Yankee Stadium Parking Update: Owners Plan to Default on Bonds

Cost of parking for the 2011 ALDS

Today in a report from the New York Daily News the owners of the parking garages and lots around Yankee Stadium plan to default on $237 million in bonds. It shouldn't come as a big surprise, since the new stadium opened they have raised from $14 to $35 ($48 if you want valet), and have opened up a brand new metro north station just a block away.

Just 38% of people are parking in the lots when the bombers are home, and just 70 people use the lots during the off season. That's 21 acres of wasted space for the community on parking garages, and even more when you consider that the new Yankee Stadium took away park land too. If the city wanted to do right they would tear down one of the garages/lots and make a park for the public. Some of the other options in the article are low income housing or a hotel.

With tolls and gas going up, the owners of the garages would be smart to lower the prices to get more people to drive again and use the parking lots. I expect in 2012 for them to either raise the price again, or keep it at $35.

Expect more cheap seats for this weeks series vs. O's

Oh, how I miss the old stadium.

Looking for more empty seats and cheap tickets? Well look no further then this weeks match up against the Orioles. A mid week game, against a boring opponent. No diss to the Orioles but they aren't a big draw, even if they have been playing good ball this season.

The NY Daily News is even running a special this week for 50% off the games at the stadium against the O's and the Yankees have discounted the upper tier for $5. But Stubhub prices are dirt cheap, and if the weather is so-so then expect either alot of no shows or unsold seats.

Current prices on Stubhub start at just $1, so if you want to attend a game, no is the time.

$55 to park at Yankee Stadium???

Empty stadiums and soon
empty parking lots.

With the Yankees down in Tampa preparing for a new season, its nice to think that soon games will be played at Yankee Stadium. But where will you park if you wanna drive to the stadium, or better yet will you be able to afford to drive? Last year news broke that NYC not the Yankees would raise parking from $23 in 2010 to $35 in 2011. But wait, it gets worse, according to a story last year in the NY Daily News, the city may raise prices to $55 if they default on the bonds.

I'll never understand the purpose of raising the prices that much. Why in the world would anyone pay $55 to park when their are 3 subway lines, a bus route, water ferry and the metro north all cheaper options. Either way raising the prices wont bring more fans to the parking garages or the stadiums, it would be smarter to lower the price or stick with last years price.

On the Yankees radio network...

From the NY Daily News : Right now their future is up in the air. The Yankees contract with WCBS-AM, worth about $12 million per year, expires at the end of the 2011 season, so do Sterling and Waldman's pacts. Sterling has been the radio voice of the Yankees since 1989. Waldman joined him in 2005.


There has yet to be any serious negotiations between the Yankees and WCBS. The job status of Ma and Pa cannot be resolved until a new radio-rights deal is cut. Industry moles say other outlets have chatted informally with Bombers brass. These potential suitors are looking to get a sense of which direction the club wants to go with its radio rights.


Outside of WCBS, which probably wants to keep the Yankees, it's highly likely ESPN will - if it hasn't already - stick its beak into the mix. For ESPN-1050, the process of trying to chip away at WFAN, longtime Mets rights holder, has not been easy.


Adding Yankees radiocasts to the mix of Jets, Knicks and Rangers would help change the equation - drastically. But how much would ESPN be willing to pay for the radio rights to Yankees baseball? And would pinstripe honchos be satisfied having their games go out over ESPN-1050's weak signal? That situation could be corrected if ESPN ever purchases another station with stronger reach.


There also has been talk about the Yankees buying a radio station. With the radio biz in the toilet, and in the current lousy economic climate, that is not likely to happen. "

Let me start of by saying that I don't hate Sterling or Waldman as much as some Yankees fan, although I liked Waldman better when she was the on field reporter for YES. But if the Yankees wanted to switch commentators and stuff I don't have a huge issue, although I would hope they keep Sterling since his calls are classic and he is the voice of the Yankees for the past twenty plus years.

I don't not want the Yankees to even think about switching to ESPN radio. The signal is so bad, that there are times just driving around on Long Island it has an issue coming in. I know that the Yankees may get offered more money by them, but at least with WCBS they know what they are going to get. WCBS has such a strong signal it can be heard as far as Kentucky and North Carolina on a clear night.

As for the Yanks owning their own radio station, that would be very interesting since I have not a clue what other type of programing they could have on. They could make it another sports talk radio, but they area already has WFAN and ESPN radio, so it would be tough to compete.

Jesus could be with the Yankees in 2011

From today's NY Daily News : "The consensus among the Yankees' high command is that Montero who turns 21 on Nov. 28 - is ready to assume the starting catcher's job, according to a source with knowledge of the team's thinking."

Its about time, I could no longer watch Jorge Posada constantly running to the back stop to retrieve the ball or not even attempting a throw to second. Scouts have claimed that Jesus Montero is not the best defensive catcher, but is one of the best offensive players in the minors. I'll admit that while I am unsure if Montero is ready it cant hurt to give him a shot, in the mean time, they should go out and sign a catcher who may not produce much with the bat, but is great defensively. Think Jose Molina. If they could do that, they would be able to trade away Francisco Cervelli, and not be forced to call up Montero till after Memorial day and save a year before his is arbitration eligible.

NYC raises Yankee Stadium parking

The picture is dated from 2006. So in five years the price will have
been increased by $22.

The story was first reported by the NY Daily News , but it looks like the parking around Yankee Stadium is about to become a premium. To prevent from defaulting on bonds, the price for parking in 2011 will go from $23 to $35 for self park and from $36 to $45 for valet parking.

In the article it says that the reason behind this is so that the city can get money back, but how are they really going to get money? Its basic economics to know that once you pass a certain price, you will no longer make money. Does the city forget that three subway lines, along with the metro north all arrive at the stadium? If the lots were only filled to 60% on average during the regular season, what will it be like next year? Also who would ever pay $45 for valet parking? Last year when I would pass those lots, when they were priced at $36 their may have been like 20 cars in it.

Of course many will now be taking mass transit to the game, but if you insist on driving, the shopping mall right off exit four of the major deegan was charging $19 for parking this past year. If that price stays the same then you may want to try that out.

It is sad that parking is now about to become more expensive then Grandstand and Bleacher seats, but this is something that the Yankees cant be blamed for. The whole mess is up to the Bronx and NYC, eventually they will have to lower the prices if nobody is parking in the expensive lots.

Yankees first off season move: Sign Joe Girardi 3 years $9 million

According too Daily News Yankees beat writer Mark Fiensand, the Yankees have brought back manager Joe Girardi for three more seasons. Nine million over three years is a fair amount, the guy has won the Yankees a World Series and brought them to the playoffs for a second straight year.

I understand that many fans have had enough of Girardi, but who else could they Yanks have turned too ? They didn't have many options if they wanted to dump Joe. In fact the only guys I can think of that would have made since would be Tony Pena or Lou Pinella. Pinella is a bit of a reach, but the Yankees have always reached for the biggest name, so why stop now ? Plus Girardi has a great relationship with Cashman and the Steinbrenner family.

Girardi is not the best manager in the game, but is respectable. Until he is finally outed one day as Yankees manager, we will have to deal with his over managing at times, and his binder of match ups.

Daily News to A-Rod : Congrats on tainted 600

My family subscribes for home delivery of the NY Daily News, so today when I went outside to get the paper I was upset with the headline on the back page. You can read the headline yourself with the picture posted and judge if you feel it was fair or not.

I understand that many are going to call A-Rod's milestone homers tainted for his use of performance enhancing drugs that he admitted to using in 2001-2003. I would expect this headline in Boston or any other city but not in New York. The Daily News loves to call it's self the home town paper but on this one its not supporting the home team in anyway.

Why Tino !?!! Why !?!

While reading the NY Daily News yesterday, I came across this ad in the sports section.Yankee favorite Tino Martinez doing a corny ad for Bay Ridge Toyota. So my question is why Tino ? I don't think he needs the money, he got paid so much while in the majors and is currently paid by the Yankees to be a special assistant. Tino has worked for ESPN and the YES Network since he has retired from baseball. I was always a big Tino fan growing up and was upset in 2002 when they picked Giambi over him. But I'll admit that Tino in the booth is awful, his voice just doesn't sound right and he seems so nervous. Maybe they can try and get him to be in studio with Bob Lorenz, anything to prevent him from being in lame ad's like the one above.

(Sorry for the bad cell phone camera pictures)