Major League Baseball: George Steinbrenner legacy lives on
George Steinbrenner: where does one begin when it comes to him? He was rude, pompous, arrogant, and a bombastic boss. George was born on the 4th of July, 1930, and passed away on the 13th of July, 2010, after suffering a heart attack. His claim to fame was being the principal owner of Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees.
There is no doubt about the fact that he rebuilt New York Yankees from scratch, and made them into a multi-billion dollar industry. He has shown and taught people in the sports industry that spending generously and intelligently on players can certainly produce world-class players and winners.
He rammed his head with coaches, commissioners and fellow owners, dominating all with his empowering persona. He fired countless managers and coaches, and rehired them when he wanted. He was a man who did what he wanted and no one could stop him. He was eulogized as one of the most controversial men in the history of sports.
George revolutionised sports in his own way after being the first one to sell TV cable rights for football to Madison Square Garden (MSG Network), which ended in a feud with MSG over cable right fees. He ended up starting his own channel named Yankees Entertainment and Sports (YES) Network. He broadcasted baseball games of the New York Yankees and New Jersey Nets (a basketball team which he partially owned) on the channel. YES Network is available in many states such as New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, and is also available on international levels provided by DirecTV.
Regardless of whatever opinions are held by people about George, he certainly took the New York Yankees to a level that they could only have dreamed of. His impact on the history of baseball is quite apparent, as he increased the Yankees’ brand value, turning it into a multi-billion dollar franchise. N.Y. Yankees, whose net worth was only $8.7M in 1973, is now valued at $1.6 billion, making it one of the most expensive franchises in sports.
Steinbrenner has been really popular amongst many media outlets; he was also known famously for his self-depreciating humour. There were many occasions where Steinbrenner made fun of himself. In one Miller Lite Beer ad, Steinbrenner tells Billy Martin, who was the manager for the Yankees, that he is “fired”, to which Martin replies “Oh, no, not again!” He has also hosted renowned shows in America, such as Saturday Night Live (SNL) on 20th October 1990. In SNL, he opened with a sketch starring himself; the only difference was that he was not only the owner of the team, but a coach and also the star player of the Yankees. He also featured in an episode of the famous comedy cartoon series ‘The Simpsons’, where he fires Don Mattingly because he refuses to shave his long burns. He has also appeared in video games such as Superhero League of Hoboken. George is also identified as a huge fan of WWE.
It was a sad day for the entire sports industry when the George Michael Steinbrenner legacy came to an end. George died due to a massive heart attack at the age of 80 on July 13th. He was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Florida, and was announced dead at 6:30 am.
George is being missed dearly by his family, team, and rivals already. Bill Clinton, the former president of America, said, "George was a fierce competitor who was the perfect fit for the city that never sleeps - colourful, dynamic and always reaching for the stars".
He might have not been favoured by many fans of the New York Yankees due to his tempestuous nature, but he mellowed down over the last decade, and he was loved dearly by his team at the end of the day. He was an emotional dynamic man, who helped his team win 10 World Series titles, and successfully revived the Yankees.
George Steinbrenner’s excellence and strong headedness brought pride and glory not only to the New York Yankees but to New York itself. He was larger than life, and will always be remembered as a great entrepreneur, mentor and leader.
Tags: