
Thomas Whaley asked:
With the opening of New Yankee Stadium in 2009, the prices for tickets and parking took quite a jump. In fact, the Yankees had to drastically cut prices on some of their premium seating because nobody was buying it. Who is going to pay over $2,000 per seat to watch the Yankees play the Royals?
The good news is you can still afford to buy tickets at New Yankee Stadium, you just need to have a plan. I am also going to tell you the best place to “splurge” on tickets if you want to spend a little more, but not $2,000 per seat more.
1. Bleachers are your friend
The bleachers have a downside of being separate from the rest of the stadium, so you are confined to that area. However if you have been to the stadium before you may not feel the need to walk around the concourses. The big advantage of the bleachers is that the tickets are $14 each, which is almost half the cost of the next cheapest ticket. If you sit in the right field bleachers, you are a little closer to the action than you would be in left. You can also participate in a Yankee Stadium tradition of “role call” where the fans chant each starter’s name until the player waves in the direction of the bleachers. You will have an intense fan experience for not a lot of money.
2. Plan Ahead for Ticket Specials
The Yanks are offering ticket specials at New Yankee Stadium which include; Tuesday discounts, $5 games, and family packs. Expect similar specials to continue for years to come. If you visit the ticket specials page of the Yankees website, you will see a full list of potential discounts. You can also sign up for a free email newsletter that will send you notices of discounts on Yankees tickets.
If your biggest goal is to just get out and see the new stadium, it will pay off if you plan ahead. Anyone of the specials I mentioned are good if you purchase in advance or at the window. The Yankees tickets are in high demand so it may make sense to purchase ahead of time rather than getting stuck.
3. Splurge Wisely
I mentioned $14 bleacher seats, but after that ticket prices shoot up quickly. My next best recommendation for value tickets at the New Yankee Stadium would be the $29 seats in the grandstand behind home plate. You have a wonderful view of the action, which is much better than more expensive seats down the lines on lower levels. You should try to sit in the first 5 rows of the grandstand, this will minimize the number of people walking up and down the aisles blocking your view. I have more details on general guidelines for finding the best view at a ballpark on the ticket section of my website.
If you are going to step it up a little bit, try Main level 226 which has $90 tickets. I know that is high, but you are almost even with 3rd base, and you are sitting right behind people who paid about $225 a piece for tickets. Every price range between the grandstand and certain Main level tickets just isn’t worth it in my opinion.
Hopefully these tips are helpful, wherever you sit I hope you enjoy your first trip to the New Yankee Stadium.
MERLE