Early on the morning of their first spring training game of 2025, the New York Yankees announced through their social media platforms that they were altering their policy on facial hair. Implemented nearly 50 years ago by former owner George Steinbrenner, players and staff were forbidden from growing beards of any sort, only able to sport mustaches that didn’t curve past the lip. Steinbrenner famously wanted the Yankees to represent a clean, classy look. Steinbrenner’s son, Hal, made the change after what he called, “ongoing internal dialogue that dates back several years.” Players will now be allowed to keep well-groomed beards.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone believes the new policy may help the team in their recruitment of free agents, saying, “If we miss out on one player because of that, that’s too many.” Boone stated that he’d heard rumors of players deciding against signing with the Yankees due to not wanting to give up their beards.

Yankees captain Aaron Judge had a different response to the idea of players avoiding the Yankees for the sake of their facial hair. “If that little rule is going to stop you from coming here, then you probably shouldn’t be here,” he said.

Days later, the Yankees confirmed that they will no longer be playing their signature song, Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” after losses. This decision likely stemmed from the fan outrage last October when the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their World Series victory at Yankee Stadium as the classic song played. Instead, a rotation of songs will play after losses, including Sinatra’s “That’s Life,” which has a more apt tone following the suffering of last season’s end.

While Yankees fans seem to unanimously support the music changes, the new beard policy has caused a divide. Some are disappointed to see the Yankees break their iconic decision, something that separated them from the other 29 teams in Major League Baseball. Others are in support of the move to allow the athletes freedom of expression.

This marks a major moment in Yankees history. Most fans have never seen a bearded player don the pinstripes, nor have they walked out of Yankee Stadium without hearing Sinatra’s love letter to New York. However, one tradition sits above all in Yankees culture: winning. Beard rules and song selection aside, winning games and pursuing championships unites Yankees fans. It’s safe to say that if the ballclub brings home the World Series trophy come October, nobody will be talking about the facial hair policy change.