Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Obstructed View Bleacher Seats To Cost $5

You know those obstructed views in the bleachers that I've spoken about a few times? Well it turns out that fans who sit there won't have to pay the regular $12 price tag. Instead, those seats will sell for just $5. Here's more from Neil Best (Hat tip to Scott Proctor's Arm):
Yankees COO Lonn Trost just said on WFAN that the 600 obstructed view seats in the bleachers of the new Yankee Stadium will be sold for $5 apiece, not $12!

Hmm. This is new, no? Monday Trost said they cost $12 apiece, which also was the price indicated on the team's Web site
Yes, it is new. And it's the smart move. I don't think fans realize how much of the field is cut off by that stupid restaurant. To be honest, they should probably be giving those tickets away.

31 Comments:

Anonymous said...

They should, but I still wouldn't buy them......well I might.

Anonymous said...

I dont think its that bad. You cant even buy a movie ticket for $5
You can still see everything except for part of the opposite side field. And you will have tv's there. So for 5 bucks getting into yankee stadium is pretty good.

rpb said...

This should have been avoided in the first place. I wrote and told both Trost and Levine about this and other problems in early 2007. They ignored it. There is no excuse for approving a plan that included obstructed views at any price.
Shame on them! This is now pure public relations posturing.

Anonymous said...

LOL of course there is a good
Reason to allow this design with the center field resturant obstruction it is called money. This is a business folks , a resturant and bar in center will create a lot more revenue then nothing outthere and more money then the12$ and 5$. Tickets thr may not be sold as a result of those obstructions. It's funny how you think they are fools or inconsisderate , again it's a business , we are lucky thy didn't replace the bleachers with seats a
Charge 50$ for those seats out there

Anonymous said...

this is so gay. crap seats are crap and hok sucks. i've done some drawings uaing the existing plans and they could have done a restaurant in the outfield that would suck for bleecher seats. its lame and a shame. just as a starting point to illustrate that you dont have to suffer crap consider the restaurant in center field at wriggly.

Anonymous said...

Corx that Wouldn't suck.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe the amount of fans complaining about those "obstructed seats".
I've seen pictures of those seats from the obstructed angle and honestly the view isn't that bad. You still see most of the field.

The difference between $5 and $12 isn't significant. I don't understand what the issue is you hardly can see anything to begin with from that distance in the stadium. Can't see homeplate, can't see the players on deck etc...

For $5 or $ 12 back there you can do alot. Walk around the standing room area, get into the CF sports bar, go to the outdoor food court which will be available to everyone who sits in the bleachers.

I'm not sure why Yankee fans are complaining so much. This isn't the 1950's where you can get a great seat for $12. There's a reason why those bleacher tickets are so cheap.

And there will be televisions on the side of the restaurant so you won't miss anything. Really how much more do you want?

Anonymous said...

Why would they make obstructed viewing seats? Aren't construction workers smart enough these days to do it right?

Anonymous said...

It's not the construction workers it's just how they designed the ballpark. Which is kind of stupid.

Anonymous said...

Its that old time feel they're tryin to get at

Greg Cohen said...

To the anon who said they can't believe fans are upset about this,

There are certain seats in the bleachers where you can't see half the field. $1.3 billion dollars and there are seats where you can't see half the field? I'm sorry, but that's fucking ridiculous.

And the difference between $5 and $12 dollars is significant. Especially if we're talking about a full season or half season package. That's more that half off the price. It ends up being a big deal.

Regarding bleacher seats being cheap for a reason. The only reason I can think of is the lack of a back to the seat. Besides that they're great seats. At least they used to be in the old stadium. Especially in right field. Good view + the best fans in the stadium ain't so bad.

How much more do I want? How about normal views, you know, like we had in the old stadium. For $1.3 billion there should be no obstructed views. NONE.

Anonymous said...

we are the best team with the best fans why shouldn't we get the best stadium with no obstructions no matter how cheap the tickets are. But still its a good deal to get to be at the stadium for only 5 dollars anyway

Anonymous said...

Most new stadiums have obstructed seats. Even Citifield has them. Nothing much you can do about it.

Listen you get what you pay for. If you great seats you pay for it. What can I say.

There's not much a Yankee fan IMO could complain about. Five freaking dollars you're talking about.
And I'm sorry buy to me there isn't a significant difference between five and twelve dollars. At least not to me.

And the 1.3 billion dollars isn't about the way the stadium is shaped. The price tag has nothing to with what's obstructed and what's not.

Anonymous said...

Just dont buy those 5 dollar tickets. Get the 12 dollar bleacher seats they are nice.

Greg Cohen said...

I've sat in every section of the right and left field bleachers at the old stadium. There was not one obstructed view - not one.

And if your paying for season tickets there is a major difference between $5 and $12 per seat. You really don't have to be a math whiz to figure this one out.

Let's say you have two seats for 41 games. If they're $5 per seat that's $410. If you're paying $12 per seat it's $984. There's a major difference there.

Anonymous said...

The Phillies new ballpark Citizen Bank has some obstructed seats. I dont think there are any newer ballparks without some obstructed seats.

Greg Cohen said...

Anon, that doesn't mean it's right. The more I see of the new stadium the more I wish they kept the old one.

Anonymous said...

Greg, I agree it does suck and it is not fair but that is the whole reason why all these baseball teams want new stadiums. So they could build restaurants and other things to generate more revenue.

From what I read and heard all the seats are much better and have better sightlines than the old stadium. If you are not buying those 5 dollar obstructed view tickets it will still be an upgrade for the fans compared to the older stadium. Thats just how I look at it.

Anonymous said...

Also just wondering are there any seats with obstructed view in the old yankee stadium? I usually just sat in the bleachers?

Greg Cohen said...

That's fair, I can't argue with that.

However, I always sit in the bleachers, that's where I have the most fun. But now 600 of those seats are tainted. Last year you could sit anywhere in either side of the bleachers and see the whole field, this year you can't. That bothers me. That's where I'm coming from.

Greg Cohen said...

Yes, there were seats in the upper deck where you couldn't see parts of the outfield.

Anonymous said...

Listen , to all of you fools, if you are a yankee fan and like to see the team live, i suggest you learn to live with the new place because its not going anywhere. Complain all you want but it is what it is , and it is not going to be changed. If you wish to see the entire field i suggest you either watch it on tv, or start saving your money for better seats - thats all that can be said for you people.

Anonymous said...

btw If you would rather they eliminate those obstructed seats from the stadium and reduce the capacity , mabey you should suggest that to them b.c thats the only way these seats are fixed, by not having them at all.

Greg Cohen said...

Anon,

What the hell are you talking about?

We fans had no problem with the old stadium. We didn't need a new $1.3 billion stadium full of high-end restaurants and clubs. Real fans don't need that nonsense.

Some people don't have the luxury of saving up money for baseball tickets. They need to pay their bills. They can afford what they can afford.

Years ago going to a Yankees game wasn't a luxury, it was just something people did. It's a shame that it has become an event for the rich.

And if they are going to force a $1.3 billion stadium down our throats the least they could do is give up seats that aren't obstructed.

Greg Cohen said...

Or they could eliminate that ugly eye sore of a restaurant in center. Many of the new ballparks have grass as the batter's eye in center.

Anonymous said...

Pay $5 for the seats and then go walk around. If reports are correct, bleacher ticket holders can roam the entire stadium, so go find a good standing room spot and watch the game from there. For $5, you can't really complain.

rpb said...

Trent Trost and Randy Levine talking to George Steinbrenner after the ground breaking for the new Stadium.

George: Trent/Randy, I'm looking at this model here and I don't see how the fans in the bleachers can see around this restaurant in centerfield?

Trent/Randy: Boss, this restaurant will make us more money in one homestand, then selling 1,000 bleacher seats at double the $12 asking price for a month of games. Its a gold mine. Like printing money.

George: But what about the fans?

Trent/Randy: The fans? The fans? They're sheep. They'll follow us anywhere. They'll be grateful just be able to get in the place. Obstructed views George? The patrons in the restaurant will have great views, who gives a shit about a few fans paying $12 bucks. Hell, if they complain, we'll ignore them. The press wont care, they have great seats behind home plate, heat, AC, we feed them. Shit, they're sheep too. They write whatever we tell them. The media? OK, we drop the price for a while, that'll keep them at bay, make us look like we give a shit. We're telling you Boss, its the big spender, the corporate dollars, that's what we're after. Its win/win for us.

George: you know me, I want the fans to be happy.

Lonn/Randy: The big corporate spenders will love you Boss. They are the fans! They'll spend big money to come to your new house and its their money we're after. The $12 bleachers guy? Colateral damage. Price of doing business. In fact, we wanted to put another restaurant in the grandstands but the engineer said it would'nt hold the weight. We said put some steel column under it to hold it up.

George: Won't the steel columns obstruct the views of some of the seats? Fans would have to look around them. Like the original stadium. Can't have that Randy, can't have that Lonn.

Levine/Trost: Boss we got obstructed views everyhere, at every level. Handicap platforms, steel column in the main level. The assholes, I mean fans wont mind them, like we said, they'll be happy just to get in the place. In fact, we're thinking of putting some tables on the handicap platforms and calling them outdoor cafe's. We'll get more for the seats, plus they have to spend money for a meal. Big money there Boss.

George: I see, OK the centerfield restaurant can stay, but no steel column holding up another restaurant in the grandstand. I don't think we can get away with two big restaurants.

Trost/Levine: Wait, we'll put it off a big hallway away from the seats. They can watch the game on TV.

George: Who is going to pay good money to get into the stadium and then sit in a restaurant with no view of the field?

Trost/Levine: The same assholes, I mean fans who'll pay money to sit in a seat where they can't see the whole field. We're telling you Boss, they're sheep. Win a few games and they'll forgive and forget anything. Hell, if we had our way, the whole bleacher area would be a restaurant. Big bucks, great views from those tables.

George: OK you seem to have it all covered. As long as the fans are happy.

Levine/Trost: Boss the corporate fans will love you and pay big money to be associated with the Yankees.

George: And the cab drivers? the firefighters? the average working guy?

Levine/Trost: They'll be happy to get in and see the place. Don't worry Boss.

Greg Cohen said...

LOL, fantastic job rpb!

Give me a title and I'm making that a post tomorrow. Of course you will get credit.

Anonymous said...

LOL boo hoo for all us poor yankee fans , please fellas if you don't like the Yankees money making strategies then I suggest you don't go. For the last 15 years all these teams around the league have been making money from these new stadiums now the Yankees get their turn. And they are. Packing the place with loads if money making areas such as the centerfield resturant . Cry all you want , but the fact of the matter is this is new York, shit costs alot if you can't deal with that I suggest you move or don't go to games . But things aren't getting any cheaper anytime soon. You can feel betrayed or whatever but it won't do you. Any good , they don't care about 600 people who have obstructed views for 5$. Why ? Bexuase they are too concernved with dealing with the sales of their actual moneymaker which is the premium seats and luxury suits . -again this is and always will be a business .

rpb said...

Thanks Greg after reading some of the comments... well you know.

A title?

Restaurant of Dreams - Build it, and they will come!

maybe you can come up with soemthing more clever

Again, thanks

Greg Cohen said...

That works... I just have to make one edit; his name in Lonn Trost.