Thursday, July 11, 2024

Hello, Fenway. I have returned. It’s been nine years since my first visit/tour. I loved your red brick facade, the intimate setting, your infamous green moster, and your rich history. I get goosebumps just thinking about Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and the over 100 years of baseball played there. Baseball nostalgic feels were definitely felt. These feelings will never change.

My second visit was to watch an actual game, and it wasn’t as pleasant. Perhaps it was my fault.

I was told that every seat at Fenway was great, so I sat in the bleachers section. I am a budget traveler, and these seats were on the lower priced end, so I got what I paid for kind of thing. It seemed that people who sat in my section and the ones next to it weren’t there to watch the baseball game. It felt like a fraternity/sorority gathering for I saw more backs of people than I did the actual game.

A college student who sat next to me informed that if the Red Sox don’t sell out, the club would send out a blast to all high schoolers and college students in the area and advertise $9 bleacher seats. Great marketing ploy! The ticket price may be a steal, but the club knows they will get a lot more revenue from the alcohol sales. Fenway definitely benefits from it being a college town with having Harvard, Berklee, MIT, Northeastern University, and other colleges within close proximity of the ballpark.

And of course, Fenway is prepared to handle the onslought of college kids + alcohol with security personnel everywhere.

But security did not enforce seat assignments. People sat wherever they wanted,  stood, and constantly walked up and down the aisles, even during play. I must have stood and let people in and out of my row a gazillion times. The lack of courtesy was quite annoying.

Yet, before the game started, security pevented me from sitting on the actual seat that I paid for because I was wearing a SELL shirt. My seat was in front of the broadcasting room, where they were doing a pre-game show. My shirt and flag could not be in the camera’s line of sight, I was told. So they had me sit on a different row. I said ok and complied. No problem.

About four security folks watched me like a hawk; one stood behind me from five feet away, making sure I did not attempt to move. When I stood up to get something to eat, a female security member raised her voice at me from across the section aisle to remind me that I could not go through a certain area.

But the one thing I did appreciate was that they allowed me to take pictures with the SELL flag, as long as I was not in the camera view. An acceptable compromise.

The Red Sox fans were ok. They cheered when there was a hit or home run or when the jumbotron told fans to make noise. But there was a lack of initiative on their end. But then again, it may have just been the “fans” around me.

I did enjoy singing Sweet Caroline with them. I thought that was a fun tradition. And I also liked their hot dog! The presentation wasn’t the greatest, but it tasted great! I also liked their show of patriotism when they honored a military servicemember. Everyone stood and removed their hats. I thought that was great, considering I’m a military mom.

The highlight and most memorable part of my visit was being official Sell the Flag Tour flag bearer for Boston. I had volunteered not knowing what to do or expect. But being the flag bearer allowed me to meet other fellow Oakland A’s as well as Boston Red Sox fans, who enthusiastically and passionately supported our SELL movement. There were also Red Sox fans who didn’t know what the SELL cause was about, so I was glad to be able to share it with them.

So despite having a not-so-great start, I ended up having a fun and memorable time at the end. I left the bleachers and wandered around the ballpark, talking with and taking pictures of fans with the SELL flag. It was fun! I felt like I accomplished my mission as the Sell the Team tour flag bearer.

Extra tip:  If visiting Fenway, check out Bleacher Bar, which is located outside Fenway but right next to Gate C entrance. It is a unique bar situated underneath the bleachers and has a huge window that looks out to centerfield.

Read all the Chasing A’s here…