Don’t ask Hal Steinbrenner or Brian Cashman for the Wi-Fi password at Yankee Stadium. In fact, don’t even ask them for Wi-Fi period.
A report from Sports Illustrated’s Stephanie Apstein names the Yankees, valued by Forbes at $6 billion, as unique penny-pinchers. Along with a few other teams, the Yankees make their players pay for Wi-Fi on the team’s flights. All at Delta’s great price of $9 per flight.
The report offers some further context. It’s not the Yankees’ policy, but Delta’s. Even so, Cashman’s logic for it is blunt and simple.
“I think most of our players can afford it,” he says.
Don’t tell that to Aaron Judge and his new $360 million contract. He has T-Mobile and gets free Wi-Fi on Delta flights. Same goes for reliever Michael King, who also happens to be on his parents’ cellular plan!
It should also be pointed out that the Yankees’ plane features card tables and several other perks, so Wi-Fi isn’t an absolute necessity. It’s not like they’re all flying commercial from JFK to LAX and buying internet to watch a movie on someone’s laptop or phone to forget about the lack of leg room.
No, these are all millionaires traveling on a very nice jet, sometimes for relatively short flights. $9 for airplane Wi-Fi is a literal drop in the bucket.
Except it’s the principle of the matter. If the Oakland A’s are offering free Wi-Fi on their plane (even if it doesn’t work) and the Yankees aren’t, then there’s a problem. Where’s that saved money going, anyway? Cashman’s latest analytics chase?
Full stop, the Yankees should be covering this expense and so should every other team. It’s a meaningless perk that doesn’t affect the greater expenses at all.
In the meantime, the Yankees’ players will continue to pay for Wi-Fi on the plane. For the players who complain, a piece of advice: Either take a nap or read a book.
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