New York City has its fair share of professional sports teams and there’s something for everyone here as a tourist to this great city who wants to catch an iconic team play at one of the NYC stadiums.  There are so many sports arenas in the NYC area: Madison Square Garden (just “the Garden”, to locals), Barclay’s Center, Giants Stadium (now MetLife Stadium), Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, Red Bull Arena, Prudential Center… and a few more all call the New York metropolitan area “home”.

Enjoying a New York Yankees baseball game is a great way to spend a spring, summer or fall afternoon in New York City.  For the soccer (football) enthusiast, maybe you want to catch a NYCFC game instead.

This post covers the perhaps most iconic stadium we have here in the City That Never Sleeps: Yankee Stadium. This NYC stadium is home to the Yankees and the New York City Football Club.

However, going to a game can be a really expensive endeavor, and neither NYC stadium is centrally located in Manhattan, so it’s a bit of a trek to go to each. I’d guess that, unless you’re a die-hard sports fan, only one event like this will be part of your NYC trip. So, you’ll have to pick between this or Citi Field.

Going to a baseball or soccer game in New York City is a true hometown experience and I would recommend even folks who do not like sports to go check out a game. The atmosphere, camaraderie, merriment and energy are contagious – you can’t help but have a good time at an NYC stadium.

Here’s a brief rundown of Yankee stadium, how to get to there, what to expect once you’re there, and what it’s all about.

HOME OF THE ICONS: YANKEE STADIUM

The Yankees are almost synonymous with New York City and are likely the team that comes to mind when you conjure up an image of a New York sports team in your brain. It’s for good reason – the team dominated the world of baseball from the 90’s and well into the 21st century (as well as dating back to the early 20th century – does the name Babe Ruth, or maybe Joe DiMaggio ring a bell?). The names Derek Jeter and A-Rod are household names in American pop culture – even the number 2 is sacred to some New Yorkers now. However, with great fame and a great record comes high prices, large crowds, and tons of bandwagon fans.

How to get there

The best way to get to the stadium – Take the B (during weekdays), 4 or D subway trains in the Uptown direction to Yankee Stadium stop, get off, and follow the signs/crowd to the stadium, just steps away from the station. Keep in mind that Yankee Stadium is in the Bronx and not in a very great area – especially for tourists who are not familiar with New York. It’s not dangerous per se around game time, but use caution in the subways and on the street. Beware of people trying to sell you stuff (counterfeit goods and fake tickets) and go straight to either the few bars next to the stadium (more on that below) or to the game.  This isn’t a place where you tailgate all day and it’s not much of a destination other than the stadium itself.

The Yankee Stadium Experience

You’re in the home of the greats and, although the stadium is new and not the original, the hallowed halls create a great atmosphere.  The fans are from all walks of life, but it isn’t cheap to go to a game, and with some tickets well over $200 a piece, it’s pretty cost-prohibitive to take a family out to a ballgame these days.

There are a few team stores throughout the place that sell Yankees merchandise, some of which is hard to find elsewhere.  But, if you can wait to buy a t-shirt, you’ll likely find it for a better price at one of NYC’s sports gear shops like Modell’s. Buying team memorabilia at an NYC stadium can be pretty expensive.

There are just a few rules to being a good Yankees fan – hate the Red Sox, don’t wear Red Sox gear (although you won’t get beat up if you do – at least, I don’t think you would…), and be respectful of other people at the game. Don’t stand up and walk to go get food or go to the bathroom while someone’s in the middle of batting.  Bring a hat when it’s raining or get a poncho – don’t be “that guy” with an umbrella. And, most of all – HAVE FUN!

When the grounds crew come out to tend to the field between innings, pay attention! It’s a fun part of the game that you won’t see anywhere else than this NYC stadium.

SOCCER (FOOTBALL) – NEW YORK CITY FOOTBALL CLUB (NYCFC)

Maybe baseball’s not your thing. Fear not, folks. NYCFC provides a great reason to head to Yankee Stadium, coupled with European stars Frank Lampard, Andrea Pirlo and David Villa make this team exciting to watch, even if they don’t always win. [October 2019 edit: These players have since retired, but Maxi Moralez is the current star of the team AND is on the MLS All-Star Team this year!]

Show up early and hang out for an autograph down by the field during warm-ups, even.

Go before the games (soccer or baseball) to visit Monument Park, a tribute to the MVPs and legends of the team throughout its history. Check out the retired numbers and bronze reliefs for each player. Monument Park closes 45 minutes prior to game time, so you’d have to get there pretty early to check it out. It only requires about 10-15 minutes of time, and it’s worth seeing.  

There’s a touching memorial for 9/11/01 – an event that forever changed NYC.

Eating and Drinking

Chowing down on some serious nosh at Yankee Stadium is going to cost you a pretty penny. It’s the more expensive of these two NYC stadiums. Beers are $12, hot dogs are $6 and pretzels are $4.  You can get a beer in a souvenir cup and kill two birds with one stone – some merchandise and a frosty brew to enjoy while you watch the game. [Update: These items may cost more now. This post was first written in 2016.]

Sports Illustrated compiled data and craft beer lists from each U.S. ballpark in 2019 and here’s a list of the craft beers that you should order at Yankee Stadium.

We hung out in the Mohegan Sun Sports Bar [Updated 10/31/19: now the Audi Yankees Club/Pepsi Lounge] to get a drink and some food during a NYCFC game (at least) and enjoy the air conditioning on a hot day. You need tickets to the seats in the lounge, arranged stadium-style, so we had to go find our actual seats when the game started.

Post-Game Action Nearby Yankee Stadium

After the game, Yankees and NYCFC fans funnel out of the stadium and across the street to the iconic post- and pre-game bars like Stan’s Sports Bar, Billy’s Sports Bar, and The Dugout.

The place is packed wall to wall but if the team won, then everyone’s in a good mood and the atmosphere is great. It also pays to stick around for a bit because the Subway is going to be packed for at least 30 minutes after the game, as fans cram themselves like sardines into the cars of the 4, B, and D trains.

[Last Updated 10/31/19]

What’s your favorite ballpark (other than Yankee Stadium) and when can I go there? Tell me in the comments, below!

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