Post by CSCommish on Feb 17, 2018 8:42:33 GMT -5
After 57 seasons in the old Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, which saw nearly 4,500 Yankee regular season home games, the Yankees are ready to make some changes. The stadium’s nickname, “The House That Ruth Built” is exactly what it sounds like, it was a stadium that was built for the “baseball superstar whose prime years coincided with the stadium’s opening and the beginning of the Yankees’ winning history.” (Wikipedia, sourced February 17, 2018).
Chris S. Cosenza, the Yankees long-time owner, GM and HOFFBL Commissioner, is hoping that the stadium renovation will have a similar correlation with the young players that the Yankees are poised to be called up within the few months, including top prospect OF Denny Walling and 2B/SS Julio Franco and possibly 1B/DH Willie Upshaw. 1B Don Mattingly, the Yankees’ franchise selection from the most recent amateur draft, figures to take over duties at first base later in the season, possibly by June, depending on his progression during the off-season and spring training. Unlike the original stadium opening in 1923, which was centered on a single legend, this renovation will be a celebration of the parade of youth that finally made it to the big leagues.
As is well known, the Yankees shared the Polo Grounds in upper Manhattan with the New York Giants starting in 1913; slowly, the Yankees saw their numbers were running up. In 1920, the Yankees purchased Babe Ruth from the Red Sox, which prompted tremendous increase in attendance at the Polo Grounds, but in favor of the Yankees. Apparently, by the middle of the season, the Giants had enough and attempted to boot the Yankees out of the stadium but stayed their eviction notice soon thereafter. By the next season, the Yankees won their first pennant and went to the World Series to face … the Giants. All of the games were played at the Polo Grounds.
At this time, there were three (3) teams in New York (in addition to the Yankees and Giants, the Dodgers had their home in Brooklyn) and baseball stadiums were generally small, with 25, 30 to 35 thousand seats, but the Yankees made a commitment to leverage the popularity of Babe Ruth and built a stadium with 60 thousand seats, nearly double the size of a typical stadium at that time. And to take advantage of Babe Ruth’s left-handedness, the stadium was essentially created for him to continue to succeed. “Initially the fence was 295 feet (90 m) from home plate down the right-field line, referred to as the "short porch" and 350 feet (110 m) to near right field, compared with 490 feet (150 m) to the deepest part of center field, nicknamed "Death Valley".”
The Yankees thrived during Ruth’s time in New York, throughout the 1920’s. The Yankees’ dominance continued throughout the 1950’s, at which point the Giants and Dodgers moved out to San Francisco and Los Angeles, respectively. The Yankees last won a World Series in 1962 and started to retool. From 1963 to 1968, they won at least 90 games 4 times and at least 100 games twice, but never made the playoffs thanks to the high-powered teams Tigers and White Sox who took the throne.
By this point, Baby Boomers were coming of age and largely were the reason for HOFFBL’s expansion into other team markets, including a new team back in New York. To pay respect to one of the world’s infamous metropolitan regions, the National League expansion team was nicknamed the Mets. The Yankees made the playoffs again starting in 1969, winning the division for six (6) straight seasons, including two (2) pennants in 1970 and 1971, but did not have the depth needed to win a World Series. The Yankees decided to press the reset button and started a rebuilding effort in 1975 while the Mets continued to gain popularity, who won their respective pennant in 1972 (a season after the last Yankees’ pennant).
With both the Yankees and Mets retooling, baseball popularity hit a lull in New York in the late 1970’s; fortunately, disco music took fans’ minds off of things while baseball was toiling throughout the summer months. Attendance tanked and the Yankees fielded fairly miserable lineups and pitchers who had no business of starting 30 plus games.
Now the Yankees are ready to make a comeback after several successful drafts and patient trades. To complement the several pitchers that have been already been brought up through the system, including David Clyde, Floyd Bannister and Dennis Lamp, the Yankees are ready to bring up stud closer Lee Smith to complement current closer John Verhoeven, relievers Dave Smith and veteran Gene Garber along with a slew of new positional players to add to young veterans OF Jim Dwyer, 2B/SS Jorge Orta and surprise free agent signing 3B Darrell Evans. It is reported that the Yankees are eyeing a top-of-the-rotation piece along with another slugger to help provide a 1-2 punch with Jim Dwyer and to better balance the young lineup which generally are high on-base guys.
The Yankees are planning to revert back to the original color scheme of the building, removing the white paint that was added in the mid 1960's (typical modernist mistakes) from the historic metal frieze circulating the upper deck and from the the exterior of the building. The renovations will open up the interior of the concrete bowl, to be supplemented with additional metalwork for structural and aesthetic purposes, which will complement the metal frieze, but ultimately provide nearly triple the volume within the interior of the Stadium, which is otherwise currently a nightmare for those who are claustrophobic. No additional seats will be added but it is reported that the field dimensions may change slightly to accommodate “Monument Park” which will be constructed to honor former players, to be located at the depths of “Death Valley” to allow fans to stand on the field without interfering with the field of play.
The Yankees are looking at Level 3 Renovation, which carries a construction cost of $100,000,000. The Yankees will shoulder 75% of the cost, with the remainder to be picked up by City and State, generally to be generated with an additional hotel tax, along with an agreement to share parking revenues from the new parking garage with the City. According to the Financial Impact Statement, the $25,000,000 the City and State will contribute will be paid back through the hotel tax and parking revenues within 10 years, such that it would not have a long-lasting impact on residents who live in the area and otherwise depend on services provided by other tax revenue.
With the renovation, which is slated to start immediately and be completed by Opening Day, the Yankees are poised to see their Fan Loyalty increase by three (3) slots to a maximum of GREAT and Fan Interest will increase by 40 up to a maximum of 80. This will help generate attendance revenue quickly as the Yankees are expending to nearly double their last payroll, which was at $38M last season. The Yankees revenues have dropped from a near-high of $97M in 1971 down to $64M in 1977.
The entire cost, reportedly $85,000,000 including the changes to the field dimensions and refurbishing the entire grass field, will be made through the Yankees’ Stadium Fund.
Field dimensions are being studied and will be finalized and reported shortly.
Chris S. Cosenza, the Yankees long-time owner, GM and HOFFBL Commissioner, is hoping that the stadium renovation will have a similar correlation with the young players that the Yankees are poised to be called up within the few months, including top prospect OF Denny Walling and 2B/SS Julio Franco and possibly 1B/DH Willie Upshaw. 1B Don Mattingly, the Yankees’ franchise selection from the most recent amateur draft, figures to take over duties at first base later in the season, possibly by June, depending on his progression during the off-season and spring training. Unlike the original stadium opening in 1923, which was centered on a single legend, this renovation will be a celebration of the parade of youth that finally made it to the big leagues.
As is well known, the Yankees shared the Polo Grounds in upper Manhattan with the New York Giants starting in 1913; slowly, the Yankees saw their numbers were running up. In 1920, the Yankees purchased Babe Ruth from the Red Sox, which prompted tremendous increase in attendance at the Polo Grounds, but in favor of the Yankees. Apparently, by the middle of the season, the Giants had enough and attempted to boot the Yankees out of the stadium but stayed their eviction notice soon thereafter. By the next season, the Yankees won their first pennant and went to the World Series to face … the Giants. All of the games were played at the Polo Grounds.
At this time, there were three (3) teams in New York (in addition to the Yankees and Giants, the Dodgers had their home in Brooklyn) and baseball stadiums were generally small, with 25, 30 to 35 thousand seats, but the Yankees made a commitment to leverage the popularity of Babe Ruth and built a stadium with 60 thousand seats, nearly double the size of a typical stadium at that time. And to take advantage of Babe Ruth’s left-handedness, the stadium was essentially created for him to continue to succeed. “Initially the fence was 295 feet (90 m) from home plate down the right-field line, referred to as the "short porch" and 350 feet (110 m) to near right field, compared with 490 feet (150 m) to the deepest part of center field, nicknamed "Death Valley".”
The Yankees thrived during Ruth’s time in New York, throughout the 1920’s. The Yankees’ dominance continued throughout the 1950’s, at which point the Giants and Dodgers moved out to San Francisco and Los Angeles, respectively. The Yankees last won a World Series in 1962 and started to retool. From 1963 to 1968, they won at least 90 games 4 times and at least 100 games twice, but never made the playoffs thanks to the high-powered teams Tigers and White Sox who took the throne.
By this point, Baby Boomers were coming of age and largely were the reason for HOFFBL’s expansion into other team markets, including a new team back in New York. To pay respect to one of the world’s infamous metropolitan regions, the National League expansion team was nicknamed the Mets. The Yankees made the playoffs again starting in 1969, winning the division for six (6) straight seasons, including two (2) pennants in 1970 and 1971, but did not have the depth needed to win a World Series. The Yankees decided to press the reset button and started a rebuilding effort in 1975 while the Mets continued to gain popularity, who won their respective pennant in 1972 (a season after the last Yankees’ pennant).
With both the Yankees and Mets retooling, baseball popularity hit a lull in New York in the late 1970’s; fortunately, disco music took fans’ minds off of things while baseball was toiling throughout the summer months. Attendance tanked and the Yankees fielded fairly miserable lineups and pitchers who had no business of starting 30 plus games.
Now the Yankees are ready to make a comeback after several successful drafts and patient trades. To complement the several pitchers that have been already been brought up through the system, including David Clyde, Floyd Bannister and Dennis Lamp, the Yankees are ready to bring up stud closer Lee Smith to complement current closer John Verhoeven, relievers Dave Smith and veteran Gene Garber along with a slew of new positional players to add to young veterans OF Jim Dwyer, 2B/SS Jorge Orta and surprise free agent signing 3B Darrell Evans. It is reported that the Yankees are eyeing a top-of-the-rotation piece along with another slugger to help provide a 1-2 punch with Jim Dwyer and to better balance the young lineup which generally are high on-base guys.
The Yankees are planning to revert back to the original color scheme of the building, removing the white paint that was added in the mid 1960's (typical modernist mistakes) from the historic metal frieze circulating the upper deck and from the the exterior of the building. The renovations will open up the interior of the concrete bowl, to be supplemented with additional metalwork for structural and aesthetic purposes, which will complement the metal frieze, but ultimately provide nearly triple the volume within the interior of the Stadium, which is otherwise currently a nightmare for those who are claustrophobic. No additional seats will be added but it is reported that the field dimensions may change slightly to accommodate “Monument Park” which will be constructed to honor former players, to be located at the depths of “Death Valley” to allow fans to stand on the field without interfering with the field of play.
The Yankees are looking at Level 3 Renovation, which carries a construction cost of $100,000,000. The Yankees will shoulder 75% of the cost, with the remainder to be picked up by City and State, generally to be generated with an additional hotel tax, along with an agreement to share parking revenues from the new parking garage with the City. According to the Financial Impact Statement, the $25,000,000 the City and State will contribute will be paid back through the hotel tax and parking revenues within 10 years, such that it would not have a long-lasting impact on residents who live in the area and otherwise depend on services provided by other tax revenue.
With the renovation, which is slated to start immediately and be completed by Opening Day, the Yankees are poised to see their Fan Loyalty increase by three (3) slots to a maximum of GREAT and Fan Interest will increase by 40 up to a maximum of 80. This will help generate attendance revenue quickly as the Yankees are expending to nearly double their last payroll, which was at $38M last season. The Yankees revenues have dropped from a near-high of $97M in 1971 down to $64M in 1977.
The entire cost, reportedly $85,000,000 including the changes to the field dimensions and refurbishing the entire grass field, will be made through the Yankees’ Stadium Fund.
Field dimensions are being studied and will be finalized and reported shortly.
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