The Dark Side Of The Yankees Postseason Pricing Press Release - The Amazing, Shrinking Yankee Stadium

Lost amidst the jubilation of the Yankees announcing surprisingly cheap postseason ticket pricing is the sobering fact that the general public probably won't get to enjoy those cheap prices. In the past, Yankee Stadium was packed to the gills for postseason games. 56,315 people witnessed the final postseason game at the old Yankee Stadium back in 2007, and crowds of nearly 57,000 were commonplace during the Yankees 13 year postseason run.

In yesterday's press release, the Yankees announced the capacity of the new Yankee Stadium as 50,235 and fired a warning shot toward the general public regarding availability of tickets for non-season ticket holders:

Please note that the quantity of postseason tickets available to those who are not 2009 season ticket licensees will be limited and vary for each postseason round. Yankee Stadium has a seating capacity of 50,235, excluding standing room. For each postseason game, the first opportunity to purchase tickets is provided to current season-ticket licensees, which represent in excess of 37,000 full-season equivalent ticket licenses. Major League Baseball directs clubs to dedicate approximately 3,000 tickets per game for players of the participating clubs and to accommodate the media. In addition, Major League Baseball requires approximately 5,500 tickets per ALDS game, 7,000 tickets per ALCS game and 9,500 tickets per World Series game.

Doing some quick math, that would mean the following number of postseason tickets will be available to the general public for each round (before even considering yet to be announced pre-sales):

ALDS: 4,735
ALCS: 3,235
WS: 735

Those of you still waiting on standing room tickets shouldn't hold your breath. There are unconfirmed reports that the FDNY has denied the New York teams permission to sell these standing room only tickets thus far in 2009, and our sources say that SRO won't be on sale until 2010, if ever.

Those sounds you hear are ticket brokers who have been taking a bath on their 2009 Yankee tickets licking their chops. With a smaller stadium capacity, cheaper tickets and an exciting team, the secondary ticket market is going to be flush with buyers. The good news is, the prices on the secondary market will probably be equivalent to what the market price for Yankee postseason tickets have been in the 2000's, leaving everyone relatively happy.