Remember when that stupid phrase (the "it's the nineties" part, not the part about embracing change... I don't think that really counts as a phrase. A concept maybe, or a philosophy on life, but not a phrase) was sort of popular? I truthfully can't recall hearing an actual person ever say it, but it seems to have been a favorite of script writers as I hear it FAR too often when watching movies or TV shows from that era (including faves such as the star-studded epic feature "Camp Cucamonga", which, if you haven't seen, I implore you to track down and watch intently - and if you can't find it, I would be happy to make a copy from the VHS I have, which includes the added bonus of early-nineties commercials).

Anyway, the point of me using that god-awful disgrace of a phrase is that whether y'all like it or not, the Yanks will be playing in a spiffy new stadium come 2009 and the old one will be nothing but memories. And a gazillion pictures. And movies. And archived video. Etc.

The new stadium is being built with all the modern features you might expect but with careful sensitivity to retain the old Yankee Stadium feel. It will actually be two structures - an outer "shell" that will look like the old Yankee Stadium (pre-renovation style) and then of course the ballpark itself. In between the perimeter/wall and the actual park will be a ton of space to fill with concession stands and outrageously overpriced souvenirs. There are pictures of the stadium in progress at YankeeTradition.com, but at this point it still pretty much looks how you'd imagine any partially-built stadium would look: steel, scaffolding, concrete, and piles of dirt that don't appear to have anything to do with the project. Once it is completed, though, the differences between the current and future Yankee Stadiums will be significant:

The Good: Alleged better views from the top seats (but see "The Ugly" below...). They're adding 1,000 standing room spots (I originally typed "seats" there, but that clearly makes no sense), which I would imagine would be cheaper and perhaps a person could move around a bit. Monument Park, of course, will be moved on over to the new stadium, and there will be a restaurant right above it. There will also be larger concourses, meaning when the Yankees Chick inevitably chooses to go games that include 3-hour rain delays, I won't have to be quite as smooshed up next to 53,000 sweaty beer-drinkers. Also, we will apparently be able to see the field better from inside the concourses.

The Bad: Fewer bleacher seats, more luxury boxes (that is good if you're Donald Trump; not so good if you are the Yankees Chick), and higher ticket prices.

The Ugly: The seats will be placed in more of a bowl-shape rather than the traditional upward slope, meaning people in the cheap seats will be much further away from the field rather than simply 49083980324980342feet above it.


Some folks are depressed about the end of the current Stadium, while others are excited about the modernization. Since the Yankees are both a traditional team and one with an exorbitant amount of money and roster full of stars, it is easy to see both sides of the coin here. They are an organization with a long history in the old stadium, but their flashy image seems deserving of a stadium with more features and glamour and a few less cracks and chunks of hardened gum beneath the seats. Personally, I think they're making the right move - a fancy new stadium with a nice "throwback" appeal for the sentimental fans. After all, it is the nineties and there is no point living in the past.

And by "the nineties" I mean 2008. If it were the 90's this article would be about Big Stein wanting to move the team to New Jersey.