It takes a lot to impress fans for whom anything short of a World Series championship is a losing season — but when thousands of pinstripe faithful got a sneak peek at Yankee Stadium yesterday, their jaws dropped.
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Wandering through the $1.3 billion stadium — which hosts its first game tonight — was both strange and familiar for awe-struck fans, many of whom said they felt like tourists in their own back yard.
“It’s almost overdone. They didn’t skimp on anything,” said Marc Tagnotti, 22. “The video board is so massive, it just blows you away. It’s like the new stadium is the high-def version of the old one.”
TV screens were among the most talked-about feature — and not just the 103-by-58-foot HD Mitsubishi Diamond Vision, which is six times larger than its predecessor. There are screens throughout the stadium’s corridors, by every concession stand — even in the bathrooms.
The Yankees distributed tickets to season-ticket holders and members of local community groups to show off the new digs as the team took its first workout yesterday.
Like the players, fans said they were comforted by how much stayed the same: The field dimensions are unchanged, and the storied facade from the original Yankee Stadium is preserved at the new ballpark.
But in every other respect, the stadium has been made airier and more comfortable and offers far more amenities.
“Before, there were tons of obstructed views. Now any seat is a great seat, and you feel like you are so much closer to the field,” said Rich Bory, 19, of North Babylon, LI.
“It was a little bittersweet, but at the end of the day, it was pure excitement.”
The luxury boxes are even more luxurious, said Brock Emmetsberger, 29, who works in real estate.
“Now it really feels like being in your own living room,” he said. “I like it a lot more than the suites at the old place.”
Among the most striking new features of the ballpark is the sprawling Great Hall, filled with giant banners depicting Yankee greats.
“It is just gorgeous,” said Army Spc. Dave Ocasio, 30. “I would go to the old stadium every chance I got, but I love how they show off the history here.”
Some fans became so caught up in exploring the ballpark that they forgot the team was taking batting practice.
“They were hitting balls out, and I got hit in the head,” said Zach Noble, 14, of Scarsdale, LI. “The ball bounced off another guy’s glove and back into the field.”
The stadium’s Hard Rock Cafe also opened yesterday morning, with a performance of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” by former Yankee great Bernie Williams, an accomplished classical guitarist.
Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run DMC, Ace Frehley of KISS, and Scott Ian of Anthrax then helped smash 27 electric guitars.
“It seems like they only moved the old lady about 100 feet, but this place feels like it has history already,” Ian said.
Some fans are still skeptical that the field is up to replacing the storied House that Ruth Built across the street.
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“I expected a lot more for $1.3 billion,” said Greg Fleming, 34. “I expected this huge, wide-open stadium, but it doesn’t even look like it has enough urinals in the bathroom. The bleachers’ view is obstructed by flat-screen TVs.”
Although many fans are still mourning the team’s old home, there is one thing that will help them get over it, fans said.
“This place will soon have its own memories, but not until we win a championship here will people be able to let the old stadium go,” said Edwin Montai½ez, 56, of Brooklyn.
The gates open at 4 p.m. for tonight’s 7:05 debut game against the Chicago Cubs. Unfortunately, rain is in the forecast throughout the day.
Additional reporting by Doug Montero