For decades, Yankee Stadium has been considered the cathedral of baseball, a $1.6 billion monument to the sport’s most decorated team. However, in recent months, a dramatic transformation has taken place across the city. The Mets, long identified as the city’s little brother, are not only playing competitive baseball but also winning over fans, raising concerns related to whether Citi Field is beginning to overshadow its city counterpart.

The Citi Field and the Yankee Stadium opened in 2009, with the Yankees building the larger venue at 52,355 seats compared to the Mets’ more intimate 42,000. Traditionally, the Yankees have dominated the attendance charts, leading the AL East in crowd numbers from 2022 through 2024. Yet in 2025, that monopoly on the city’s baseball identity appears to be cracking.

The Yankees, despite holding a 73–60 record, find themselves third in the AL East behind the Jays and Red Sox, while the Mets sit second in the NL East at 72–61, powered by a stellar 44–24 home record that has clearly energized the Mets fans.

The turning point came this summer when the Mets began outdrawing the Yankees on overlapping home dates. MLB reporter Anthony DiComo noted this stunning shift. “The Mets and Yankees were home at the same time on five dates this month. The Mets outdrew them on four of those five days. Average attendance for the overlap games: Mets: 40,837, Yankees: 37,998.” For a team that has never led the NL East in attendance, such a quick surge marks a seismic cultural moment in the city’s baseball rivalry.

Local voices have also amplified the debate. Jake Brown declared on social media, “Citi Field is the far superior stadium & experience and it isn’t even remotely close. With the Mets now being competitive consistently…you will see a lot of Mets games outdrawing Yankees games now.” Brown’s statement highlights a larger sentiment that fans are gravitating toward the more modern fan experience in Queens, where current upgrades and consistent competition have combined to establish a game-day environment that rivals — and in some instances surpasses — the Yankees.

Still, questions linger related to whether this trend highlights a temporary spike or a lasting cultural transformation.

The Yankees, despite current struggles, remain the most storied team in MLB and continue to lead the AL in attendance overall. The team’s 2025 dominance at the gate across the full season suggests that the Yankees brand still carries immense pull. Yet with the Mets winning head-to-head in fan turnout on specific dates and providing marquee victories like their 6–0 shutout of the Phillies, momentum appears to be tilting. If Citi Field continues its rise, Yankee Stadium could no longer stand unchallenged as the beating heart of the city’s baseball.

In between this debate, the city is getting ready to face the most iconic game of the season.

Yankees and Mets to play on 25th Anniversary of 9/11

The declaration of MLB’s 2026 schedule has ensured that one date will transcend wins, losses, and standings. The Mets and Yankees will clash at Yankee Stadium from September 11–13, a symbolic Subway Series that coincides with the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. For the city, fans, and for MLB as a whole, the game highlights much more than a rivalry — it is a chance for remembrance, unity, and healing through sport.

While the schedule sets the stage, the true effect of this series lies in the feeling it evokes among fans who still carry vivid memories of that tragic day.

For some, MLB after 9/11 became a source of comfort, with iconic moments like Mike Piazza’s unforgettable home run serving as symbols of hope. The upcoming Yankees–Mets series rekindles those memories, providing fans a way to honor the past while standing together in the present. It is not just related to baseball; it is related to how MLB intertwines with the city’s identity and power.

But at the end of the day, the city finds itself split between two very different baseball realities.

The Mets are fueling excitement with packed crowds and a sense of revival, while the Yankees are battling criticism and a dip in fan enthusiasm. As both teams head toward their late-season clashes, the concern lingers. Is the balance of power in the city shifting? Or will the Yankees reassert their dominance before the Mets fully take the crown?