In the world of professional sports, the stakes are as high as most towering home runs, both on and off the field. For rookies, the road to the top is paved with sweat and hard work, and it takes more than just raw talent to earn a spot on a team. But for the chosen ones, those whose talent is out of this world, the sky’s the limit when it comes to their paycheck. And Gerrit Cole, the phenomenal pitcher for the New York Yankees, is no exception.

With a salary of $36 million per year, Cole’s contract is as heavy as his fastball. His 9-year $324 million deal, signed in 2019, is the second highest in the team’s history, trailing only behind captain Aaron Judge. And with such staggering figures, there’s always room for a little humor, as Brett Gardner proved in a funny moment.

The New York Yankees do not pay for their athlete’s in-flight connectivity expenses?

When you’re a professional athlete, roasting teammates is practically a sport within a sport. From dugout banter to in-flight jokes, there’s no shortage of playful jabs. And since millionaire athletes have to fork over a few hundred bucks for in-flight Wi-Fi, thanks to the $6 billion team who refuses to foot the bill. Brett Gardner, the New York Yankees outfielder, jokingly told Gerrit Cole that he’s the one to blame for the team’s policy of making players pay for in-flight Wi-Fi.

And why is Cole the one to blame? “It’s your fault. Your contract is too big, so they can’t pay for wi-fi,” the outfielder said in good fun. 

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So, if you’re a Yankee fan and notice one of the players suddenly go dark on social media, don’t panic – they’re not in witness protection. They’re probably somewhere soaring through the sky, without a Wi-Fi connection in sight because they refused to pay a few bucks for it. 

Aaron Judge had a winning edge when it came to free Wi-Fi

The Yankees captain, however, doesn’t have to pay for the Wi-Fi. Aaron Judge has got it all covered. Not because the team pays for the great captain, but because he’s got free in-flight Wi-Fi thanks to his T-Mobile. According to SI.com, T-Mobile offers free Wi-Fi when soaring through the clouds with Delta flights. And as the captain jokingly admitted, because he already had free Wi-Fi, it did not put a hitch in his decision to stay with the team.

Imagine the horror if Judge also had to pay for the Wi-Fi. Would he be wearing Oakland Athletics’s blue and gold right this moment? Well, aren’t baseball fans glad that the captain didn’t have to pony up his own cash for connectivity? 

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