Friday, March 27, 2009

Some New Stadium Stuff, And It's Not All Good

First, a couple new photo galleries were posted. Here's one from the NY Post, I've posted a few sample shots below.




And here's another from Jared Max over at WFAN.com posted this gallery of new pics of the new stadium. And again I've posted a few samples below:





Peter Abraham tells us two things about the new stadium: First, if you plan on drinking beer at games (I do!) you'll most likely be drinking Budweiser. The Beer of the World stand will still be there too.

And now for some bad news. This is also from Peter Abraham about the new stadium not being conducive to television broadcasts ... and no I'm not kidding:

Word is that the new Stadium is not particularly conducive to television cameras. The camera behind home plate, for instance, will have to shoot through the protective netting. Unlike the steeper old Stadium, there is no position to get a clean shot from that angle.

YES folks also say the camera locations down the lines are not optimal. There is already talk that YES, ESPN and other broadcast entities will request changes.

Hopefully they fix those problems and fix them fast.

Peter has even more info, this time he let's us know that if you plan on parking at the new stadium it's going cost you at $19 bucks. And that is just one of the reasons why I take the train to the stadium.

More disturbing news about the new stadium comes to us from Ross over at New Stadium Insider. He's reporting that the new Yankee Stadium A-Z guide has been updated and it states that fans who do not have seats for the lower levels will not access to them. Here's more from Ross:
We have mentioned before that one of the most enjoyable aspects of going to baseball games is roaming around the stadium and checking out all of the nooks and crannies of the ballpark. Never before have we been to a ballpark that does not let fans explore the concessions on an entire level of the Stadium. We have been to Camden Yards in Baltimore, Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia and Safeco Field in Seattle in the past few years and NONE of those stadiums have this policy.

To prevent us from using the facilities or making purchases on an entire level is really creating social stratification in the new Yankee Stadium that we are not comfortable with. This also means that the middle-class family coming to Yankee Stadium to see their heroes suit up in the pinstripes will not be able to watch batting practice from the Field Level or try to procure autographs from their favorite players.
To me this is absolutely ridiculous. Ross goes on to compare the new stadium to the Titanic, where the "lower-class" people are packed in tightly in the upper levels and the rich have all the amenities down stairs. Seems like a fair comparison to me.

22 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Greg,

Is that possible? It makes no sense. Everybody enters at the lower level and needs to go up escalators/elevators to access the upper decks. So, it would seem to me that they will absolutely have access to the lower level because it is where you walk in. It is where the great hall is, the Yankees team store, etc. They aren't going to keep 20,000 fans out of those areas. No way! If that is true, I too would have a HUGE probem with it.

Anonymous said...

They built amentities for each sections. Like the bleacher creatures will have there own bathrooms, consessions, access to the roof in the sports bar etc etc.

Those field level seats are very expensive of course they are going to get some perks.

I was listening to Boomer and Carton yesterday and they both are Mets fans who toured yankee stadium and Boomer said it was the best stadium he ever saw. I am pumped to go.

Mario said...

i'm excited but its becoming somewhat muted, it just seems for every 1 or 2 steps forward, they take a huge step back,

Anonymous said...

Again, makes you scratch your head and say, what are the Yankees thinking!

Unknown said...

This type of thing is the same as most football stadiums. You have the ticket/security guard at the top of the section and he checks your seats to see if you are allowed to go to that section. Yea it kinda sucks, but its not like people wont go because of this.

Bentton said...

we all might as well go to the old stadium, and sit in there, and let crickets occupy the new digs!

Anonymous said...

Those people paid alot of money for those privileges. Make more money, buy better tickets, get more for your money. Pretty simple its called life in america.

Unknown said...

I don't believe this is true. I think it just means to walk down to the field level you need those seats. I doubt they will limit access to concourse it would be too hard logistically.

Anonymous said...

unbelievable.. this means i will probably never be on the field level in my life, unless i win the lottery.
sometimes the Yankees just make me shake my head. The fans are what made u successful! Not the other way around!

Anonymous said...

I think it's going to be more similar to the old yankee stadium situation than we think. The old yankee stadium had ushers that didn't allow access down to the field as well. The seats closest to the field will all be ushered off but I would imagine that the seats beginning in mid outfield and wrapping around the foul pole will be more accessible, just like in the old place. Pittsburgh has a similar layout and the inner seats are blocked off but you can go closer to the field in the outfield.

Unknown said...

Most recent anonymous...i dont think you are right because the new stadium will have ushers at the top of a section because it is all considered field level. The old stadium had field and main on the same "level" that has now changed for the new park

Anonymous said...

absurd

Anonymous said...

What they should do is sell Yankee branded folding chairs to take and sit at the grandstands. $$$$$$$$$$

Thats right I am smart!

Anonymous said...

The Yankees are fascist.

Anonymous said...

Then just buy the expensive tickets if you want to see the field level. If you cant afford them thats to bad but thats life. I love cars too I cant afford a Porsche. People need to stop moaning about tickets.

Greg Cohen said...

You should be able to walk around the stadium if that's what you'd like to do. I can understand not letting fans go into the premium seats themselves, they did that at the old stadium too, but you should be able to walk around the concourses, etc.

Anonymous said...

If you want to walk around the stadium then go on a stadium tour.

Anonymous said...

I notice that they also change their camera policy. They will no longer all cameras with extended zoom or professional cameras.

Anonymous said...

I have blueprints that identify the concourse right behind the field level seats as "private concourse" and the concourse along the outer wall (including the Great Hall) as "public concourse."

And there are "ornamental gates" that seperate the two areas.

Jenny Talia said...

Budweiser is for red necks and hicks! They better have me some Heineken, nah mean?

Greg Cohen said...

"I have blueprints that identify the concourse right behind the field level seats as 'private concourse' and the concourse along the outer wall (including the Great Hall) as 'public concourse.'"

That makes sense anon.

And Jenny, yes there will be Heineken at the new stadium.

rpb said...

In one of my first posts on this site, I talked about the "Class Distinction" the Yankees have created with the "walled off" premium section. Keep the average people away from the upper class.

Later, when I wrote about the 3-D seat locator page on the Yankee web site I noted that when you collapse the levels it appeared that each level was walled off. Keeping the fans from enjoying the whole building.

It appears that THE "GREAT HALL" will be the "grand central station" of the building. Taking the place of the "bat" as the place to meet. From the hall, fans will have access to the team store, Hard Rock, stairways. elevators, museum, and the various levels including the bleachers.

Most of the new stadiums I've visited, restrict access to the suite levels but not access to the lower levels. In fact, most allow you to sit in the "good seats" after the 6th or 7th inning. They do stop you from walking down the aisle during an at bat (you wait for a break in the action). This is out of courtesy to the other fans watching the game and I have always found this a nice feature. But unlike NY, others cities don't make their fans feel like criminals by "patting them down" or stoping them from upgrading their seat after a proper amount of time has past.

The one thing I hope the do "ban" is the umbrella. I'm tired of trying to see over some idiot's umbrella with thr rain getting my shoes wet.

Poor camera angles, poor site lines, obstructed views - I think Costanza di have soemthing to do with this stadium.

On the bright side - I was surprised to see that with my season package were tickets to the workout prior to the Cubs game, finally a nice touch.