Jay-Z and Eminem made history on September 13th as the first musicians ever to perform a music concert at the Yankee Stadium in The Bronx since it opened in April 2009.
Jay-Z himself, a NY native, was the first to tackle the fact when he opened the show with a passionate address to the crowd, “This is historic: there ain’t never gonna be another night like tonight.”
The excitement began to build in May when MLB gave a Press Release announcing Yankee Stadiums plans to host its first concert. The Press Release included a quote from the Chief Operating Officer, Lonn Trost, who stated that, “Yankee Stadium was built with this kind of mega-event in mind. It will undoubtedly be a memorable occasion for music fans around the world.”
Jay-Z and Eminem surprised fans when they brought out multiple iconic guests. Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Swizz Beats, Dr. Dre, Kanye West, 50 Cent, Coldplay and Mary J. Blige were a few of the many
celebrated icons that joined them on the stage.
Sarah Labriola, 21, who found tickets on craigslist for $750 (the going rate was $135), felt exactly the same way. “I walked in thinking this was going to be the greatest experience of my life, and I walked out thinking life could not get any better,” said Sarah, enthusiastically remembering her experience in the Yankee Arena.
Around 52,000 fans were in the crowd last Monday, an astonishing number considering that there are only 50,000 seats in the entire stadium, and according to Sarah, the people who were present are the only people who can understand the energy at the grand occasion.
“You know what, I can’t even describe it to you. I would say, ‘Hey have you ever been to a once-in-a-lifetime performance? That’s how I felt.’ But the only people who know how great it was are the people who were there. I could’ve done away with the extreme long lines to get in, get out, and get merchandise but that’s all a part of the deal.”
The large number of guests consequently brought about a large sum of money for the stadium. The best seats at a baseball game in the Yankee Stadium in an area called the “Legends Suite” go for an average of $510-$2,600 dollars. On September 13th, some of the people in the stands may have possibly paid up to $13,000 on their tickets to see Jay-Z and Eminem do what they do best.
When there’s a large change, there is likely to be a problem tagging along. The star-studded event seemed to go smoothly, but employees at the stadium were not too thrilled about the changes this advancement in the stadiums history brought to the staff. “The demographic was completely different then it usually is at the baseball games there. There were much more expectations because it was a single opportunity as opposed to baseball games that continue for seasons,” says Mike, a customer service representative at the Yankee Stadium.
With 20,000 Yankee fans having season passes to the games, baseball fans know where they’re going
and what to expect at the stadium. Mike says that the staff was completely exhausted by the time the show was over because they were “answering questions for the entire six hours, if not longer. To put it bluntly, the intelligence level of the crowd as far as knowledge about the stadium was lower which made our jobs harder”
The new concept of concert at the stadium brought about a new system where the security had to change their usual methods of handling the crowd. “Security guards didn’t know where stuff was and people got mad at the employees so complaints were constant. The alcohol level was higher than usual, we had to throw people out. I saw a police officer physically pick up and carry a girl out who was too drunk.”
Despite the difficult crowd, the excitement is still evident in the employees voice. Mike thinks that it was such a momentous experience to be a part of because of the mere fact that they are the first. “They now are an answer to a trivia question!”
The staff should probably figure out techniques for handling the changed crowd, because there is a high chance that more noteworthy concerts will be held at the Yankee Stadium. Jay-Z and Eminem will forever be responsible for changing the game, for being the first, but they will definitely not be the last.
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