On Aug. 31 my dad and I sat down in our seats in the bleachers on the left field side of Yankee Stadium, getting ready to watch the second game of the Subway Series against the Mets. The bleachers were littered with pinstripe shirts, along with small spots of orange and blue. As the game went on, my dad and I socialized with the people sitting around us and eventually the Yankees won 3-1. As everyone left the stadium, the song New York, New York, by Frank Sinatra, echoed throughout the stadium while everyone sang along.
This experience convinced me that the Yankees have the best fandom in all of sports. I became a Yankees fan when I was five after I was gifted a Yankees blanket by my grandma for my birthday. I have attended Yankees games each summer for the past three years, and every time I do the fans make it feel like a whole other city. One second you could be walking past The Bronx Museum of the Arts on 165th St., and the next you are in a mini-metropolis of Yankee fans.
The Yankees are the most iconic team in all of sports, created in 1903, and their logo is worn across the world. Even at this school, there are Yankees fans. Throughout the school, no matter what time of year, Yankee hats, shirts and sweatshirts can be spotted on the students. “I became a Yankees fan when I was eight after I saw them play at Nationals Park,” sophomore James Colvin said.
You could argue that a soccer team like F.C. Barcelona in Spain has a better fan base because of its rich history, having existed since 1899, making them about nine years older than the Yankees franchise. Or one could argue that they have a wider fanbase because soccer is a sport played all around the world, allowing them to have a further outreach than the Yankees. Additionally, F.C. Barcelona and soccer alike have more prominent and historical figures, including Messi and Neymar, who people can support.
While these arguments can be compelling, and baseball doesn’t have the reach that soccer does in other countries, that doesn’t mean fans don’t love to watch it. When it comes to historical figures, the Yankees have had legendary players like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Derek Jeter. Fans agree. “Seeing the Yankees play in person and on the TV is one of my favorite things to do during the summer,” Colvin said.
Yankee fans are some of the easiest people to integrate with. This summer my dad and I sat next to one of the relieving pitcher’s family and when we learned that they were related, we talked almost all game; people in the section in front of us were talking with us too. Every home run, hit or great play, everyone is high-fiving and hugging everyone.
With the baseball season opening day being Mar. 28, fans are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to celebrate their favorite team. The Yankees have rebuilt their team in the off-season and fans have been itching to see their performance this year after a disappointing 82-80 record last season.
