New Stadiums

Although I didn't actually watch the ESPNgasm that was the last home game at Yankees Stadium last night, I've now heard about enough soundclips and replays on sports-radio to make me puke.

Let's be honest here, if they truly wanted to HONOR the old stadiums before they blew them up, they'd figure a way of renovating them and modernizing them instead of building new ones in the parking lots. This whole phenominon is just driven by money and the corporate big wigs. New stadiums mean higher prices, more luxury boxes and more corporate sponsorships. Joe Six-Pack can't even afford season tickets anymore so who REALLY are we building new stadiums for....and don't get me started on PSL's.

However, I reserve this statement (don't blow them up) only for the truly amazing, historic stadiums. I really didn't give a crap when they blew up Veteran's in Philly or County Stadium in Milwaukee. They really were pieces of crap built at the end of the 70's/early 80's that just were to fill the immediate need. (I heard the Spectrum is coming down in Philly this year too...thank god, that sh*thole!)

I've been to Notre Dame and they amazingly have done this (those of you who know me know how hard it is for me to say ANYTHING nice about ND) several times over the years as have they up north of the Cheddar Curtain at Lambeau Field (ditto on the nice part). I know that this is usually reserved for locations where there's not enough room to build new but frankly I see the writing on the wall already for Wrigley Field.

I just don't know what they are going to do someday there. There's no "parking lot" to build a new one and they sure as hell aren't going to move out of the neighborhood given all of the economy that surrounds it. So they are going to have to find a way to build up/within/around the existing structure. I know that we all get nice and cozy at 41,897 for a game, but the demand is so high that any new owner is going to need to think this through.

It's why I desperately hope Mark Cuban ends up being the owner. He gets tradition, he gets honoring the past. I would feel very safe with him as an owner and owner of the stadium property.

My friend Paul shot me this link which is some piss-poor attempt at naming the "most important" sports venues. What I take issue with is NOT that Yankee Stadium is number one, (which I did at first), it's exactly for what the writer cites in his "first person" account that someone can order a hotdog and a Budweiser and not get looked at funny. Yeah, those days are now GONE Yankee fans....and by the way, can you change out that wonder bread you call a bun on the hotdogs and get real buns?

I won't rant about the list as frankly lists are ways for reporters to fake that they've been working for a few weeks on some "big" article, but how can you respect someone who writes in #1, bashing "'retro' ballparks that seat 38,000 yuppies" who then makes #2 The Ballpark at Camden Yards which is a retro ballpark seating less than 38,000 yuppies right now since they are in the tanker? PS: He also used stock images without checking because if he did, he'd have at least picked a picture with INDY CARS in it for the IMS (#7) versus NASCRAP cars!!!

So goodbye House that Ruth built and goodbye to Joe Six-Pack from the Bronx and thank you TAXPAYERS of New York who won't get a fair chance at an affordable ticket. (and goodbye to all the Giants and Jets and Mets fans who are all going to suffer this issue as well.)