Are the NY Yankees deviating from their brand identity? The insiders and fans think so! Well, the last few years witnessed a significant change in the balance of power and they’re often placed as the third fiddle to the Dodgers and Mets. The Yankees last won the World Series in 2009 which is quite unlike for the highest World Series winner. 

Wo shat went wrong with the Yankees post-2009? They still have their extensive brand identity and a good bunch of players but the results are not as per the desired level. Insiders are putting the onus of ownership change on the team. Hal Steinbrenner, son of the yesteryear owner George Steinbrenner inherited the team post-2010 and the Yankees have had nothing to boast of since then. Then, are the different leadership styles to be blamed? What can the Yankees’ fans expect going forward?

Steinbrenner’s brand of Yankees

What is Steinbrenner’s brand? The approach, which the Yankees followed since the early seventies from the time when George Steinbrenner acquired the team. His style of team management included paying the highest to his players compared to their rivals, getting the biggest stars in the market, and fielding a star-studded contending team. That was enough to create the “evil empire” in MLB. So the Yankees were always known for their extensive approach and for pounding all other teams in their way. That’s what Steinbrenner’s brand of the Yankees is known for but do they follow the same approach now? 

The Yankees under Hal Steinbrenner became more subtle post-2010 as the Dodgers assumed the traditional NY Yankees way. The last two years are the prime example of how the Dodgers were aggressive against their rivals, offered the highest paychecks, and ended up with the most star-studded team. On the other hand, the Yankees under Hal are not competing dollar-to-dollar against the Dodgers, even losing out on sweepstakes to the Mets. Remember Juan Soto?

“He’s also very happy getting some playoff money … merchandise and broadcast rights Etc but you don’t have to win the World Series. You don’t even have to make it to the World Series to get a bunch of that cash”, said MLB insider Brig Berthold in a podcast at Baseball Together. So, now the Yankees are all about earning their investment from the market and not bothering about getting into the postseason. The basic difference between George and Hal Steinbrenner is their way of looking at the games. While Hal Steinbrenner might making the most out of the team, his father was more devoted to the game.

What’s ahead?

Not getting into the postseason will have long-term impacts on the NY Yankees. Yes, the Yankees are known for their consecutive 5x World Series titles and the team with the most number of rings. The branding and fan attraction towards the Yankees are all based on this nostalgia. Once that gets diluted with continuous below-standard performances, Hal Steinbrenner will have very less to gain from the team. Moreover, rivals like the Dodgers are the new evil empire and doing everything to swing the tide in their favor. 

The Yankees still have enough juice left! This offseason is still on and the projected lineup released for the Yankees is relatively good with veterans like Aaron Judge and rookies like Jasson Dominguez in place. They are just in need of their yesteryear aggression and hunger to win. Hal Steinbrenner is pouring enough rain, but the question is – is that rain falling on the right spots to yield the right results? The Yankees fans have had enough of playing third fiddle all these years and 2025 can be the year for them to rebound. 

George and Hal Steinbrenner had a stark difference in managing the team and that’s reflected in the performance. It’s up tp Hal now to uphold the identity of the NY Yankees. 

What do you think about the difference between Hal and George Steinbrenner? Share your thoughts below.