As a lifelong Yankees fan, I’ve been dying to get to the new stadium. And now that I’ve made it there, here’s my take on the Good, the Bad and the What Were They Thinking?
[b]The Good[/b]:
The new Yankee stadium indeed has a few things going for it. For one, the seats are angled much better than in the old stadium, so you don’t have to be all twisted around to watch the game. Also, the seats themselves are much better ergonomically designed, so even though they’re still plastic, theyAs a lifelong Yankees fan, I’ve been dying to get to the new stadium. And now that I’ve made it there, here’s my take on the Good, the Bad and the What Were They Thinking?
[b]The Good[/b]:
The new Yankee stadium indeed has a few things going for it. For one, the seats are angled much better than in the old stadium, so you don’t have to be all twisted around to watch the game. Also, the seats themselves are much better ergonomically designed, so even though they’re still plastic, they’re pretty comfortable, and there’s much more leg room than in the old stadium. Also, lots of cup holders, that’s good.
The scoreboard in center field is amazing. Talk about instant replay! Awesome quality. Really adds to the experience.
What I also really like is how open the thoroughfares are. There’s plenty of room to walk around between concession stands. Its airy. A big improvement. And walking in on the ground level is pretty darn impressive, with massive banners of the all-time Yankees hanging from the rafters.
And all in all, it’s very big and clean. All thumbs up.
[b]The Bad[/b]:
Yankees stadium is big. Way. Too. Big. The biggest problem is that it’s a stadium, and not a ballpark. You walk in and it’s this giant cathedral with white concrete and massive ceilings, so fine that it’s shouting–Don’t touch! It’s like visiting a museum. Well, I don’t want to visit a museum. I want to see the game!
When it comes to the actual game, in the stands, you’re too far from the field. It’s so … distant. There’s a level of being removed from the field experience that it’s hard to get energized about the action on the field. Why did they do this? It makes no sense.
The prices are outrageous. The seats alone are ridiculously overpriced, but here are a few other examples: A program is $10. Give me a break. And in the Yankees store, the cheapest T-shirt is $30! Who can afford this stuff? Beers are $9 each. The pricing alone is a slap in the face. The new Yankees stadium wasn’t built for the everyday fan; it was built for [i]rich people[/i].
When it comes to concession stands, well … where are they? They couldn’t give you a few more choices? Go to any other new ball park and you’ve got a much bigger selection. Plus, the Nathan’s hot dog stand where we were sitting ran out of hot dogs and french fries! Huh? Dude. Get your act together.
[b]What the Heck Were They Thinking?[/b]
The biggest travesty of the new Yankees Stadium is that is has no heart. It’s a cold, uninviting mausoleum. It’s Yankee Stadium for crying out loud! But you walk around the thoroughfares above the first level and there’s nothing but white concrete walls. What the heck were they thinking?
The Yankees are the greatest sports franchise in American history, and there’s not a single plaque on the walls. Not a banner, no Yankee blue. Nothing. You’re telling me you couldn’t hang some championship banners? Or have time lines along the walls detailing the history of the Yankees? How about some plaques? Some notices announcing Yankee records?
You’ve got a [b]$1.5 BILLION[/b] facility, and it’s essentially blank? Except along the outfield, which is essentially nothing but advertisements.
Good gravy.
[b]Final Thoughts:[/b]
It pains me to say this, but as it stands now, the new Yankee Stadium is an unmitigated failure. They blew it. They absolutely blew it. And you know what, I’m probably going to go to a lot more Met games from now on, because they got it way more right. I can’t believe I’m saying it, but that’s how it is.
My call to the Yankees: I’m begging you to fix your mistakes. Because if not, I won’t be coming around too often.
