge screen in which fans can see themselves as they walk around. There are also banners of all different Yankee greats such as Paul O’Neil, Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth. This gives the stadium a historic touch. However, there are several restaurants and sports stores that while fans will find entertaining, it kind of breaks up the baseball feel a bit too much. There are bars in which fans can have drinks while watching the game. Seats and tables are set up outside for people to sit down and eat a snack before or during the ball game.
While watching the game itself, the view from the field is similar to the old Yankee Stadium in the sense that it shares the same dimensions and nothing about the field looks immensely different. In comparison to the old stadium, the seats are a bit more comfortable, but are crammed too close together. With less seats and being farther away from the field, the noise does not have the same static as it did in the old place. In the old Yankee Stadium, you literally felt the place shake when there was a big hit in a pivotal moment in the game, or when there was a game-winning run scored. In the new Stadium, it seems that the fans are less vocal and not as much involved as they were before.
Maybe this is because they are mostly walking around or just hanging by the bars.
The food at the New Yankee stadium is tremendously expensive, with a bottle of beer costing nine dollars and a small ice cream that could barely fit in your hand costing five. With edible expenses quickly emptying wallets, pulling a MacGyver and bringing your own food and beverages is strongly advised.
Nevertheless, in spite of the mall-like feel and lack of overall comfort, the New Yankee stadium is a still a worthwhile experience. Times have changes and the New York Yankees have changed with it, catering more to a fan that wishes to do more than simply watch a baseball game while at the stadium. However, with a beauty that is evocative of a palace, watching the real game on the field is a huge treat for any true Yankee fan.
In the end, that’s all that matters.
Leave a Reply