Fans holding concert tickets report gate closures outside Jay-Z's final Yankee Stadium show
Large crowds surrounded the stadium ahead of the show as thousands of fans attempted to enter for the final night of what has been a record-setting weekend.
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Jay-Z's historic three-night run at Yankee Stadium has wrapped up, but not before major security issues delayed the final show for thousands of fans.
On Monday morning, concertgoers trickled out of the stadium, as many tell News 12 the show finished just before 4 a.m.
The late finish came after what the Yankees, ROC Nation, and Live Nation describe as a security breach.
In a statement they shared, "On Sunday evening at various fan entrances at Yankee Stadium, hundreds of individuals in large groups — who did not have tickets to tonight’s performance — stormed over peaceful ticketholders, and in some cases, breached security. As a result, gates at all entrances of the Stadium were closed for an extended period of time. With the thoughtful guidance of the NYPD, gates were reopened cautiously and carefully to ensure the safety of those inside and outside. The Yankees, Roc Nation and Live Nation express our deep gratitude to the NYPD and to Yankee Stadium security personnel for their leadership and direction throughout the evening, putting the welfare of attendees above all other considerations.”
The large crowds outside of the venue also caused issues for the FDNY, who say they were met with delays responding to people who needed medical help. The chaos and large crowds resulted in six people getting hurt. The FDNY says those people are expected to be OK.
Fans say the gates were suppose to open at 8 p.m., but many weren’t let inside until just before 10 p.m. Fans say the concert didn’t start until around 12:30 a.m.
Concertgoers say once inside, Jay-Z addressed the delays and apologized for the issues several times throughout his show.
"He just said. He apologized that it was a security issue and that that was out of his control. And he told him that he had to wait because he wanted to make sure that that everybody was safe," one concertgoer said.
The final performance follows Saturday night's concert, which set the record for the highest-attended concert in Yankee Stadium history with 45,832 tickets sold.
The previous record had been set just one night earlier during Friday's performance, making it the second consecutive night Jay-Z broke the stadium's concert attendance record.
Fans say the gates were suppose to open at 8 p.m., but many say they weren’t let inside until just before 10 p.m. Fans say the concert didn’t start until around 12:30 a.m.
FDNY says crews even had a hard time reaching people who needed help due to the large crowds outside of the venue. The chaos and large crowds resulted in six people getting hurt. The FDNY says those people are expected to be OK.
Jay-Z addressed the delays several times throughout his show.
"He just said. He apologized that it was a security issue and that that was out of his control. And he told him that he had to wait because he wanted to make sure that that everybody was safe," one concertgoer said.
Despite the long lines and late-night delays, fans say the experience was unforgettable. Many say they'd gladly wait all over again to witness what they called a once-in-a-lifetime hometown performance.
