HBO's John Oliver went after the Yankees' new policy of not allowing print-at-home tickets this season, saying there is "only one thing ... that we can all be absolutely sure of this season, and that is that the New York Yankees will continue finding ways to look like the biggest elitist assholes in all of sports." Oliver said when fans complained that the policy "would make it harder for them to resell those tickets online," Yankees COO Lonn Trost "
went on the radio and denied those effects.” However, in doing so, he "threw in a comment that made it clear what he thinks of some of the Yankees' less affluent fans.” The broadcast aired audio of Trost speaking on WFAN-AM, saying, “If you buy a ticket in a very premium location and pay a substantial amount of money -- it's not that we don't want that fan to sell it. But that fan is sitting there, having paid a substantial amount of money for their ticket, and a fan picks it up for a buck and a half and sits there. It frustrates the purchaser of the full amount and quite frankly, the fan may be someone who has never sat in a premium location. So that’s a frustration to our existing fan base.” Oliver: “Wow! He's saying rich people couldn’t bear to sit near people who aren’t as rich, which would be offensive if you were talking about the opera, much less a sport whose primary fashion statement is the goatee. That is why the Yankees make sure no one gets into their most premium seating who doesn't belong there and that explains why so many of their fanciest seats are often empty during the season." Oliver said his show "bought two ‘Legends’ seats to the first three games this week and they are right in this area behind home plate." Oliver: "We will sell them to you for just $0.25 apiece on one condition: You must dress like you have never sat in a premium location before. What that means can be up to you. ... Simply tweet us a photo of what you and a guest would wear to the game, with the hashtag #ihaveneversatinapremiumlocation” (
“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” HBO, 4/3).
