A Pair of NY Stadiums

Plans were announced for two new professional ballparks in New York this week. The first one which received all the press was that of the new Yankee Stadium. Despite the public not having to foot the bill, it doesn't seem like the reaction from fans was that positive. I suppose I can understand their love of the current Yankee Stadium, but they have to realize that it was rebuilt in the mid 1970's, so in no way resembles the original ballpark. Yes, the field is the same, but that's about it. To me, having only visited the current Yankee Stadium, I never got the same sense of aura or history upon entering it as I do going to places like Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. So I really didn't care one way or another if Yankee Stadium was replaced.

The other ballpark news out of New York this week (besides a new Mets ballpark), came from upstate in Sullivan County. A NYC developer has plans to build a 3,000 seat stadium in Monticello in which a Can-Am League team would be placed. This market has been tested before (a team played in Baxter Stadium for several years in the late 1990's), but the location seems to be better this time. And with a rapidly growing population in neighboring Orange County, the time might be right for a team to succeed in this market. Newburgh is probably a more viable market, but with an older stadium and a not so great reputation, it is understandable why perspective owners have stayed away.