We all know that scenes such as this are due to the corporate ticket speculators going bust in a reeling economy. What executive whose company has received TARP money wants to be caught in $2,500 seats at a Baseball game?

But even venerable, utensil-banging superfan Freddie Sez is feeling the corporate crunch. From the New York Post:

In years past Schuman, who like Yogi Berra turns 84 next month, received free season tickets from sponsors such as Modell's, or was simply let through the press gate with a wink from a stadium official. On Opening Day he had no trouble getting into the new ballpark for free through the press gate, but on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday he had to depend on the kindness of fellow Yankee fans for free seats.

"The Yankees say I am a part of the stadium. What part am I, the toilet bowl?" Schuman said. "But the fans have come through. They gave me $40, and even $100 tickets."

To be fair, the Yankees say all of that was a "miscommunication," and that they will accommodate Freddie in the future. We pretty much know the fate of the TARP fan: The economy will eventually improve, and those big-ticket seats will fill up. But what about the blue collar guy? The Yankees have already announced that they're planning on increasing ticket prices again next season. Have we seen the end of the comman fan? From now on it's suits and ties in the stadium, and guys like this consigned to the parking lot.

The Embarrassment Of The Rich [It's About The Money Stupid]Yankees 'Mascot' Forced To Beg For Tickets [New York Post]Yankees Plan To Raise Premium Ticket Prices In 2010. Really [Mouthpiece Sports]

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