For once my problem has nothing to do with baseball cards. I'm forever checking Twitter lately, for what reason I don't really know. However, I follow the local beat writer Pete Abraham on there and on his blog as well. I highly suggest if you are a Yankees fan you bookmark his blog, it is the best. Well, I came across one update and it made me so sad. It was an update showing the dismantling of the greatest place on Earth, Yankee Stadium (the real one). Pete posted a link to the WCBS website who has the pictures.
I can't say I didn't know it was coming, but I can say it's crap. The new stadium does nothing for me and it's mostly just because it's not the Stadium I grew up with, and somewhat because I feel like I am sitting in video game with all the ads, a museum, and a mall. But you all already know that's how I feel so I won't bother going through that again.
The other problem is that the Yankees have partnered up with Steiner Sports (a**holes) and are selling the old Stadium off blade of grass by blade of grass essentially. If I sudden become stupid and find a spare $449, I can buy my bleacher bench to glue to my wall or lay on the floor? Or maybe for $449 they mount it and make it into a tiny bench for a midget or a small child. but if I find $749, I can have both seats!!! (Snarl, grumble, grumble) You can get signs that say, "Loge" or "Men" for $250-$300 or a brick from Monument Park complete with collectors cherry wood case for $149. The brick is really the only reasonable thing to purchase, but does anyone really need to spend $149 on a brick? I'd like to make Steiner suck a brick. This is my personal favorite, so if anyone wants to get me a birthday present I'd love to line my yard with these... Shouldn't these go to Cooperstown, or somewhere to tell a story to younger generations that will never have known the original Stadium (even if it was renovated)?
There are many people out there that hate the Yankees because they spend money like it's water, they over charge for tickets and merchandise, parking, etc. The selling off of every stitch of the old Stadium is just another example to add to that, and really I hate them for it, too (the selling part). The new stadium is a shining example of wealth, and the fans paid very good money to make it that way. This is how they thank us.
I agree with you about Steiner. Never bought anything from them, and probably never will.
ReplyDeleteI used to feel that way about Upper Deck "Authenticated", but now that they've dropped their prices by 70% on some stuff, they're much closer to actual retail price for parts of their catalog.
Still not rushing out to buy a UD Reid Brignac auto baseball for thirty bucks--especially when I recently picked up a vintage Vince DiMaggio auto for eighteen bucks.
The between-the-lines Steiner motto?
"Freshly looted and plundered relics for your enjoyment!"
When they sold the Fenway bleacher seats a couple years ago, they went for $550 for a pair of seats. I still regret not finding a way to get a set. If you can actually by your bench, gotta find a way.
ReplyDeleteMy fiancee and I did our part to keep Yankee Stadium preserved, we were dumb enough to shell out money for 2 signs. Gonna look great in our memorabilia room. I don't know if I am crazy or nostalgic. I just don't know.
ReplyDeleteWell part of the reason I don't care for my seats, and it is a very small part in how I feel is that I sat in my season ticketholder seats ONCE. They were in left field, first row, directly behind the tree in Monument Park. It was like being a sniper watching thru that tree. I only sat there for the All Star Game because the section I normally sat in, in right field was jam packed.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had stupid money to buy up a bunch of the Real Yankee Stadium stuff. Those pictures are really sad. I have watched a couple of games on TV from the new stadium and the feeling I used to have is gone.
ReplyDeleteDo they have a twelve step for Twitter addicts yet?
I just looked at all those signs they have for sale. The stuff is EXPENSIVE! I could see $50-100 maybe for a sign. But, hundreds? Crazy.
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