For more information on what that headline is all about here's a press release from
the Yankees:
NEW YORK - July 13, 2009 - The New York Yankees today announced the creation of Yankees Universe, an official fan club granting members exclusive benefits, unique access and special savings.
Membership privileges extend to all aspects of the fan experience, including exclusive Web site advantages, outstanding discounts on official Yankees Clubhouse merchandise, and Fast Track entrance perks on game day, all for only $19.95 for a membership valid through the end of the year. Fans may sign up for the club on MLB.com or Yankees.com.
All members of Yankees Universe will have access to special content on the members-only Web site, including behind-the-scenes video of Yankee Stadium, player interviews, chats, photos and articles. Members will also receive a complimentary subscription to Gameday Audio on MLB.com, providing the ability to listen to live baseball games online, as well as the archives of those games.
Yankees Universe members will receive a 10 percent discount on merchandise, valid at participating Yankees Clubhouse stores. Members can also save with special online offers routinely delivered via e-mail and/or the Yankees Universe Web site.
For regular season home games, all Yankees Universe Members (with membership card and valid ticket) can enter at Gate 2 without delay. In addition, on each Wednesday, Thursday afternoon and Sunday during regular season home game, members can enter Yankees Museum through a Fast Track entrance.
Upon registering, new members will be issued a personal membership card and New York Yankees sticker.
"A membership to Yankees Universe gives fans the chance to experience a world of new and unique team essentials," said Christy Lee, Director of Yankees Fan Club. "We are proud to offer Yankees Universe to the best fans in the world."
In continuance with the New York Yankees longstanding commitment to the Department of Pediatrics at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Yankees Universe will donate a portion of its proceeds to support the hospital's research and treatment initiatives for children with cancer.
This is apparently the Bronx version of Red Sox Nation. I'm not a big fan of these types of wacky gimmicks, but if other fans like it who am I to complain.
5 Comments:
The Yankees have actually had a fan club for the past few years. They just renamed it to Yankees Universe, which has been their long-term fundraiser for Memorial Sloan-Kettering. They also lowered the membership fee from $35 to $20.
I guess that either:
a) The fan club, in its previous form was a failure.
b) The Yankees' revenue has gone up tremendously with the new stadium that they could part with whatever they made from the fan club, instead choosing to expand their support of the existing Yankees Universe plan.
Ahhh, I see.
I see something here that's more than a newsletter, web site access and some discounts. I have no problem with any of that for whatever the going rate.
The item that strikes me as odd is the "Fat Track Entrance". What does that mean? No bag check? No pat down? Leave the phone in your pocket and keep your hat on? I thought these measures were done in the name of "security". Now don't get me wron, I think the "security " measures that all the NY teams take are out of hand and really accomplish nothing as far as ensuring the site is secure from weapons etc (I can have a 9mm on my ankle and they would never know. Besides, all that I've encountered didn't have a clue how to contuct a proper search, so what's the point)
If this is the case, I find this interesting that the Yankees may be selling the ability to bypass security for a price. In light that I just went to 3 games in Anaheim where I, along with 44,000 other fans, were "fast tracked" for all three games. No pat down, kept the hat on and the phone in my pocket, etc. They did check fans that had bags, some of them large bags with food and drink. This was all done very quickly, with little fuss and it didn't cost an extra $20.
If "fast Track" means fans enter without the security search etc then the Yankees don't really need the security checks and have really given a new definition to greed.
I like the Yankee Universe idea if it really is generating a large amount of money for the Hospital. On a side note, I was running by some baseball fields near my house. I saw a dad hitting some balls to his kids in the outfield. He ripped one to right field and it hit the fence. His son's reply was if that was Yankee Stadium that ball wouldve been gone dad. Kid was probably 6 or 7. Thought it was hilarious.
-G
haahhaha hilarious G
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