MLS expansion club NYC FC in March will begin playing at Yankee Stadium, requiring at least 17 field conversions a season, but Yankees President Randy Levine on Thursday said that he has "no concerns about the turnover of the field," according to Christian Red of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Levine: "We spent a lot of time going through this. We have the greatest grounds crew and stadium operations people in the world. We feel very confident. We wouldn’t have done this unless we feel very confident that the field will be perfect for both soccer and baseball. Yankee Stadium is the cathedral of baseball. We’re not gonna ever do anything to jeopardize that." Levine added that at one point, there "was a strong possibility that a soccer stadium would be built on the grounds where the old Yankee Stadium stood, but that after Mayor Bloomberg’s tenure ended, 'it just didn’t happen'" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/19). On Long Island, David Lennon notes the minimum 17 field conversions is "not including the possibility of MLS playoff games." This is a "lot of traffic, especially during a fickle weather period" for N.Y., where "rain and even snow can be a problem in April" (NEWSDAY, 12/19).
