NY Rangers may close out Yankee Stadium

January 14, 2008 by Benjamin Kabak 23 Comments

Not very much effort went into creating this photo illustration. (Courtesy of the Daily News)

In a perfect world, the last game at Yankee Stadium would be late in October this year. It would be Game 7 of the World Series, and the Yankees would of course emerge victorious. An ending like that would be an utter lovefest for the Stadiums; fans just wouldn’t leave, and Frank Sinatra on repeat would be the Yankee Stadium swam song.

If my fantasy can’t come true, no one other than the Yankees should be allowed to play the last live sporting event at Yankee Stadium. But if the Yankees and the NHL have their way, the New York Rangers may be the last local team to play in the House that Ruth Built, according to a report in the Daily News. John Dellapina has more:

The NHL is working with the Yankees’ high command and representatives of the city to try to play a game at Yankee Stadium next winter. While there are plenty of logistical hurdles to clear, the principals are interested. “We’d love to do it,” said Rangers GM Glen Sather, who is always up for a new hockey adventure.

Obviously, the NHL feels the same way. The Yankees might figure to be a bit hesitant about having the final pro sporting event at the old Stadium be a hockey game. But sources familiar with the discussions insist that the Bombers’ brass is into it, with COO Lonn Trost serving as the Yankees’ point man in discussions with the NHL.

The NHL has been inspired to search for other outdoor venues for games after a successful New Year’s Day contest in the snow in Buffalo. Someone should probably tell the NHL that temperatures in New York in early January these days routinely reach into the lower- to mid-50s. That’s hardly ideal weather for outdoor ice hockey.

While the Islanders and Devils now seem to be competing over who gets to play the Rangers in a hypothetical outdoor match-up at Yankee Stadium, I can’t endorse this game. Yankee Stadium should go out with the Yankees. It shouldn’t go out with a crowd watching an outdoor hockey game that’s as much a marketing tool for the NHL as it is another regular season hockey game.

Hat tip to BBTF for this one.

Harry

Half empty stadium? Are you kidding me? Guarantee it’s sold out.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
  
  You’re probably right; I misread the Rangers’ attendance numbers. I fixed the post to reflect that, but I still can’t endorse this plan.
Jeff

I understand your perspective. The stadium is sacred for those of us who love it so much. However, for years on end this stadium will be getting no use and if they play a couple of games per year going forward this could be a nice source of revenue for the team. Might help us pay for Sabathia seeing we are missing out on Santana.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
  
  For years on end, this stadium will be used as a parking lot. I think that’s a good amount of use right here, and at at least $30 a car, it won’t be hurting for revenue.
  
  Plus, what makes you think that we’ll miss out completely on Santana? He’s still due to hit free agency next year, and if he doesn’t make it that far, neither will Sabathia.
http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

Those hockey players in the photo are clearly on PEDs.
boones

The temp will not be a factor either unless it is somehow 80 degrees out in January. Hockey arenas around the country keep the temperature inside at 62 degrees, so low to mid 50’s would be no problem at all. Also the game would sell out in under an hour and be a ton of fun.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
  
  My point remains: I’d rather see the Yankees close out Yankee Stadium than the New York Rangers.
Steve S

Ben getting a little possessive. Forget about attendance figure, that Buffalo game was incredible. Yankee stadium is a piece of New York history, its not just about the team, while I hate the Rangers, it would be great for the city and for the sport./
davi

if you read the comments after the buffalo game, the players hated it. hockey sucks as much as the mets do. just have it in shea stadium
Pingback: Rangers Playing at the Old Stadium? « iYankees
Joe159

First comment on here. This is a terrible, terrible idea. I wouldn’t be against it at all if this weren’t the Stadium’s last season, but the last game played there HAS to be by the Yankees. No question.
Robert

We are not allowed to have a New York team play in a New York arena because it’s Yankee Stadium? Was there this much of an outcry when the Giants were playing regular season games in yankee stadium? Or when there were concerts held in the stadium? The Yankees will have played their last game in yankee stadium hopefully in late october. Therefore they no longer have any use for the stadium and will have moved on to their brand new, state of the art stadium right across the street. It’s not like the Yankees have been the only team to ever play in the stadium.

And Davi, what comments did you read after the buffalo game since clearly the players were happy with playing the game and would love to do it again. Don’t make stuff up to try and make a point.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
  
  You have totally, totally missed my point. The last event at Yankee Stadium should be a Yankee game. I don’t give a rat’s ass if the Rangers want to play their next ten games in Yankee Stadium right now. But the final game at Yankee Stadium belongs to the Yankees.
Brian

This is a ridiculous plan. Firstly, one can argue the Yankees should not be moving out of the stadium. It should be considered a national landmark. Certainly, the last event there should be a yankees game. It is after all, YANKEE stadium.
Brian

Sure, a national landmark completely rebuilt in the aesthetically-challenged 1970s. I love The Stadium, and will be sad to see it go, but not doing this simply for nostalgia’s sake would be far more of a shame to me than Jeter being the last professional athlete to grace the playing surface. This will be an exciting event, and while I am admittedly a big Ranger fan, I feel denying such a game on these merits to be needlessly selfish.

To address a previous commenter, all reports I read said the players loved the excitement of playing in the outdoor game, especially in a large, packed, intense stadium. The only downside for some was that it happened to blizzard that day (as Buffalo is wont to do) and a full inch of snow accumulated on the ice during the third period.
- Brian
  
  Edit: “…than Jeter NOT being the last professional athlete to grace the playing surface.”
Barry

I don’t really see how it matters, no one will remember it as anything but Yankee Stadium. Also I think it would be awesome if the Giants played in there for a home game or two.
snoop dogg resident

its already a disgrace the final regular season game wil not be played at the house that ruth built added to a good chance the yanks dont make the playoffs and it a hockey game as the last pro sporting event?

i can see the trivial pursuit question aleady – this is a joke. why doe it seem ike other than the allstar game, they ae doin nothing to honor the stadiums final year
DW

like the other trivial pursuit question: name someone who played for the Knicks, Rangers and Dodgers.
Pingback: River Ave. Blues | Rangers’ hockey game in Yankee Stadium moving closer
Client#9

This will be awesome. Rangers fans are passionate NYers and they respect and deserve the same from the Yanks. It’s a nice thing for the Yanks to do from one sport to another. It in no way affects baseball and will only if the Yanks said no (by tarnishing them a bit). The Yankees will still have their final game at Yankee Stadium. Hockey gets to stretch its arms a little and NY gets to enjoy the winter a bit more.
YoungMiz42

Im a die hard yankee fan and I understand the fact of the last game in the House That Ruth Built not being played by the yankees. But im also a die hard Ranger fan and i would love nothing more than to attend an outdoor Ranger game even if it was at the old stadium. That would be the coolest thing ever and I know that shit would be easily sold out. Im die hard fan of the Yankees, Rangers, Knicks and Giants! This definatly needs to happen!!!!!!! Its great for New York sports especially the Rangers. The Yankees have many great memories and milestones at that stadium and playing a hockey game there is never gonna take away from that!!!!
- JPB
  
  As a Red Wing fan this is not only epic coolness, but a guaranteed mass cash machine for NY as myself and others of the Winged Wheel fandom will descend upon Gotham with nothing but $$$ fun in mind. The Babe, the Mick, and Billy Martin won’t hate, but will bless this a fantastic way to send this awesome piece of architecture to it’s rightful home with them. Think they won’t be happy with massive beer sales??? NYR vs. DRW, been too long since we met with a REAL prize on the line. This would be too cool not to do