Fenway undergoes a facelift

[Evil Empire]

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/ne..._mlb&fext=.jsp

They are completley redoing the field, and removing a drainage crown. Pretty interesting.

[WebsterMulligan]

Red Sox management has done an excellent job of keeping that old ballpark alive. I went to game four of the ALCS and was very impressed with the improvements that have been made. Fenway is a great place to see a game. My only complaint, is that the seating is a little tight.

[mitch300]

Sounds like the same kind of drainage system the Yanks put in.

[ryanm1058123]

Good to hear.

[Casey37]

I honestly don't want to hear anything that has to do with the Bosux.

[TommyK8]

Originally posted by WebsterMulligan
Red Sox management has done an excellent job of keeping that old ballpark alive. I went to game four of the ALCS and was very impressed with the improvements that have been made. Fenway is a great place to see a game. My only complaint, is that the seating is a little tight.

The Red Sox renovation of the ballpark and the area surrounding Fenway has really improved the quality of the entire experience. Just walking around the ballpark is a pleasure, the food is very good, you can go walking out on the street where there are more vendors, it's a great place to watch a game. The only real problem with seating is if you happen to be sitting in the deep right field grandstand, where many of the seats face directly towards centerfield, and you have to crane your neck to watch the batter. Those seats, and there are quite of few of them, should be pulled out and realigned so that they face home plate. Other than that, it's great, and the Sox plan to add more seats in 2006 by putting in more rooftop seats along the first and third base lines. It looks like the Sox ownership is planning on keeping Fenway, rather than going in the direction of a new ballpark.

[KP88]

Originally posted by WebsterMulligan
My only complaint, is that the seating is a little tight.

C'mon, you get to know the guys sitting next you REALLY well

[cubhater]

I heard Roger Bossard, White Sox head groundskeeper, is in charge of the field renovation. He's one of the best in the business.

[WebsterMulligan]

Originally posted by TommyK8

Other than that, it's great, and the Sox plan to add more seats in 2006 by putting in more rooftop seats along the first and third base lines. It looks like the Sox ownership is planning on keeping Fenway, rather than going in the direction of a new ballpark.

I've seen games from the infield roof box along both baselines. Great seats! Although, the first base roof box seats can be murder for late-afternoon games, because the sun sets right behind the left field line.

[robofish]

the people of boston deserve a state of the art ballpark .its time to pull the plug on old fenway

[cubswin]

Originally posted by robofish
the people of boston deserve a state of the art ballpark .its time to pull the plug on old fenway

nah. "State of the art" is overrated. I'll take Fenway anytime.

[stevethesoxfan]

Originally posted by cubswin



nah. "State of the art" is overrated. I'll take Fenway anytime.

Me too, so long as they keep making wise improvemnts like this.

As smart as they are, and as seemingly caring for the fans as they are, I hope that they will eventually rip out the lower seats and put in wider ones. It will cost them a little in capacity but improve the comfort level enormously.

[BobbyMurcerFan]

That's great! I LOVE Fenway, it's good to see that the Sox's management is committed to keeping her alive and well.

[NYYBombshell]

Nice to hear that they are giving Fenway a much needed repair job.

[bnorris85]

like cubswin and steve i love fenway....the only positve to a new ballpark is all the extra revenue from the extra seating....but i still want fenway...even if my knees kill after a game because im 6'1 not 5 feet like the people in 1912

[robofish]

go to a game in houston or baltimore or seattle then tell me how you feel about fenway.its time to take a wrecking ball to that dump.

[CrazyNY]

Originally posted by robofish
go to a game in houston or baltimore or seattle then tell me how you feel about fenway.its time to take a wrecking ball to that dump.

I've been to many games in Baltimore, and I still like Fenway. I didn't think it was possible to fix Fenway up and give the fans a good experience, but I was wrong. This ownership group has done a fantastic job with these improvements.

[cubswin]

Originally posted by robofish
go to a game in houston or baltimore or seattle then tell me how you feel about fenway.its time to take a wrecking ball to that dump.

Poor assumption -- I've been to 2 of the 3 and I'll still take Fenway in a heartbeat. You can't build atmosphere or history, and you can't just replace the character.

What do you prefer about those parks to Fenway?

[ryanm1058123]

Why would they get rid of it when it helps their offense tremendously?(as well as screws with left-handed pitchers)

[cubswin]

Originally posted by ryanm1058123
Why would they get rid of it when it helps their offense tremendously?(as well as screws with left-handed pitchers)

well, it should help other offenses, too, and hurt their own pitchers

[yanksphan]

Shot from the Fenway webcam:

[ryanm1058123]

Originally posted by cubswin



well, it should help other offenses, too, and hurt their own pitchers

Was mainly a joke on my part; but if I want to continue: Theres a difference. Divisional rivals at most play there 10 games a season. While the Red Sox play there 82 games.

[Yanks21]

The Red Sox are also increasing ticket prices by 7%. It's becoming cost prohibitive for many fans. That's the problem with a "small" ballpark...

[Kiwiwriter]

Could that start a new "Curse?" Rip up the infield that won the World Title, and the old infield curses the new one?

[reelbiggecko]

The Sox have been doing renovations like this for the past few eyars, but architects have said that after this offseason, there's really nothing more that can be done. Within the next five years we should have a much better idea if the Fenway that is standing now will be the same ballpark that the Sox are playing in 25 years from now.

[NYYBombshell]

Originally posted by robofish
go to a game in houston or baltimore or seattle then tell me how you feel about fenway.its time to take a wrecking ball to that dump.

Whatever. I've been to Fenway before and I've been to the newer ballparks and to be honest......minus the drunk profane Sox fans, I had a decent time all around. Fenway, much like Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium, are institutions and shouldn't be torn down. Renovated, but not destroyed.

[robofish]

Originally posted by NYYBombshell



Whatever. I've been to Fenway before and I've been to the newer ballparks and to be honest......minus the drunk profane Sox fans, I had a decent time all around. Fenway, much like Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium, are institutions and shouldn't be torn down. Renovated, but not destroyed.

tell that to the guy with a obstructed view seat or the thousands who dont have a prayer of getting a ticket because the place seats only 35000 give or take a view .and then there is the price .its a nice place to look at on t.v thats about it ,boston deserves a new park where you can actually park your car .like the place down the highway in foxboro called gillete stadium where they have started a new tradition .the only history excluding this year that fenway had was a tradition of heart break . mr gorbachov tear down this wall

[FoulkeLore]

Originally posted by Yanks21
The Red Sox are also increasing ticket prices by 7%. It's becoming cost prohibitive for many fans. That's the problem with a "small" ballpark...

Supply and Demand factor. Very true.

They also have a cash cow that's not going anywhere either. This is a deadly combination for consumers but if they continuosly improve on the product and it's features (ballpark) then noone will complain. I will gladly pay 7% more next year.

[CrazyNY]

Originally posted by robofish
tell that to the guy with a obstructed view seat or the thousands who dont have a prayer of getting a ticket because the place seats only 35000 give or take a view .and then there is the price .its a nice place to look at on t.v thats about it ,boston deserves a new park where you can actually park your car .like the place down the highway in foxboro called gillete stadium where they have started a new tradition .the only history excluding this year that fenway had was a tradition of heart break . mr gorbachov tear down this wall

The last thing this Bostonian wants is a baseball stadium in the middle of a field of parking lots. Fenway is easily accessible from the T and the commuter rail, and you can easily and safely walk to it from much of downtown Boston and Cambridge. People shouldn't be so spoiled that they expect that they can park wherever they want in the middle of an urban area. And Fenway has plenty of tradition beyond heartbreak. Personally, I love the idea that my grandfather used to sit and watch the game in the same park as I do. That connection is really a great thing to me.

[BobbyMurcerFan]

Originally posted by CrazyNY
The last thing this Bostonian wants is a baseball stadium in the middle of a field of parking lots. Fenway is easily accessible from the T and the commuter rail, and you can easily and safely walk to it from much of downtown Boston and Cambridge. People shouldn't be so spoiled that they expect that they can park wherever they want in the middle of an urban area. And Fenway has plenty of tradition beyoind heartbreak. Personally, I love the idea that my grandfather used to sit and watch the game in the same park as I do. That connection is really a great thing to me.

I can't agree more. I've been Edison Field in Anaheim, and it's the most depressing thing in the world to see a baseball stadium surrounded by black tar and mini vans.

[BobbyMurcerFan]

Originally posted by robofish
go to a game in houston or baltimore or seattle then tell me how you feel about fenway.its time to take a wrecking ball to that dump.

I've been to many games at Camden Yards b/c my sister lives in D.C. so we go when I visit her. Honestly, I like Fenway more.

[BobbyMurcerFan]

Originally posted by robofish
tell that to the guy with a obstructed view seat or the thousands who dont have a prayer of getting a ticket because the place seats only 35000 give or take a view .and then there is the price .its a nice place to look at on t.v thats about it ,boston deserves a new park where you can actually park your car .like the place down the highway in foxboro called gillete stadium where they have started a new tradition .the only history excluding this year that fenway had was a tradition of heart break . mr gorbachov tear down this wall

Yeah might as well tear down Harvard Yard while you're at it.

[Stupid Flanders]

Originally posted by WebsterMulligan
Red Sox management has done an excellent job of keeping that old ballpark alive. I went to game four of the ALCS and was very impressed with the improvements that have been made. Fenway is a great place to see a game. My only complaint, is that the seating is a little tight.

You must have had close seats and weigh 120 lbs. The seats are small and obstructed.. it's time to replace the seats. That's not a big structural issue and should have been done a long time ago

[stevethesoxfan]

When you build a state of the art stadium, it isn't state of the art for very long. Soon, it's just another stadium. Soon, the thrill of going to the new place wears off.

Fenway has its disadvantages, to be sure, but it is the oldest park in baseball. It IS history. You can sit in the same spot where people watched Smokey Joe Wood, Babe Ruth, Tris Speaker and others play. And yes, imagine what it was like to win those World Series back in the 1910s.

I'm sure that you could make a more comfortable place of worship than the Old North Church. You could build a more efficient skyscaper than the Empire State Building or Chrysler Building. Heck, I'm sure that the President could suggest some improvements to make the White House more liveable. But we aren't going to tear those places down, barring a risk of structural collapse, because they are our connection to memories of a great past. It's the same thing with Fenway. Renovate the heck out of it if necessary, but keep it as a treasure for baseball fans around the world to visit.

[robofish]

i wonder if people who want fenway to stay around for a long time will feel the same way when the big yankee boss builds a new park in five years with all those money making luxury boxes because thats whats coming and when that happens the sox are going to have a very hard time signing top free agents

[Stupid Flanders]

Originally posted by robofish
i wonder if people who want fenway to stay around for a long time will feel the same way when the big yankee boss builds a new park in five years with all those money making luxury boxes because thats whats coming and when that happens the sox are going to have a very hard time signing top free agents

[yanksphan]

Originally posted by robofish
i wonder if people who want fenway to stay around for a long time will feel the same way when the big yankee boss builds a new park in five years with all those money making luxury boxes because thats whats coming and when that happens the sox are going to have a very hard time signing top free agents

heh...I've been wanting to do this for a while now:

Theo has shown that he is more than capable of signing top free agents and filling the necessary holes. He's shown no reason why he can't blah blah blah blah....

[FoulkeLore]

Originally posted by robofish
i wonder if people who want fenway to stay around for a long time will feel the same way when the big yankee boss builds a new park in five years with all those money making luxury boxes because thats whats coming and when that happens the sox are going to have a very hard time signing top free agents

Whatever helps you sleep at night :rolleyes:

[BobbyMurcerFan]

Originally posted by stevethesoxfan
When you build a state of the art stadium, it isn't state of the art for very long. Soon, it's just another stadium. Soon, the thrill of going to the new place wears off.

Fenway has its disadvantages, to be sure, but it is the oldest park in baseball. It IS history. You can sit in the same spot where people watched Smokey Joe Wood, Babe Ruth, Tris Speaker and others play. And yes, imagine what it was like to win those World Series back in the 1910s.

I'm sure that you could make a more comfortable place of worship than the Old North Church. You could build a more efficient skyscaper than the Empire State Building or Chrysler Building. Heck, I'm sure that the President could suggest some improvements to make the White House more liveable. But we aren't going to tear those places down, barring a risk of structural collapse, because they are our connection to memories of a great past. It's the same thing with Fenway. Renovate the heck out of it if necessary, but keep it as a treasure for baseball fans around the world to visit.

*applasue* & for the record, I don't want YS torn down either.

[FoulkeLore]

Originally posted by BobbyMurcerFan
*applasue* & for the record, I don't want YS torn down either.

Every Sox fan I know that's been there has said it was their second favorite ballpark. I haven't been there but it really appears to be monumental on TV. I plan on visiting next season and I'm looking forward to it.

[robofish]

Originally posted by FoulkeLore


Whatever helps you sleep at night :rolleyes:

whatever helps me sleep at night? i dont get it .i guess you dont like when people dont agree with you.

[cubswin]

Originally posted by robofish
tell that to the guy with a obstructed view seat or the thousands who dont have a prayer of getting a ticket because the place seats only 35000 give or take a view .and then there is the price .its a nice place to look at on t.v thats about it ,boston deserves a new park where you can actually park your car .like the place down the highway in foxboro called gillete stadium where they have started a new tradition .the only history excluding this year that fenway had was a tradition of heart break . mr gorbachov tear down this wall

So, your only issue from a baseball perspective are the few seats that have an obstructed view.

Gillette's great, but its precursor blew, and it can have those amenities (parking) b/c it isn't located in the middle of a city. Personally, I prefer city parks, and I've never considered parking to be something that hampered my experience at a ballgame. Re. going to games, I've never had an issue not being able to get tickets when I've wanted to go.

[cubswin]

Originally posted by robofish
i wonder if people who want fenway to stay around for a long time will feel the same way when the big yankee boss builds a new park in five years with all those money making luxury boxes because thats whats coming and when that happens the sox are going to have a very hard time signing top free agents

So, is your argument now on business terms? ell me how the fans at YS like it when the boss builds an enormous stadium with empty (but paid) for luxury boxes pushing real fans further and further from the action. Let's see, Fleet Center with boxes and corporate seats versus the Garden... which was better for the Bruins and the Celtics and for the fans...

[cubswin]

Originally posted by stevethesoxfan
When you build a state of the art stadium, it isn't state of the art for very long. Soon, it's just another stadium. Soon, the thrill of going to the new place wears off.

Fenway has its disadvantages, to be sure, but it is the oldest park in baseball. It IS history. You can sit in the same spot where people watched Smokey Joe Wood, Babe Ruth, Tris Speaker and others play. And yes, imagine what it was like to win those World Series back in the 1910s.

I'm sure that you could make a more comfortable place of worship than the Old North Church. You could build a more efficient skyscaper than the Empire State Building or Chrysler Building. Heck, I'm sure that the President could suggest some improvements to make the White House more liveable. But we aren't going to tear those places down, barring a risk of structural collapse, because they are our connection to memories of a great past. It's the same thing with Fenway. Renovate the heck out of it if necessary, but keep it as a treasure for baseball fans around the world to visit.

great post, Steve

[WebsterMulligan]

Originally posted by stevethesoxfan
Renovate the heck out of it if necessary, but keep it as a treasure for baseball fans around the world to visit.

I completely agree. Fenway is a GREAT ballpark!

[robofish]

Originally posted by cubswin



So, is your argument now on business terms? ell me how the fans at YS like it when the boss builds an enormous stadium with empty (but paid) for luxury boxes pushing real fans further and further from the action. Let's see, Fleet Center with boxes and corporate seats versus the Garden... which was better for the Bruins and the Celtics and for the fans...

why cant a new fenway be built in the city or some place very close ?my point is the redsox are going to need a new park and the added money that comes with that to compete now thats just my opinion.im happy that you dont have a problem getting seats but alot of people do . i go to many games in baltimore toronto ive gone to a couple of games in seattle and those fields in my humble opinion are much better than fenway.unlike you i live 20 miles south of fenway and i have been there many times

[cubswin]

Originally posted by robofish
why cant a new fenway be built in the city or some place very close ?my point is the redsox are going to need a new park and the added money that comes with that to compete now thats just my opinion.im happy that you dont have a problem getting seats but alot of people do . i go to many games in baltimore toronto ive gone to a couple of games in seattle and those fields in my humble opinion are much better than fenway

There isn't anyplace in the city to accommodate the park and parking. They initially wanted to do that with the Pats but got shot down. Plus, fields tend to be financed w/municipal funds, which just costs all the taxpayers even more. And ticket prices often go up even further, continuing to price people our or push them further from the action. In the end, I'm not sure that a new park will make the Sox more competitive. They're always going to lag substantially behind New York, so to take drastic actions solely to try to keep up is a losing battle.

I think a lot of people greatly prefer parks like Fenway that are in the heart of the town, like Wrigley and PacBell also are. It's easy to get to them (even parking isn't so tough at Fenway -- you just need to pay $10-$20), there are restaurants and bars around, etc.

I understand preferring Seattle or Baltimore, though I don't share the opinion (I'm biased) -- they're great parks. Not Toronto, though -- that makes no sense to me.

[robofish]

Originally posted by cubswin



There isn't anyplace in the city to accommodate the park and parking. They initially wanted to do that with the Pats but got shot down. Plus, fields tend to be financed w/municipal funds, which just costs all the taxpayers even more. And ticket prices often go up even further, continuing to price people our or push them further from the action. In the end, I'm not sure that a new park will make the Sox more competitive. They're always going to lag substantially behind New York, so to take drastic actions solely to try to keep up is a losing battle.

I think a lot of people greatly prefer parks like Fenway that are in the heart of the town, like Wrigley and PacBell also are. It's easy to get to them (even parking isn't so tough at Fenway -- you just need to pay $10-$20), there are restaurants and bars around, etc.

I understand preferring Seattle or Baltimore, though I don't share the opinion (I'm biased) -- they're great parks. Not Toronto, though -- that makes no sense to me.

maybe its because i have been to fenway so many times . if the yankees build a new park and they are going to and the sox keep fenway it will affect the team on the field .then you will see how redsox fans living in and around newengland feel about getting a new park. you need money to sign players and luxury boxes and more seats are the way to do it

[WebsterMulligan]

Originally posted by robofish
maybe its because i have been to fenway so many times . if the yankees build a new park and they are going to and the sox keep fenway it will affect the team on the feild .then you will see how redsox fans living in and around newengland feel about getting a new park. you need money to sign players and luxury boxes and more seats are the way to do it

I heard that the Red Sox are working on some sort of nation-wide cable deal. I don't know too much about the specifics, but that will generate additional revenue. Anyone know anything specific?

[ryanm1058123]

Originally posted by FoulkeLore


Every Sox fan I know that's been there has said it was their second favorite ballpark. I haven't been there but it really appears to be monumental on TV. I plan on visiting next season and I'm looking forward to it.

Same here, I'd like to visit Fenway some day, but I know it will never happen as they all will probably get sold out before I get to it and make a trip up to Boston.