Logan Phillips
Senior Editor
Every time I go to the stadium, I can’t help but question if it was really worth it. As you walk by on one side of the street, you see an absolutely beautiful $1.5 billion mecca of baseball, while on the other side of the street, you see the old stadium looming, empty and silent. How can your heart not wrench when you see one of the greatest baseball stadiums of all time in neglect? It might seem strange to be so sentimental over an old building but, when a place holds so many memories for myself and millions of New Yorkers, it’s tough to see it go. This was the place that provided countless nights where nothing in life mattered but the outcome of the game, and the place that literally shook from the roar of the crowd in a postseason game, and the place I saw my first ever ball game years ago. I love the new place, but with so much lost, I can’t make up my mind whether building a new stadium was a good decision. However, since it’s here to stay for at least the next thirty years, Yankee fans like me have no choice but to embrace it, and there is a lot to embrace.
It doesn’t necessarily have to cost a fortune to go to a game. Although the best seats in the house are outrageously priced, there are plenty of bargains if you don’t mind sitting up a bit higher. It is possible to go to a game on a $30-50 budget. It only costs $20-25 to get a third or fourth deck seat, and the train, (which conveniently goes directly to Yankee Stadium), costs $10-13. If you eat before or after the game, you can save yourself an extra $10 because the cheapest drinks and food (including water) cost $5. If you don’t mind standing, you might just want to go to ground level and watch the game standing behind the home plate seats. Sure your legs get tired, but you get the same view as the Legend Seats for about $2000 cheaper.
One great attribute to the new stadium is its efficient security system. The old Yankee Stadium was one of few stadiums you’d have to wait in line for ten minutes. Now each gate has at least 10 entrances, each of which has their own security guard, so there is no wait at all.
Not only that, the attractiveness of the stadium as a whole contributes to the experience. The moment you enter the stadium, you’ll find yourself in the massive Great Hall. Covered wall to wall with banners of past and present Yankee greats, the 383 ft room is simply stunning, and it’s always cool looking at the 24 by 36 ft High-Resolution Video Screen (bigger then most other centerfield jumbo-trons) where you can see anything from Jeter’s great play from last night, to Bucky Dent’s pennant winning homerun. To put it simply, the Great Hall, is, well, great.
Yankee Stadium is the perfect place for a rain delay. When you go inside, there are a slew of things to do in the stadium other then watch the game. It has three restaurants (including its own Hard Rock Café), souvenir shops, and, the famous museum, Monument Park. Just walking around is great. Because the park is so open and beautiful, you never know what you’re going to find around the corner, whether it’s a World Series trophy or memorabilia from the original 1920’s Yankee Stadium. If it’s your first time and you don’t think you’re going to come back for a while, get there two or three hours early. The line for Monument Park can be an hour. That being said, there is so much to see that it’s almost impossible to do everything in one visit no matter how early you get there.
Yankee Stadium food is not your typical ballpark food. Want a steak? They’ve got it. In the mood for a burrito or a New York potato knish? They’ve got it. Craving a wooden noodle bowl? Well, they’ve got that too. And don’t worry, if you just want a good, old-fashioned hot dog or a box of Cracker Jacks, they’ve got you covered -as long as you’re willing to pay about two-three times the price it will cost you anywhere else! Yankee Stadium has a incredible variety of food, and it’s pretty good, too.
Overall, Yankee Stadium can be a wonderful experience. The stadium is gorgeous, and with a team like a Yankees, there is a good chance they’ll win, too. It might never be the “$5 bargain” that the old place was, but this place is pretty sweet too.
Photos by: Logan Phillips
