Friday, April 17, 2009

Have our worst fears about the new stadium come true?

Last night, as well as in his game thread, Peter Abraham complained about the lack of noise at yesterday's opener, at one point comparing the new stadium to a church. Today's it's Joel Sherman's turn (hat-tip to Scott Proctor's Arm).
FOR $1.5 billion, the Yankees purchased the best that money could buy when it came to their new stadium -- except for a home-field advantage.
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If regular-season Game 1 of this new building is any indication, the dimensions made it across the street from the old stadium, but not the passion. The Yankees wanted to build a museum, a palace, a mall-park. And what they may have ended up with is the House that Mute Built.

Incredibly, after all the anticipation and hoopla, the sellout crowd at this grand opening had about the same zeal as grandmothers playing mahjong. Why? The ticket prices mean a lot more corporate patronage in the seats close to the field, which means far fewer diehards near the action, screaming, taunting, making it uncomfortable for the opposition.

The claustrophobic feeling an opponent encountered in tough times is gone forever now. The upper deck no longer drapes over the action, but is rather higher and inclined away from the field. The bleachers -- and their creatures -- are now further recessed. The Yanks have played class warfare with their tickets and the result is that their most ardent fans -- those who helped create a 10th-man feel across the street -- will have to all bring microphones to be heard in full in this facility.

Those fans are rumors now to the visiting team. Indians starter Cliff Lee faced runners in scoring position in each of the first five innings. Yet the game might as well have been in Cleveland for all the hostility that reached him. On the other side of 161st Street, Lee would have been made to feel like a gladiator awaiting the lions, the fans in his ear, making him battle for concentration while also coping with the Yankees lineup.

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"It is up to us to get them going and we didn't do that," Johnny Damon said following the Yankees' 10-2 loss. But this was a 1-1 game through six innings and what was clearly missing in the nip-and-tuck was the familiar soundtrack to a game in The Bronx. There was no fervent, rhythmic clapping when CC Sabathia got to two strikes -- and sometimes there was no clapping at all.

Nothing approached thunderous applause, even when Jorge Posada -- playing his first home game since shoulder surgery -- cracked a game-tying homer with two outs in the fifth.

Even the absence of moans and groans in the proper places was overt. Jose Veras walked his first batter on four pitches to open a fateful seventh inning, and there was not typical unease in the stadium. Veras and Damaso Marte collaborated to surrender nine runs in the inning and that, finally, brought some throaty displeasure.

But on what was supposed to be a memorable day, what will be remembered most was the sound of silence.

The Yanks have been slowly losing mystique and aura during an eight-year championship drought, but this felt like all the ghosts had vanished en masse. This felt like there was no more 10th man, no more onerous challenge to rumbling in The Bronx.

It looked like a version of Yankee Stadium, but did not sound like it. This new -- worse -- atmosphere might be permanent. The original park opened in 1923 with a homer from its most famous player and became the House that Ruth Built. This one opened with the volume turned down: The House that Mute Built.

Damon makes a good point, and contrary to what Sherman writes, from the left field bleachers the roar of the crowd during the Posada's homer, as well as Cody Ransom's great diving stop and throw to cut off a run, and Jeter's doubleplay, did sound right. But then again I was in the bleachers for those plays. I'd love to know how those plays sounded from the upper deck/lower bowl, so if any of you that were at the game and sitting in those areas please let me know how it sounded to you.

Again, from the bleachers you really couldn't tell, so my opinion on the subject is somewhat incomplete. I'll be sitting in the upper deck behind home plate on Monday and will get a better idea of things then. There's also a chance that the crowd was flat because the game was boring, but from the things I'm hearing from writers, as well as from people watching the game on TV, it's not looking (or sounding) too good. Losing the "feel" and noise of the old stadium was always my main concerned about the new place. Sadly, it appears that that is exactly what has happend.

28 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Watching on TV it definitely seemed quiet, especially during the introductions. I expected the Pavano boo to a lot louder. My guess and from what I saw on TV is either a) they REALLY cannot sell those legends seats close to the field or b) all these rich people are now watching the game comfortably from inside all these lounges. Who can blame them though, if your gonna pay that much you might as well use everything they supply you with. Ultimately it has to be the fact that the lower deck is now filled corporate wanna be fans more so than ever. It's really a shame but I am still looking forward to tomorrows game in the upper deck!!

Unknown said...

I have my season tickets in section 111, so to my immediate left are the "premium seats" and to my right are the rest of the field lever seats. During big plays the atmosphere to my right was great, and to my left was a joke.

I think a lot of this will change as the season goes on. Right now a lot of people are going to see the stadium not the game, as team passes the fans will be back and it will be all good i think.

dan said...

i think a part of it was that theres like 8,000 less seats.. yesterday's attendance was some where in between 48-49,000. but i also believe that lot of the die hards are were home wacthing on TV.

Anonymous said...

the bars outside the stadium got pretty loud..haha

Anonymous said...

its the first game and we lost by 8.. we never had a lead in the game.. of course the fans arent going to be loud.. i hate when writers write for the sake of writing.. it just wastes my time

Greg Cohen said...

Anon, it was a tie game until the sixth, and the Yankees had runners on base all day. So I don't think these writers are basing it on the final two innings.

Anonymous said...

i saw the game greg, thanks. but yankee fans normally cheer when the yankees show them that they can produce. yankees right off the bat showed that they were going to lay an egg with all of the weak broken bats ground outs with runners on base

Greg Cohen said...

Come on Anon, you know that Yankees fans in the past have gotten loud during rallys, or even to get a rally going. From what I'm hearing (from a lot of people) the field level was asleep during rallys. And the poster above even said the reaction to Posada's homer was a joke.

Anonymous said...

i think what most people need to realize is that this was probably the first time in the new stadium for 90% (if not more) of the fans. most fans are looking around, getting food from new concessions that they never had before and exploring the stadium. sure there was a game going on, but for alot of people touring the new stadium was just as important. as the season goes on i can guarantee the fans will be louder and there wont be an issue

Anonymous said...

should they have given him a curtain call for a solo homer to tie the game in the 5th inning? cmon

Greg Cohen said...

Curtain calls don't mean the crowd is loud. And no, there was no reason for the curtain call.

Anonymous said...

looks like Matsui is out and Miranda called up.

Anonymous said...

looks like Matsui is out and Miranda called up.

Anonymous said...

greg as i said, alot of people probably werent into the game due to the fact that they were exploring the new stadium. it will probably take a litle time for the fans to truly get back into the game and forget about all of that extra stuff

Greg Cohen said...

Yes Anon, and Robertson was sent down too.

And to the other anon, I hope you're right. Like I said in the post, I'll get a better idea Monday when I'm in the upper deck.

The Shape said...

The new stadium's atmosphere sucks.

Anonymous said...

yea.. i think its a whole list of reasons why it wasnt "loud" yesterday, such as it being a day game, high price of tickets that maybe the big fan with season tickets cashed in on by selling their tix for a big profit, the new stadium and everyone exploring it, the fact the yankees never had a lead so the fans were still waiting for something to cheer about.

i'd like to think these are the reasons that will be changed naturally, since it was the first game for most of the fans in yankee stadium. we'll have to wait and see, but lets not forget, our prize pitcher was on the mound today and was all over the place and our prize 1stbaseman was swinging and missing all day bc he couldnt hold the bat with his lead hand. if sabathia came out mowing people down and TEX came up with an rbi double in the first i think the whole atmosphere would have been different

Greg Cohen said...

I hope you're right.

Anonymous said...

Blah blah... I guess little Joel has nothing better to write about.

Greg Cohen said...

If he were the only person saying this, I'd agree with you, but many people are saying the same thing, including fans.

TopofNewYork said...

Definitely quiet on TV and I dont like it at all! I noticed the lack of volume immediately. Even when Jorge hit that homerun, im like why is it so friggin quiet?!?

The upper deck is miles away from where it used to be...the yankees couldn't careless about average joe fans its a corporate monkey house...every new arena in ny will be a corporate monkey house cuz this is the economic capital of the world. Say goodbye to NY home field advantages the only place it still around is the garden

Fans should be on top of the players in their face as much as possible. I hate the idea of the upper deck not being directly on top of the field. THis idea that the angle of the deck was to steep is an after thought argument cooked up by yankee brass
they want more "field level" seats
so they put the 2nd deck on the just above and behind the 1st level
notice it has no roof above it
it creates this second "field level" deck
then they put the upper deck behind and above the second deck.
this makes the upper deck really far away there are probably just as many fans in the upper deck as in the 1st and 2nd deck combined but u cant hear them cuz they are so far away and you have old fart who didnt pay for seats but you kno some government bailout bought mad yankee seats those guys are talking not even watching from decks 1&2

you can rattle a guy from the upper deck in the old stadium in a moment of quiet. Ive done it especially from the 3rd base visitors side
to sell them to corporate monkeys at absurd prices...its not about the fans, the game its about selling tickets.


I couldnt argee with this article more. Im glad it was published and brought up the place is quiet the deck situation is WACK if you look at the stadiums from above
they show the shot all the time on yes the new stadium is much wider cuz of the new deck layout
its not the old stadium its not the original cuz the original had only 2 decks and the second deck was directly above the 1st like its supposed to be!
They got greedy and they fucked it up. Keep in mind the yanks are so big corporate wise nowadays which is different from how they were in the 90s that the only room for growth is like turning it into a huge circus where your there for steaks and sun rather than to watch the yankees win

Peter F. said...

Okay guys. Two things I completely disagree with. I was there and have been a season ticket holder my ENTIRE life. First, opening day crowds STINK. They are like World Series game 1 crowds. Too many celebs, high profile people. Lets hear the crowd this weekend to get a real feel for it. Crowd noise CANNOT be measured on opening day.
Second, Greg, I hardly EVER disagree with you, but Posada didn't deserve a curtain call??? It was the FIRST HOMERUN EVER at the new Stadium. I was hoping it would be hit by a TRUE Yankee, ie Jeter, Posada and it was. The first homer ever hit at the old stadium was Babe Ruth. THAT WAS A BIG DEAL AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN SCHOCKED IF THERE WASN'T A CURTAIN call.

Anonymous said...

peter, i agree that i wanted a "true" yankee to hit the first homer (and i did predict it would be posada before the game) but posada is not babe ruth.. a curtain call is reserved for something like a game winning homer or a player hitting for the cycle.. if you give a standing O for every good thing that happens it waters it down IMHO. but we can agree to disagree on this

Unknown said...

Opening day and 1st game of playoffs/WS always have that corporate/Broadway feel. Not the true average fans at these games but those big shots who need to be "seen". So yesterday is not a true baromoter of what is to be. I was in the grandstands with a lot of other "seasoned" fans and it was pretty mellow for the most part.

However, today I notice on TV a lot of emptey seats in those sections behind home plate and down the lines in both the $2500 area and the "main" sections. People can't afford to even re-sell those sits at market value because they cost way too much. So between those seats not being sold and those corporate fans who only go once in a while, many empty seats for today's game. It appears that most if not all the seats $100 and less list price range throughout the stadium have fans, the more expensive the seat/section the less people at the game. So much for the "fear factor" for the visiting team. Corporate types don't yell.

I don't care what Levine says or how the Yankees try to spin it, that was no sell out yesterday. 48,000 and change is not a sell out! How can the Yankees open a brand new stadium and not have 51-52,000 in the building! Goes to show you they are having more trouble selling seats then they are letting on. Levine can lie and fudge the numbers all he wants but its a disgrace that Yankee Stadium cannot be sold out on opening day. That was his and Trost's job and they failed!!

Anonymous said...

The old stadium didn’t do much for their “home field advantage” the last 5-6 times they were in the post-season. They had a losing record at home in the post-season since 2004 and didn’t even make the playoffs last year.

Anonymous said...

Joel S is an a hole. Does he ever have anything good to say about the yankees? I was there yesterday. It was a bit quiet.I think many die hards sold their tickets. The stadium is magnificant. Before you formulate an opinion, go see it for yourself.Great win today.

Anonymous said...

I'd bet every seat under 150.00 was occupied. The empty seats are the legends 500-2600.00.The Yankees have admitted they are overpriced.That's Hal and Hank's problem.

Mike B. said...

I was there Friday and Saturday and have to say I was very impressed with our new digs. I did not know what to expect, but I must say that the place is beautiful and as time goes by it will become even more of a home to us all. Give it time: soon, we'll all see it as YANKEE STADIUM. BY the way, I sat in RCF Bleacher section 203 on Friday and Main level section 234 (last section in left field) yesterday. Nice all around, but I still prefer sitting in the RCF bleachers.

We need to win it all so we can really feel at home in our new stadium.

Mike