Yankee Stadium 2009

Home plate entrance portal to the 2009 edition of Yankee Stadium, Apr-2009. Other gates are similar.

The ornamental frieze (often mistakenly called a façade) of the 1923 Yankee Stadium is reintroduced.

Where the Bronx County Courthouse dominated the old park’s view, here a huge Mitsubishi video board fills the space.

Chronological Tour: Stop 340

• Location: Jerome Avenue at 161 Street, Bronx, N.Y. (map it using Google Maps)
• Opened: 2009
• Home team: New York Yankees, Major League Baseball (2009-present); Pinstripe Bowl (NCAA Bowl Championship Subdivision), 2010-present; New York City FC, Major League Soccer (2015-present)
• Capacity: 49,642

Rating: 4 baseballs

The main entrance gates to the new ballpark were designed to mimic, though not entirely duplicate, the classic home plate entrance to the original Stadium. Once inside, the ornamental frieze that was a feature of the old park from 1923 through 1973 but removed in the 1976 renovation has been recreated, ringing the top of the upper deck. The stadium lights are also built into that level rather than towering above the park.

The old Stadium was sadly in need of replacement after 84 seasons of use. This park will do the job admirably, but for this fan, it will take a while to warm to the concept that this is simply “The Stadium”, as Yankee fans affectionately called their old home.

Getting to the Game

Fans who choose to drive to the game will encounter the sticker shock that has been closely identified with the Yankees in recent seasons. While the club does not operate most of the parking lots, parking is in short enough supply that nearby lots cost $40 or so. The visitor who arrives at the right time may find on-street parking along Jerome Avenue, which runs along the left-field line, but this is certainly not assured. Depending on the size of the group attending, the distance of the commute, and the additional costs of highway and bridge tolls, it may be more economical to utilize a park-and-ride lot, even one as far away as Secaucus, N.J., and commute to the game.

Watching the Game

The distances to key points in the outfield are identical to those of the park across the street during the 2008 season, but the fence lines are straighter, making home runs easier to come by. And the seating capacity of the new stadium is reduced by about five thousand, with the additional area given over to extra luxury suites and to the Great Hall on the entrance level.

While new parks in Washington and Flushing sport large video boards, the one at Yankee Stadium trumps them all. This behemoth dominates the view in the outfield and replaces the view of the Bronx County Courthouse beyond the old park that is lost with the relocation, replaced mainly by a few high-rise apartment buildings on the Grand Concourse several blocks to the east. A fan with whom I attended the park’s first league game saw the new board displaying the logo of the visiting Cleveland Indians across the full screen and said simply, “That’s too big. Get that off of there.”

In addition to the monstrous video board, the out-of-town scoreboards are also capable of video matrix, and there is limited captioning for the deaf in the park. There are also two post-up line score boards built into the outfield wall, designed I’m sure to evoke the main scoreboard prior to the renovation of the old Stadium. However, the post-up numbers are a bit too small for the casual fan with average visual acuity to read comfortably.

Some fans had complained that with a club area being located in center field directly above Monument Park, certain sections of the bleachers featured severely obstructed views. The Yankees rectified that by removing those sections in favor of sponsored “terrace” areas accessible by any ticket holder, including general admission. The club sells a general admission “Pinstripe Pass” ticket that allows access to any open concourse area but does not provide a seat.

Enjoying the Game

Most fans will enter through the Great Hall on the entrance level, which is designed to play up the Yankees’ storied past (26 World Series titles during the tenure of their old park). Monument Park, which was in left field of the old park after its 1976 renovation, is in straightaway center field here.

Although concession prices are high, the selection is varied and will suit every palate, with various stands located on both the main and upper levels. There is also the option of dining in midtown Manhattan and then heading uptown on the subway.