Yankees Change Tune (Again): No More 'New York, New York' After Losses

This season, several Yankees players will sport “well-groomed beards” following a recent change to the team's longstanding facial hair policy. But it's not just their appearance that's getting a makeover; the sound of their games will also be different. The Yankees will no longer play Frank Sinatra’s “Theme from New York, New York” after losses. Instead, a rotating selection of Sinatra songs will fill the stadium, none of which will be the iconic “New York, New York.” The change was confirmed by a club spokesperson on Sunday and will apply to both Spring Training and regular-season games at Yankee Stadium. The first alternative selection, Sinatra’s “That’s Life,” played as fans exited after Sunday’s 4-0 Grapefruit League loss to the Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
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The tradition of playing “New York, New York” after Yankees games dates back to 1980, when principal owner George M. Steinbrenner was inspired by Sinatra’s 1979 recording at a Manhattan nightclub. After testing the song in an empty Yankee Stadium, Steinbrenner enthusiastically reached out to Sinatra’s representatives, securing permission to use the song. John Fugazy, the Yankees’ marketing director at that time, recounted to The New York Times in 1980 how fans would stand and sing along even after losses, motivated by the song's hopeful message. The change to a rotating selection of Sinatra tunes marks a new era for the Yankees, as they continue to evolve both on and off the field.