"We’re winners! We don’t sit with losers!” - New York Yankees legend George Steinbrenner once acted for the global hit show "Seinfield" until his cameo was removed from the final release
Former New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner will likely be remembered as one of the greatest MLB owners of all-time. Known simply as "The Boss," Steinbrenner ascended to mythical status by changing the very fabric of Major League Baseball. After purchasing the Yankees from CBS for $10 million in 1973, Steinbrenner proved that professional sports ownership is one of the greatest investment opportunities in the history of finance as the Yankees franchise's worth has grown to nearly $7 billion in value. Steinbrenner instituted numerous interesting policies for the New York Yankees, such as trailblazing the tradition of a team owning its own sports broadcasting network (that would later be emulated by the New York Mets with SNY) and not allowing players to have facial hair while under his employ.
New York Yankees legendary owner George Steinbrenner was the face of the team in the front office and in pop culture
Steinbrenner was so popular that the comedy hit Seinfeld felt it would be grossly innaccurate not to mention "The Boss" in their show when main character George Costanza worked for the New York Yankees. Steinbrenner initially refused to let the classic show use the New York Yankees in any way, shape, or form as he refused to appear in the show and rejected a request to use the team's pennant and uniform in filming. The show decided to have fun with it and filmed numerous scenes with Steinbrenner's likeness being used but never showing his face.
However, after watching the show, Steinbrenner ended up being a huge fan. He was especially fond of George, who was initially modeled after him. While he wasn't a fan of his portrayal on Seinfeld, Steinbrenner admitted that the show's interpretation of his personality was fairly and embarassingly accurate. In the show's final season, Steinbrenner finally relented and agreed to appear in the season seven finale, and he showed up in three scenes. However, in a scenario that sounds like it would have been written for "Seinfeld," the scenes were cut due to an excessively long runtime.
Steinbrenner unfortunately passed away due to a heart attack at the age of 79. His tenure with the Yankees is one that will be known by ruthlessness, cockiness, and excellence. Under his outspoken tenure as owner, the club won seven World Series titles and 11 American League pennants in the 37 years he was in charge. He's an owner every executive aspires to when referencing success.