Yanks Embarrassed By Post, Change Sunscreen Ban

Via the Post with a hat tip to BBTF -

Yankee fans are seeing - and turning - red over a ban on sunscreen, which Stadium security guards say was widely expanded in the last few weeks.

Security guards collected garbage bags full of sunblock at the entrances to Yankee Stadium over the sweltering weekend, when temps hit 96 degrees and the UV index reached a skin-scorching 9 out of 10 - a move team officials said was to protect the Stadium from terrorism.

The team contends that sunscreen has long been on the list of stadium contraband, but there is no mention of it on the Yankee Web site.

Four weeks ago, Stadium officials decided that sunscreen of all sizes and varieties would not be permitted, a security supervisor told The Post before last night’s game.

“There have been a lot of complaints,” he said. “We tell them to apply once and then throw it out.”

For fans who bring babies or young children to cheer on the home team, the guard had suggested they “beg” to take the sunblock in.

Seeing the giant bag full of confiscated sunscreen Saturday, one steaming Yankee fan asked whether he could take one of the tubes and apply it before heading into the park.

“Absolutely not,” the guard told him. “What if you get a rash? You might sue the Yankees.”

The Stadium does sell 1-ounce bottles of Arizona Sun SPF 15 for $5 - a huge markup that makes its beer seem cheap.

Dermatologists said that, security concerns or not, leaving 56,000 fans unprotected from potential skin cancer is “very dangerous.”

“This is especially bad for children, as their younger skin is particularly sensitive,” said Dr. Babar Rao, a specialist at the Skin and Cancer Center of New York. “Sunblock needs to be reapplied every two hours, even if you are not swimming in the ocean or pool.”

Major League Baseball even has a skin-cancer prevention program called “Play Sun Smart.”

An hour after being asked about the sunscreen ban, Yankee spokesman Jason Zillo told The Post that the rules would be changed to permit 3-ounce containers.

I’m all for ballpark security in a post-9/11 world. It’s very important. There are few terrorist targets quite like 55,000 New Yorkers in an extremely concentrated area, with limited exit routes, attending an event known as America’s Pastime. To be honest, at times, I’ve worried about my safety being in such a venue. Therefore, I have no issue with Stadium personnel checking me out before I go into a game - and having reasonable limits on what I can bring into the ballpark. After all, it’s for my own safety.

But, telling people that they cannot take in a small tube of sun-block and then charging them five bucks for a one-ounce bottle inside the Stadium makes the Yankees look really bad here. Good job by the Post for exposing this story. And, smart move by the Yankees for now changing this utterly stupid and suspect policy.

July 22, 2008 | Filed Under Yankee Stadium

Comments

4 Responses to “Yanks Embarrassed By Post, Change Sunscreen Ban”

Paul Katcher on July 22nd, 2008 9:26 am

Typical disgusting behavior from the Yankees, making money off of supposed security concerns and putting people’s health and overall comfort (for days, with sunburn) at risk.

They acknowledge there have been a lot of complaints, yet they continue to profit off of marriage proposals when they could use the same time and space to inform fans of their unique security policies.

What, there isn’t enough time in a 3-hour-plus ballgame to run a security PSA? They might also want to take 1 minute to discuss with fans what is expected of their behavior, since half of them have no idea.

Offering the supposedly safer sunscreen at a ridiculous markup is just another slap in the face to loyal customers. I wonder if team execs have any respect for the average fan, or if they even know the names of anyone without a corporate account.
Raf on July 22nd, 2008 10:22 am

I’m all for ballpark security in a post-9/11 world. It’s very important. There are few terrorist targets quite like 55,000 New Yorkers in an extremely concentrated area, with limited exit routes, attending an event known as America’s Pastime.
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I definitely disagree. There are bigger and more significant targets than Yankee Stadium, and having attended post 9/11 games in several different ballparks around the country (and the other 3 teams in NYC), I can honestly say that only the Yanks take things as far as they do. I’m not sure if you allude to that when you closed your first paragraph

But I do agree with you when you criticize their sunscreen policy. Quite ridiculous and arrogant by the Yanks. And I hope that security guard who suggested someone beg in front of their child, at minimum got a punch in the mouth, if not fired. Absolutely disgusting.
hopbitters on July 22nd, 2008 11:45 am

There is simply no excuse for this. The Stadium is not a pressurized aircraft and is not in danger from the same kind of attacks.

I’m not sure that I disagree with Steve about ballparks being potential targets, however. Terrorism isn’t about killing as many people as possible. It’s about scaring people.
redbug on July 22nd, 2008 5:53 pm

I’ve been coming to games rgularly and carrying suncreen. I’ve never had it confiscated.