Like Jorge Posada blocking runners from getting to home plate, the Yankee Stadium is stymieing fans trying to carry Apple iPad tablet computers into games.
The story emerged last week after a woman posted on the IGN Boards gaming and entertainment site that Yankee Stadium forbid her to bring her iPad into the game (though she simply snuck it in under her jacket). Since then, CNN and others desperate to write anything about the iPad have followed up.
Also read: iPad apps we'd like to see
Apparently, the iPad is seen as a possibly dangerous item, either in that you could put some unsafe electronics in it or just plain toss it, not that anyone would do that given the pricetag on iPads.
The Yankee Stadium security rules clearly prohibit bringing laptop computers into the park, so unless you believe an iPad is a tablet not a laptop, the rule seems pretty clear.
Yes, even though there are Derek Jeter- and other Yankee-specific apps out there for Apple's gadgets, including the iPad.
I'm just glad the Yankees don't prohibit fans from bringing in food, as do the Boston Garden and other venues. I was able to carry in a nice pocketful of pistachios to the Yankees-Twins game earlier this month, at least offsetting the high ticket and beer prices a little bit.
The iPad ban at Yankee Stadium is a little surprising given how much noise the Yankees and its tech partners made before the stadium was opened last year about how technologically advanced the park would be. Cisco and others touted their video, wireless and other technologies that would be put to use in informing and distracting fans all game long. One Yankees official even pulled out a sort of Yogi Berra-ism: "Yankee Stadium will be in a constant state-of-the-artness," said Yankee Chief Operating Officer Lonn Trost.
Meanwhile, the more enlightened Boston Red Sox do actually allow fans to bring iPads into Fenway Park (just don't try packing an umbrella). In fact, a friend of mine who I attended game 3 of the season at Fenway vs. the Yankees brought his iPad to the game that night.
Oddly, he wasn't able to pick up a WiFi connection (after all, we were out in the sticks of Boston...).
Anyway, as a Mac fanboy, he was awfully excited to show it off. The worst part of it for me was hanging out in a semi-hostile crowd with the guy with sporting a lame man purse. I figured that might have been our ticket to all sorts of grief from other fans.