The New York Yankees, who make almost half a billion a year in revenue and just gave their captain Aaron Judge a $360 million contract, should never be in any stories about penny-pinching in the silliest places.
Uh, about that.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Stephanie Apstein, the Yankees charge their players to use team Wi-Fi. You read that sentence right. The Yankees, historically one of the MLB’s wealthiest teams, apparently try to “save” money by not paying for free travel internet for their players.
Well, I should say the airline Delta charges Yankees players $9. But the abundantly wealthy organization doesn’t cover the cost of maybe … one good cup of coffee and a muffin? I know that price adds up over an entire season, and these are millionaire professional athletes, but how pitiful!
More from Sports Illustrated:
“But the Yankees, whom Forbes estimates are worth $6 billion, do not cover the cost. A person familiar with the prices of such things said an in-flight Wi-Fi plan for one team for one year costs approximately $40,000—or about the price of four [Geritt] Cole pitches.”
Look, is this that big of a deal for people who can most certainly afford it without ever worrying about their bank account? Probably not. But Yankees leadership, especially owner Hal Steinbrenner, is far wealthier. This is one of the biggest and most popular professional sports organizations in the United States.
Its most visible and vital “employees,” so to speak, really shouldn’t have to pay for plane Wi-Fi.
