Yankees Allow Fans Closer To Field During Batting Practice

Yankees To Allow Fans Better Access To Front Row Seats During Batting Practice

LACK OF SENSITIVITY? In N.Y., Bob Raissman notes Yankees COO Lonn Trost Tuesday said of the team's policy that prohibits fans without Legends Suite tickets in the area during batting practice, "If you purchase a suite, do you want somebody in your suite? If you purchase a home do you want somebody in your home?" Raissman writes Trost's "hard-line stance" defines what he and his "front-office colleagues think of a portion of their fan base." Yankees execs are "entitled to do business as they see fit," but the current regime, led by Yankees co-Chair Hal Steinbrenner, Yankees President Randy Levine and Trost, "shows a lack of sensitivity and public relations acumen." Raissman notes a "number of executives who either are currently doing business with the Yankees, or once did," portrayed Trost as an exec "'once hidden away in the dungeon' when [Chair] George Steinbrenner was in control, now in the spotlight without a clue how to handle it." Another exec said Trost is a "lawyer, that's what he is. Now he has been given operational responsibility. When lawyers become COO's, watch out" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/15).

NOT AN IDEAL OPENING: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Darren Everson writes of the new Yankee Stadium, "What if this $1.5[B] ballpark doesn't help the team? Is it possible that this magnificent facility could fail?" Levine said that he is "untroubled by the park's early negative reviews, or the notion it could go down as a failure." Levine: "We believe this stadium will have its own great life and great memories" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/15).

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