The Yankees need to come together if they want to live up to their own standards as Major League Baseball’s giants.
Your chance is Monday night, when the World Series will be played in the Bronx with the much-anticipated Game 3 between the Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. And if you want to watch the Yankees battle for their first win in the best-of-seven series, there are plenty of ways to do so without giving up a half-month rental of stadium seats.
No doubt, it will probably be crowded.
The area around Yankee Stadium in the Bronx was packed on opening night of the series on Friday, packed with fans who couldn’t afford to fly to Los Angeles, let alone buy tickets for the opening game. Fans packed into the 100-year-old Yankee Tavern stood shoulder-to-shoulder an hour before the game started.
Bouncers at Billy’s Sports Bar on River Avenue let you skip the line for $20, but the line stretched around the corner and the wait was an hour.
Josh Riley, 22, of Westchester, was waiting outside Billy’s. “I’m nervous. I kind of have a pit in my stomach, but I’m not going to lie,” he said. He predicted the Yankees would win in six games, which is the best-case scenario for New York after the Yankees’ first two losses.
Marshall Davey, 43, was sitting at the bar at the Yankee Tavern on 161st Street on Friday night. He said he traveled from Australia all over the world to capture this moment.
“Every time the Yankees make it to the postseason, I fly to New York for it,” Davey said. “You’re in the heart of this place. This is where baseball lives and breathes.”
If you’re looking for a place to watch Game 3 and beyond with other New Yorkers, here are some options.
oculus
For those living in the Lower Manhattan neighborhood, the big game will be broadcast free of charge on the big screen in North Oculus Plaza, and spectators will also have access to food and drinks from the nearby Oculus Beer Garden and other shops and restaurants. There is one drawback. Although there is no actual seating in the plaza, the ledges and steps in the open space are good places to post.
Sports bars in general
New York sports bars have always provided a convenient alternative to a cramped apartment living room, and this one is no exception. Fan-favorite taverns such as the Irish American Pub and Restaurant, Carragher’s Bar and Boot Room, and Patrizia’s Taverna will host watch parties.
Sports bars in the Bronx (especially)
For those looking to get a closer look at the game, expect all the bars near Yankee Stadium to be packed. If the scenes at the Billys in Game 2 on Friday were any indication, Monday night should be a frenetic time.
Jackson Hawkins, 22, of Westchester, was also in line outside Billy’s Friday night. He said he has been waiting 15 years for the Yankees to return to the World Series, ever since their 2009 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
“In 2009, we were 7 years old,” Hawkins said. “We don’t remember much about it. This (World Series) is the biggest sporting event for us.
Roz Jama, 26, said she is not a baseball fan but traveled from Brooklyn to the Bronx to watch the game with friends on Friday. “I just came here to get a feel for the atmosphere.”
yankee stadium
Anyone with a stadium ticket is very lucky to have gotten it (and may have spent a pretty penny to get it). Gates will open three hours before the game starts to give people enough time to get in. But how do we get there?
To bring more fans to the Bronx, the MTA plans to increase service on the 4th and D trains and increase Metro-North service to and from Yankees E Station. 153rd Street Station.
The MTA will also have additional personnel on platforms and mezzanines at 161st Street and Yankee Stadium stations to assist with crowd control.
Several bus lines also stop near Yankee Stadium, including Bx1, Bx2, Bx6, Bx13, and BxM4. Schedule and fare details can be found on the MTA TrainTime app and on the MTA website.
First pitch is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. Game 4 will also be played Tuesday night in the Bronx, followed by Game 5 at home on Wednesday if necessary. The Yankees need at least one win on Monday or Tuesday night to continue in the series after Wednesday.
Games 6 and 7 will be played at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
