How many people can say they have been to the new Yankee Stadium more times than the old? I actually can...did not really dawn on me until earlier today but it is true. I may realistically be the only person of legal voting age in the world that can boast that. I think I went once when I was very young for a friend's birthday...maybe '84 or '85. Then I didn't go back there until a Pink Floyd concert on June 10, 1994...honestly remember that date (didn't even have to look it up). After that I went to a handful of Mets/Yankees inter league games (didn't make it there for the ill-fated 2000 World Series) and one game towards the end of last season (at a friend's request). That is it. Truthfully I never understood going to a ballpark for a game that is inconsequential to you...why go to a Mets game as a Yankee fan at the same time the Yankees are playing a road game which is being televised?..and vice-versa...that's just me.
I started thinking about the above on my short trip back to the office from both the new and old stadiums about an hour ago. I have been to the new ballpark quite a lot over the past month as those of you following me on Twitter can attest to. We have a spectacular new store inside the mammoth 2009 Yankee Stadium. It carries our finest Yankee product including game used and both signed and unsigned memorabilia. Those of you who have yet to see the store need to pay a visit in between innings, or during one of this weekend's inevitable rain delays, or during one of Dave Eiland's visits to the mound when Veras is on the hill. Quintessentially: it is a must visit... a museum as much as a retail store.
So anyway, after dropping off some brand new product at the new stadium (including cases of the old stadium sod...which is starting to grow on me as an item ... did not mean that to be funny or a play on words..just did not quite understand it when it was being described to me at first..it actually is one of the coolest and affordable pieces we offer) I headed over to the old park to pick up seats. Actually they weren't just any seats...they are the first two sets of seats to get pulled out and leave the ball yard. So after asking security how to get to what once was Gate 4 at the old stadium (told you that I wasn't there that often) I took the two block ride and just stopped. I had no idea how to get to where I was going past the construction. After calling my contact I was instructed to pull up onto a narrow sidewalk and drive basically up to the old ticket window. It was actually pretty cool that what once was a highly populated (at least on game days) place of business was a virtual ghost town (other than a few workers)....a year ago I would have been arrested on the spot for driving there. Unfortunately I wasn't allowed inside as I had no hard hat (actually have a novelty Mets one at home but that probably wouldn't have done the trick). So instead I waited and minutes later the first of two sets of seats were brought out to me. These are literally the first two sets (four seats) taken out of the park and, in yet another moment of irony, were taken out of the ghost town by a die-hard Mets fan who, even with this visit to the old spot today, can count the number of times he has been to Yankee Stadium on his fingers (and still have two free to play a bad guitar).
Even though I may come off sometimes as expressing a mockish tone the bottom line is that this stuff truly is amazing (after all I am the same guy who tried desperately to pull the armrest off my seat at the last Spectrum concert a few weeks ago). We haven't even scratched the surface on the possibilities and treasures that are inside (and out) of the house you need a hard hat now to enter. As I said earlier the sod (freeze dried grass) is as cool as it gets as far as an affordable piece of history. There really is a price point for everyone and the seats, from the small sampling I have seen, are absolutely in great shape and would look incredible in anyone's home. Lastly we are also running a Yankee Legends auction on this very site. As always there are great deals and steals so, if I were you, I would take a look and start bidding on these artifacts.
The excitement surrounding the Yankee Stadium demolition is sure to be a reoccurring theme on this forum over the next few weeks and even months. I would love to hear some feed back too so shoot me an email with any questions, ideas, anything..always. (also I have been posting quite a few photos on Twitter that have yet to be put on the blog so, if you aren't already, check me out on there as well) Enjoy the rest of your Thursday! Go Lakers...let's close it out tonight in Houston!!

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