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The 7 - Baseball - Fenway Must Go
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dwaters
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#1 Posted on 18.6.03 1124.28
Reposted on: 18.6.10 1127.13
This topic may be better suited for redsox.com, but here it is.

After attending a game last week, I have decided that it's time to let go of the past and get rid of Fenway Park.
I'm a lifelong New Englander and Sox fan, and I have fond childhood memories of my first game, seeing the grass and wall as I came up the ramp...Even as an adult I was excited to take the tour and sit in the dugout and touch the wall.
Enough is enough. Practically all Grandstand seats have some kind of post blocking your view (mine blocked the view of any play at first base), the seats are smaller than average with no leg room at all. ( I'm not a large man either) They're hard and hurt your butt after two innings. My friend stood for the majority of the game because it was more comfortable than the seat. Many of the back rows have no view of the centerfield scoreboard--these are the $44 seats too. "Charming" indeed.
Even Sox legend Ted Williams said they needed a new place.
But what about tradition?
Boston Garden had tons of tradition, but fans have adjusted fine to the FleetCenter. Gillette Stadium is a welcome relief to Patriot fans who watched season after season in a run-down building.
Sox Management keeps adding new things, but it's still the same old tiny place. Time to change. It's still possible to have and old feeling park with new amenities. Look at Camden Yards in Baltimore. I've never been but hear good things all the time.
Just too bad the most expensive ballpark in the majors is the least comfortable for fans.
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Whitebacon
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#2 Posted on 18.6.03 1200.24
Reposted on: 18.6.10 1202.06
As great as the atmosphere and everything at the Fens is, I have to agree. I was fortunate enough to take in a three game series against the Expos in 2000, and after being probably spoiled by PacBell in San Franciso, I was somewhat disapointed by Fenway. The bleacher seats are actually more comfortable and provide a better view than the more expensive seats down the line. I'm only 5-7, and when I sat in the first base seats, the person in front of me was practically in my lap. I think what they should do, is do what the Bears did last year, and undergo a massive renovation of the place, if the pols can't get a stadium deal put together. I can only see two problems with this: Where would they play while Fenway was being redone, and Does this turn into another Big Dig type of deal for Bostonians?
JayJayDean
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#3 Posted on 18.6.03 1240.42
Reposted on: 18.6.10 1243.05
The Mariners play in lovely Safeco Field, and my wife has enjoyed many games there and become a fair baseball fan. When we went to Chicago on business we went to a Cubs game at Wrigley, which was cool. Last year we went back to New England to visit family and for the first time we were able to do what we wanted with our time. Since we flew into and out of Logan, I suggested that we take in a game at Fenway on our last day in town (a Saturday).

Unfortunately for my wallet the game that day was a sold-out Red Sox-Diamondbacks game. Ah well, ebay here we come. I ended up paying $123.00 for 2 $38.00 tickets, but who cares right? We're going on vacation, dammit, and my wife had gotten excited about the game.

As the day of the game approached, it became apparent that Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling would be facing off. Are you kidding me? I'm almost tempted to sell the tickets myself at this point.

At last the day of the game is here and we take the green line in to Kenmore Square. It's at least 75º and a prefect June day. All around the ballpark we take in the atmosphere (I'd been to several Sox games, but none since '89, my wife had never been) which is totally unlike anything that happens around Safeco. Time to go in...

Wow is this place a FUCKING DUMP! What is this bullshit food all about? Has noone from Boston actually been to a game at a stadium built since World War II? Am I at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma? Was I totally oblivious to the suckiness when I was a kid? Ah, who cares, it's FUCKING PEDRO vs. SCHILLING! Let's go to our seats.

We're in the rightfield corner about 10 rows behind the Pesky Pole. Cool, right? Why are my seats pointing toward dead centerfield? Oh well, you kind of have to look through people at any sporting event. I wonder who is going to be sitting next to us and when they'll show up? Hey, watch Pedro in the bullpen...cool.

Anyway, Boston scores a run in the first, Arizona in the second. So much for our big pitchers' duel. At least I can watch the game on the bigscreen, except that it looks like they bought the Jumbotron (or whatever they call it there) at Radio Shack in 1963. Plus, the scoreboard is the equivalent of a Commodore VIC-20 in today's technological world. Sorry, but HLBRD3B isn't a way of telling me Shea Hillenbrand is playing third, it's a fricking license plate.

But, hey it's ok because the guy sitting next to me is about 6'4", 270 and I didn't know I was going to be sharing my seat with someone. But that's not too bad because he's getting up every inning to take a piss (he's keeping me informed of that) and get two more beers. My wife is having a great time twisting in her seat to see home plate, very comfortable for her being pregnant and all, and useless because no matter what she does it doesn't change the fact that she's 5'2".

In summation, Fenway Park is the most overrated place on earth. Due to the shitty ballpark, my wife and I left a Pedro Martinez-Curt Schilling matchup on a 75º cloudless afternoon in the FOURTH INNING! All Fenway lovers should go to a game at a park built in the last 10 years. I seriuosly doubt you could be honest and say it's a good game-watching experience.

(edited by JayJayDean on 18.6.03 1041)
Simba
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#4 Posted on 18.6.03 1401.06
Reposted on: 18.6.10 1402.17
I agree with a lot of your points here. I'm lucky enough to have a friend with season ticket connections, so I get to go to about 10 games a year for free. No chance I would spend that kind of money on my own.

One of the major reasons that I've told people is that New Englanders HATE CHANGE. Why do you think the Boston market is the last market a lot of companies venture into? Because it's our way, or no way!

I guess I've gotten used to it over the years, but then again I grew up going to Phillies games at Veterans Stadium, so I'm easy to please.
messenoir
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#5 Posted on 18.6.03 1413.15
Reposted on: 18.6.10 1419.14
Well, nothing can match Wrigley, but you are correct, Fenway should at least try:-)
spf
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#6 Posted on 18.6.03 1530.00
Reposted on: 18.6.10 1531.18
Wrigley of course has the added advantage of looking great in comparison since my favorite ballpark ever was torn down to make way for the BallMall on the south side of Chicago. Old Comiskey was and is still my favorite place ever to have seen a ballgame.
PalpatineW
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#7 Posted on 18.6.03 1900.58
Reposted on: 18.6.10 1902.08
Aside from the seating issue, Fenway's a terrific place to see a game. I'd be all for a new park which is exactly the same as the old park as far as the field goes, yet has far better seating. I think that would be a good compromise between the tradition of the Green Monster and the comfort of Red Sox Nation.
cfgb
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#8 Posted on 19.6.03 1111.59
Reposted on: 19.6.10 1114.39
Heh, I can't possibly pass up a story upon hearing this Fenway bashing.... From my Grandmother...

It's October of 1975... My Grandmother and Grandfather had won a local radio contest to see the Cincinnati Reds take on the Boston Red Sox in games 6 and (if neccessary) 7 of the World Series.

We're all familiar with the games in question.

Game 6, they arrive. She's been to many ballparks, and in her opinion none compare to the "rickety old piece of crap" that is Fenway.

In her description - it was rainy and miserable. The fans were drunk, and some sitting in the aisles - most of whom had transistor radios to tune into FOOTBALL. In the World Series.

She got heckled by rude fans for DARING to cheer the Reds. I have been to MANY baseball games and have never once heard a thing about the Atlanta Braves gear I'm bound to be decked out in....

It got colder - and yes, there was a complaint of a pole blocking her view... Finally, around the 7th inning of potentially the greatest game ever played, my Grandparents get up and LEAVE. They go back to the hotel, where it was far more comfortable and enjoyable.

They sold their Game 7 tickets.

I shake my head at the idea that a ballpark could be so miserable someone could walk out of a Series game and not feel any regrets....

And I thought Stade Olympique was bad.

(edited by cfgb on 19.6.03 1212)
JayJayDean
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#9 Posted on 19.6.03 1132.39
Reposted on: 19.6.10 1139.19
...and it's 28 years worth of aging worse today.
Freeway
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#10 Posted on 19.6.03 1332.45
Reposted on: 19.6.10 1335.44
Well, by the sounds of it crappy Burns Stadium (where the former Calgary Cannons, now the Albuquerque Isotopes) used to play is a better stadium than Fenway. And I use the term "Stadium" lightly, it's more a bunch of bleachers.
Big Bad
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#11 Posted on 19.6.03 1554.42
Reposted on: 19.6.10 1559.04
First off, I find it hilarious that there actually is a team called the Albequerque Isotopes.

What Boston should do is simply build a 'new' Fenway, with a Green Monster and everything, just updated into a Pac Bell/Camden Yards kind of place.
Chico Santana
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#12 Posted on 19.6.03 1741.35
Reposted on: 19.6.10 1744.04
There is a sense of nostalgia in that beautiful old dump, it's the smell of history, or piss from 1923. I like the idea of a new park, Minute Maid Field, Safco, Miller, and Pacbell are all very nice. I'm conflicted about keeping the green monster, it seems so forced to keep if you have enough room not to build it. Plus, the Red Sox have to play to the wall every home game, though I like the idea of a new monster type wall it depends how it fits in with a new parks design. It adds extra fun when you go to Fenway and one of your friend gets stuck behind a pole, "hey, how's the view over there?". Though it sucks if you get a bad view, and the seats are small and somewhat uncomfortable.
redsoxnation
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#13 Posted on 19.6.03 2016.02
Reposted on: 19.6.10 2020.10
I'm still waiting for the collapsable roof to be installed.
StaggerLee
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#14 Posted on 20.6.03 1019.48
Reposted on: 20.6.10 1027.44

    Originally posted by spf2119
    Wrigley of course has the added advantage of looking great in comparison since my favorite ballpark ever was torn down to make way for the BallMall on the south side of Chicago. Old Comiskey was and is still my favorite place ever to have seen a ballgame.



I had a wonderful experience at old Comiskey back in 89. Got to see the Sox lose to eventual World Champs Oakland. Conseco and Mcguire both went yard. I was fortunate enough to get seats directly behind home plate, in the upper level. We went to the top, and had just a fantastic view of the entire field. I really enjoyed myself.

I lived in Detroit from 78-82 and saw about 10 games a year at Tiger Stadium. That was, to me, what a baseball park SHOULD be. Great prices, Good food, the field looked like heaven, and the place just smelled great. (no not like piss)
Sure, some of the seats had poles in the way, but to me that was part of the charm. I loved that stadium, and got misty eyed when they showed the final pitch in slow motion on sportscenter with all the flashbulbs going off. My bitch ex wife asked "what the hell are you crying about?" I could not even explain it.

Now, living in St Louis, we are getting a new stadium, EVENTUALLY, and they are replacing Busch Stadium. I have been to about 12 games in the past few years, and while it is an okay place to see a game, it just isnt exciting to me. Round, and plain. No character at all to it.
messenoir
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#15 Posted on 20.6.03 1049.50
Reposted on: 20.6.10 1053.54
They ain't getting a new stadium if I'm paying the taxes for it. One of Governor Holden's spineless maneuvers these past couple years was that darn stadium.
The Red Sox Fan
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#16 Posted on 23.6.03 1336.32
Reposted on: 23.6.10 1343.16
I had season tickets for 4 years. My seats were in the front row of Section 26, right about even with third base. There were many nights that I went to Fenway and never thought about it; it was my ballpark, my team, my heroes. One night three or four years ago, the Sox were playing the Orioles in a night game, and the Orioles jumped on the Sox early for like a 7-spot. For whatever the reason, I just decided to get up and walk around a bit to calm down. I had usually gone to the same beer stand and food area, so I figured to walk around for an inning or so and check out some places in the park that I'd never seen before. I came to realize something. The place, for all the ghosts and legend and nostalgia, is now a dump. I hate to admit it, but it is. A new ballpark would cause all kinds of furor up here, but yeah, we need one. Where to put it is an issue, but since I'm moving to Philly in a month or so, I get not one, but two brand-new parks to go to.
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#17 Posted on 23.6.03 1439.16
Reposted on: 23.6.10 1439.30
This discussion makes it all the weirder that the Red Sox are Asking to have concerts in Fenway.
redsoxnation
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#18 Posted on 23.6.03 1631.32
Reposted on: 23.6.10 1631.55









The reason for this is very simple: The Cabal of Henry, Werner, NY Times, Lucciano overpaid significantly for the Red Sox, and are trying to find any way possible to make money. This is why there won't be a new Fenway in the near future, because these 'geniuses' don't have the money to buy the land, and the true value of the Red Sox currently is the land Fenway Park inhabits.
By the way, the Padre organization that Lucchiano and his boy blunder Theo Epstein helped develop are almost as good as the Padre organization that Tom Werner helped build during his reign in San Diego.
PalpatineW
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#19 Posted on 23.6.03 1638.44
Reposted on: 23.6.10 1638.48

    Originally posted by redsoxnation









    The reason for this is very simple: The Cabal of Henry, Werner, NY Times, Lucciano overpaid significantly for the Red Sox, and are trying to find any way possible to make money. This is why there won't be a new Fenway in the near future, because these 'geniuses' don't have the money to buy the land, and the true value of the Red Sox currently is the land Fenway Park inhabits.
    By the way, the Padre organization that Lucchiano and his boy blunder Theo Epstein helped develop are almost as good as the Padre organization that Tom Werner helped build during his reign in San Diego.



Maybe not this season, maybe not the next, but some day very soon you're going to be eating all these words as Theo Epstein builds us into perennial contenders and stops bleeding the system dry for overpriced rentals a la Duquette.

Besides, what's wrong with renting Fenway if you can get a few bucks for it? Maybe that's the only way to raise funds for another park. We're already bilking the taxpayers for billions, nationwide, what with the big dig and all.
Simba
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#20 Posted on 24.6.03 1045.19
Reposted on: 24.6.10 1046.17
I can't even imagine the obscene pricing structure that they're going to have for that Springsteen show. They're giving season ticket holders an advance sale, so I'm sure they're getting top dollar.

What a nightmare that seating configuration is going to be. They're setting up the stage in centerfield, with no Monster or bleacher seating. Here's your $120 ticket, Sir. Please enjoy this pole view and crawling over 8 other people to reach your 2X3 wooden seat.
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