On Thursday, the Staten Island Yankees officially ceased operations, they announced they are filing a lawsuit against the New York Yankees and MLB. The lawsuit is for falsely promising they were safe as MiLB restructures.
Since 1999, the Staten Island Yankees have been in the New York Yankees farm system playing in the NY-Penn league. They have been a successful team, winning six championships, and they have been the heart and soul of Staten Island.
Their home games are played at the very scenic Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George. The ballpark has been know for it’s gorgeous view of Lower Manhattan in the outfield. The team has produced many MLB players, including Brett Gardner, Dellin Betances, Robinson Cano and many more. Unfortunately all the great players and memories this team produced will come to an unfortunate end.
The Staten Island Yankees announce they are ceasing operations and are suing the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball. pic.twitter.com/ULY7ORm49L
— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) December 3, 2020
The Staten Island Yankees Cease Operations
Following the announcement that the New York Yankees cut ties with the team, their main option was to join an independent baseball league. This did not work out because without the New York Yankees they would not have the money to pay for coaches players and staff. The result was Thursday’s announcement. The Staten Island Yankees claim that the New York Yankees promised them that they would not be disaffiliated.
The team hopes to redistribute any monetary victories in court back to the community.
“A portion of of any settlement or jury verdict will go to the Staten Island Yankees Foundation to be distributed to local Staten Island charities like the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and Person Centered Care Services,” said the team in their press release.
Additionally, they will refund any outstanding ticket purchases upon request.
How It All Unfolded
On November 7th, the rumors of their disaffiliation became a reality. This was a surprise to the organization as they were never directly notified by the New York Yankees. Now the Staten Island Yankees want answers. According to SILive the New York Yankees were extremely unhappy with the Staten Island Pizza Rats promotion. Additionally, the partial rebrand drew mixed reactions from fans and some people found it offensive to Italians.
Other rumors are that the stadium was not up to par. According to a local website pinstripedprospects.com the wall padding was damaged. Instead of repairing the wall the repaired it with duck tape.
Attendance has also been an issue for the ballpark. A few years prior the area was a construction zone as they were building a new parking garage. The location is also known for bad traffic and is located next to the Staten Island Ferry. Many used the ferry to travel to work in Manhattan which caused lots of traffic.
Staten Island May Lose Professional Baseball for Good
It is a sad ending for the Staten Island Yankees and the community. Without the support of the New York Yankees it will be tough for a team to play there. The future of Richmond County Bank Ballpark, also home to the Wagner University Seahawks, remains uncertain. The stadium has also hosted many concerts over the years.
Without the Staten Island Yankees, it is uncertain whether or Richmond County Ballpark will still be in use. It is a tough end for the community who has supported this team for the last 21 years, and it may truly be the end of MiLB in Staten Island.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
