It turns out that Rob Manfred has always been a Yankees fan.
The MLB Commissioner revealed this during Monday’s episode of “Pardon My Take,” sharing how he grew up supporting the Bronx Bombers and continues to watch their games regularly. “I watch a lot of baseball. I grew up being a Yankee fan. I still watch a lot of Yankee games,” Manfred mentioned. He added that living in New York means he tries to split his time between the Yankees and Mets, but it often tips in favor of the Yankees.
Manfred, at 66, fondly recalls the Yankees’ success during the 1960s and ’70s as a key part of his fandom.
As news broke, baseball fans took to social media. Many couldn’t help but make jokes about Manfred’s revealed allegiance. One fan quipped, “Is he still giving the ball to play Yankees juice ball?” while another remarked, “Well, that explains a lot.”
Interestingly, Manfred stands out among North American sports commissioners for openly sharing his loyalty to a team within his league. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who grew up a fan of the then Redskins, stated he left fandom behind when he joined the league office in the 1980s. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver have ties to the Rangers and Knicks, respectively, but haven’t mentioned continuing to support those teams in their current positions.
Manfred has been with MLB since working on collective bargaining in 1987 and became commissioner in 2015, succeeding Bud Selig upon his retirement.
