Fandom 250: Case for the New York Yankees
By Chris Chavez
The New York Yankees have some of the best fans in sports, and here is why they deserve to be atop the Fandom 250.
If you go around the world, there’s a good chance that you could come across someone with an interlocking “N” and “Y” on a baseball cap. It’s one of the most popular and historic logos in sports that unites New York Yankee fans everywhere on the globe.
Yankee fans are enriched with some of the best traditions and history. It wouldn’t be too long before a Yankee fan brings up or reminds you that the team has won 27 World Series titles, including four from 1996 to 2000, and 40 American League pennants. It’s the ultimate brag in all of sports.
If you’re a Yankee fan, you’re also part of one of the best rivalries whenever the team faces the Boston Red Sox. From the days of Babe Ruth to Derek Jeter’s diving catch into the stands at Yankee Stadium or even Aaron Boone (now the newest manager of the team) and his Game 7 home run in the 2003 ALCS, any game between these two teams is a good excuse to go to the ballpark or catch it on TV.
The Bronx is not only the birthplace of hip hop—it’s also the home to Yankee Stadium. The old stadium was one filled with ghosts of epic teams but much of that aura and mystique has carried over into the new digs just across the street. When the Yankees are good, there’s no better place to experience a game.
It’s a great time to be a Yankee fan now. The 2017 Yankees exceeded everyone’s expectations. This is a team that is supposed to be good in a handful of years but under the leadership of sluggers like Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez, the Yankees won 91 games to clinch a wild card spot. Just making the playoffs was worth it for the season but a Yankee fan’s mind never strays too far from the quest of adding another World Series title. A thrilling Wild Card win against the Minnesota Twins led to a meeting with the Cleveland Indians in the American League Division Series. The Yankees found themselves down 2–1 but pinstripe fever was alive and well in the Bronx before as they came back to win the series and then come within a game of the World Series in the ALCS.
The future is certainly bright for what could be the next Yankees dynasty—especially with Giancarlo Stanton on the way. The Evil Empire is back, and Yankees fans won’t hesitate to tell you about it.
Full rankings for the Fandom 250 will be unveiled on December 12, 2017 at Fandom250.com.