0 I was very disheartened when I read that early on; perhaps I'll never see the inside of the new stadium for two reasons:

A.) Under the current circumstances, I can't afford what would go for decent seats.

B.) If I could afford it, i would be appalled at the idea of spending so much money that could be far more usefully invested or donated to a worthy cause.

Nowadays it's okay to just whistle and say, "oh well, that's the way it goes" as we let billionaires run us out of house and home to suit their own purposes. Did you know Mo Vaughn's been developing low-cost housing around the Bronx? But I suppose that's not as important as premium pricing schemes. I actually agree with him on this, unless he left out some critical details.

Of course, at the first sign of a couple of years of no playoffs, that may all change. Did ticket prices ever go down (I'm thinking 1989-1992)?

Sorry to break it to you Mike, but anyone who watches the game from home can tell you it's been that way since the last few years of the 90's dynasty. People on cell phones, talking to the people behind them, etc, etc. — always sends me into a mini-rage during playoff time because I know if it was ME in those seats, I'd be fixed on the action for all 27 outs like a sniper targeting his prey.

Here's the official policy on the web site re: cameras:

Single-frame flash photography is allowed. All forms of video and motion-picture cameras are strictly prohibited. Guests are also forbidden to use lighting or camera support pods at the Stadium.

Re cameras: I just hope the new stadium will have modern security equipment that will allow fans to bring bags (including laptop bags) into the stadium. Their current policy is absurd.

That's almost enough to make me drive in, so I can leave the bag in the car, but I'll just use my little handheld.

Thanks, guys.

i'm thinking specifically of the 4 seats my broker currently has (i get them 1-2 times/year) - completely great seats right off the home on deck circle.

he fully intends to re-up for the new stadium. i talked to him about this last week in fact. and he doesn't have to get anyone's approval for the expense (even though he works at a giant company) because it comes right out of his P&L and he thinks it's worth it.

The important thing to remember is their rules make no sense and are inconsistent.

Just not in the Bronx. Where they play. In the middle of a working class neighborhood. Oh sure, Yankee Stadium was there first. That makes perfect sense. Uh huh, ignore the common riff-raff who have built tenements around us. They just want a piece of the action they didn't earn nor deserve in any way, nope. On with the gentrifica- uh,I mean, the game!

Thanks Cliff. Good to know the Yanks work hard to make sure its a fan-friendly experience. ;)

19 23 Would the Wilpons/Steinbrenners ever allow that? Sure, they could be overruled, but I can't imagine a majority of owners being willing to declare territorial rights void.

jen AT nosenseworrying DOT com

This Igawa game is going to fucking suck.

29 Don't forget that, with the New Stadium's construction, the upper deck (cheap seats for the masses) will be farther back from the field, and thus worse seats than equivalent ones in the Old Stadium (v2.0). The New Stadium also will have less seats because, as we all know (thanks, Red Sox!), fewer seats = more demand = $$$$$$, because you can charge more for those seats.

Cheap or not, discounts or not, the Yanks did not have to focus solely on the bottom line generated by ticket revenue. What helps the bottom line more - a non-fan paying $500 to sit behind home plate for one game/year, or the 7 year old boy in good upper deck seats (ie, with a view like the Old Stadium (v2.0), and at similar cost) who becomes a fan for life, buys merchandise, comes back frequently, gets his wife, kids, etc involved? I pick choice #2.

29 30 31 All that said, the "Fan Cost Index" that (allegedly) says what it costs for a family of four to attend a game at each MLB stadium is full of crap. Its based on ridiculous assumptions (you need to buy a hat per person in order to go a game?!) and doesn't reflect realities.

As for the fewer seats, even with the recent run of success, average attendance has peaked at just above 50,000 anyway. Once the novelty wears off, it will be possible to get a ticket to a non-premium game without extraordinary effort.

Also, to answer your last question, charging $500 when the market will support it is always better for the bottom line. It doesn't matter if the guy in the $500 seat paid for it or not because someone did and will continue to do so as long as the team is winning (and maybe even if they aren't). Besides, I don't think kids get hooked on baseball as a result of the quality of their seat anyway.