New York Yankees, commonly referred to as Yankees or simply Yanks, is one of the most iconic and successful baseball clubs in the world. Founded in 1901 as Baltimore Orioles, it changed its name to New York Yankees in 1913. The club is based in Bronx, New York, USA, and plays its home matches at the famous Yankee Stadium, which has a seating capacity of over 47,000.
New York Yankees has a rich history, boasting 27 World Series titles, 40 American League pennants, and numerous other domestic and international trophies. The club enjoyed its most successful era under legendary manager Joe McCarthy, who led the Yankees to 7 World Series titles and eight pennants between 1931 and 1946.
Known for its power-hitting style of play, the club has nurtured some of baseball’s greatest talents, including Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, and Derek Jeter. Despite recent challenges and inconsistent performances, New York Yankees remains one of the world’s most valuable baseball clubs, with a global fan base and a rich tradition that continues to influence American and world baseball.
New York Yankees is one of the most popular baseball teams in the world, with one of the highest average home attendances in Major League Baseball. The club states that its worldwide fan base includes more than 200 officially recognised branches of the New York Yankees Fan Club, in at least 24 countries. The team takes advantage of this support through its worldwide summer tours. Accountancy firm and sports industry consultants Deloitte estimate that New York Yankees has 75 million fans worldwide. The team has the third highest social media following in the world among sports teams (after Barcelona and Real Madrid), with over 82 million Facebook followers as of July 2023. A 2014 study showed that New York Yankees had the loudest fans in MLB.
The New York Yankees was formed in 1903 as Baltimore Orioles. The team initially played games against other American League teams, but on 20 April 1903, they competed in their first recorded match; wearing the colours of the team—black and orange—they were defeated 6–0 by Boston Red Sox.
In 1920, the team acquired Babe Ruth, a move that changed the history of the team. Ruth and Lou Gehrig formed one of the most powerful offensive duos in baseball history. They led the team to multiple World Series titles in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1927, the team had what is considered one of the greatest seasons in baseball history, winning a then-record 110 games and the World Series.
On 7 May 2014, Derek Jeter announced that he was to retire as player at the end of the baseball season, but would remain at the club as a special advisor and club ambassador. He retired as one of the most decorated players in baseball history. The team announced the next day that former player Aaron Boone would replace Joe Girardi as manager from 1 December 2017, having signed a three-year contract. The team has had moderate success under Boone's management, but has yet to win another World Series title.
Originally funded by the Baltimore Orioles, the club became a limited company in 1903 and was purchased by Frank Farrell and Bill Devery for $18,000. In 1915, the ownership changed hands to Colonel Jacob Ruppert and Captain Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston who invested $1.25 million to buy the club. After Huston's death in 1938, Ruppert became the sole owner of the club. Following his death in 1939, the club was sold to Larry MacPhail, Del Webb and Dan Topping in 1945 for $2.8 million. MacPhail later sold his share in 1947, leaving Webb and Topping as the majority owners.
After several changes in the ownership, George Steinbrenner, a shipbuilding magnate, led a group to purchase the club in 1973 for $10 million. The Steinbrenner family, particularly George's sons Hal and Hank, have maintained control of the club since then. Despite facing controversies and temporary suspensions, George Steinbrenner remained a significant figure in the club's operations until his death in 2010. His legacy continues through his sons, with Hal currently serving as the club's managing general partner and co-chairperson. The NY Yankees have consistently held their place as one of the most valuable sports franchises, thanks largely to their lucrative television contract with the YES Network, of which they hold a significant ownership stake.
The NY Yankees is one of the most successful clubs in Major League Baseball in terms of championships won. The club's first championship was the American League pennant, which they won in 1921. In 1923, the club won their first World Series title and have since then gone on to win a record 27 World Series titles. Those titles have meant the club has appeared a record 40 times in the World Series; of those 40 appearances, the Yankees have won 27, a record in Major League Baseball.
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New York Yankees History: A comprehensive look at the history of the most successful team in the history of Major League Baseball. https://www.mlb.com/yankees/history
New York Yankees Fan Base: A detailed analysis of the global popularity and fan base of the New York Yankees. https://www.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/yankees-fan-base.html
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