The Yankees Amend Batting Practice Policy

HUGE hat tip to Greg over at Sliding Into Home for this one. The Yankees have come to their senses and have amended their policy on fans viewing batting practice from close to the field. Here is the latest according to the A-Z Guide on Yankees.com:

Remember fans, on game days, arrive early. Yankee Stadium Gates on Babe Ruth Plaza and Gates 2 and 8, open three hours prior to the start of every home game. All fans are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy batting practice and infield workouts from select areas of the Field Level and the Bleachers; specifically, all fans may watch batting practice and infield workouts from Field Level Sections 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135 and 136 and from all Bleachers Sections. Please note, on certain game days the Yankees may elect not to take batting practice, infield workouts or both. Those fans who take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy batting practice and infield workouts from the Field Level and/or the Bleachers may remain until the players leave the field following the conclusion of the Yankees batting practice or 1 hour and 45 minutes after the Gates open. At that time, all fans will be asked to return their respective seats.

It has been almost 2 months since we first uncovered this ill-advised policy, but what is important now is that the Yankees have changed it.

This just proves that even Yankees fans have a voice, and if we make enough noise, the executives will listen. Read the full post, after the jump

NYU Graduation At Yankee Stadium - Legends Suite: Too Cool For School?

Photo courtesy @JaredLevy on Twitter

UPDATE: Our friends over at Subway Chatter have more photos

Tying in with yesterday's news from the Lonn Trost press conference, we have received reports from multiple sources that NYU's graduation at the New Yankee Stadium featured a familiar sight: empty seats closest to the field.

As of now, we don't have photo evidence but according to attendees and graduates (congratulations!), the seats that Lonn Trost infamously referred to as houses were empty. If these reports are true, it isn't really too surprising. After all, why would the rich folks want crazy college kids hanging out in their "houses?"

Just like during baseball games (and batting practice before the games), the common folk should know their role and sit in the cheap seats during a commencement ceremony. Hopefully some of these NYU graduates (who happen to pay the college tuition equivalent of Legends seat prices) will become high-level executives and one day have the privelege of sitting in "the greatest seats in the world."
Read the full post, after the jump

The Yankees Announce More Time Before Games To Roam The New Stadium

Lost amidst the furor over the handling of the account holder pre-sale for 2009 Yankee tickets, was an important passage from the press release:

GATE OPENING TIMES:
In 2009, Yankee Stadium gates will open approximately three hours prior to the scheduled start times of games. Gates will open at 10:00 a.m. for games with a 1:05 p.m. scheduled start time, at 1:00 p.m. for 4:10 p.m. starts, at 4:00 p.m. for 7:05 p.m. starts, and at 5:00 p.m. for 8:05 p.m. starts.

This makes a lot of sense, as the Yankees will have plenty of ways for people to spend their money once they are trapped within the confines of the new facility.

From a fan's perspective, this means that Yankee fans will now be afforded the opportunity to watch the Yankees take batting practice before games. In the past, gates only opened 2 hours before most games, so the Yankees were finishing up their batting practice when the fans started streaming in. For autograph seekers and A-Rod hecklers, this should be good news. Read the full post, after the jump