Revie of Fenway

[Bugg]

Attended the Sawx/Rays game on 7/6/2007, which was pretty much over by the 2nd inning.

Tickets-scalping is about the only way in. Paid $80 each for $20 standing room. And standing room really is standing room, which in seems crazy and dangerous. No matter-you can find a bar/concessions tand along the 3rd base line by the Grenn Monster. The sight lines are really bad, but that seems true of the whole park, with some seats directly behind support beams.

The Park-it is in manys ways a tarnished old jewel. Reminded me a lot of Wrigley. Big difference-Wrigley is mostly wrought iron and latticework; Fenway is cinderblock and mortar and brick that was added to over time as money and opportunity presented itself. On and 80 degree/100% humidity day, it was like a kiln. The Sawx have pretty much devoted as much space as possible to commerce and concessions, which adds to the carnival atmosphere. Prices are pretty much along the lines of Shea or Yankee Stadiums.No matter what attending an MLB game means getting hit in the head repeatedly with the cash register.

Wooden seats? If you're that desperate for cash, I think the Nation would buy them up and you could put in some new plastic ones.

The area-lots of clubs and bars.All of them nice, pleasant and nearby. Taxis and the subway are nearby too. But...

What jumps out is that Boston, like NYC, is pretty much hellbent on building "luxury housing" everywhere. As an aside, I cannot begin to figure out the luxury of living in a top dollar apartment with limited services and shopping, no natural light, no fresh air and no car. When did simple 1 and 2 family houses on a human scale become obselete? I don't think you can look up in Boston and not see a contstruction crane. Which is why the devotion to Fenway seems a little much.

As a facility, it's way past it's useful life. If you can move Yankee Stadium 2 blocks, and you can knock down all kinds of other stuff for rich developers, why can't you accomodate a new Fenway nearby? By all accounts the Boston government is as crooked and slimy as there is. Not getting a new stadium is embarrasing when you see the absolute explosion of develeopment everywhere else in Boston.

A nice time was had by the family, though as a Yankee fans, the shellacking of the Rays was a tad depressing but expected.

[Gainzo]

Attended the Sawx/Rays game on 7/6/2007, which was pretty much over by the 2nd inning.

Tickets-scalping is about the only way in. Paid $80 each for $20 standing room. And standing room really is standing room, which in seems crazy and dangerous. No matter-you can find a bar/concessions tand along the 3rd base line by the Grenn Monster. The sight lines are really bad, but that seems true of the whole park, with some seats directly behind support beams.

The Park-it is in manys ways a tarnished old jewel. Reminded me a lot of Wrigley. Big difference-Wrigley is mostly wrought iron and latticework; Fenway is cinderblock and mortar and brick that was added to over time as money and opportunity presented itself. On and 80 degree/100% humidity day, it was like a kiln. The Sawx have pretty much devoted as much space as possible to commerce and concessions, which adds to the carnival atmosphere. Prices are pretty much along the lines of Shea or Yankee Stadiums.No matter what attending an MLB game means getting hit in the head repeatedly with the cash register.

Wooden seats? If you're that desperate for cash, I think the Nation would buy them up and you could put in some new plastic ones.

The area-lots of clubs and bars.All of them nice, pleasant and nearby. Taxis and the subway are nearby too. But...

What jumps out is that Boston, like NYC, is pretty much hellbent on building "luxury housing" everywhere. As an aside, I cannot begin to figure out the luxury of living in a top dollar apartment with limited services and shopping, no natural light, no fresh air and no car. When did simple 1 and 2 family houses on a human scale become obselete? I don't think you can look up in Boston and not see a contstruction crane. Which is why the devotion to Fenway seems a little much.

As a facility, it's way past it's useful life. If you can move Yankee Stadium 2 blocks, and you can knock down all kinds of other stuff for rich developers, why can't you accomodate a new Fenway nearby? By all accounts the Boston government is as crooked and slimy as there is. Not getting a new stadium is embarrasing when you see the absolute explosion of develeopment everywhere else in Boston.

A nice time was had by the family, though as a Yankee fans, the shellacking of the Rays was a tad depressing but expected.

I agree with you about Fenway. I've only been their twice since 2003 after racking up 20 or 30 games from 1992-1999. The scary thing about Fenway is that it is much better now than it was back in those days.

Where did you see all of these luxury apartments? If you are talking about Bolyston St, behind the Prudential Buliding, you probably missed the huge Supermarket, not even a block away, and underground parking that they are building.

If you are talking about Kenmore Square they are upgrading the T Stop and have built a Hotel and apartments because Boston University (enrollment over 20,000) is right there.

[Lil Bit Special]

I think Fenway is almost the perfect stadium. The one thing I would change is the old wooden seats that remain. Way too tight for us ample New Englanders.

I love what they did out beyond RF/CF... nice and wide open... same with behind 3B and the entrance over there. They have done a great job updating the park and keeping it relevant. If they ever replaced it, Red Sox nation would have a tough time accepting a new park.

Look at the Fleet Center/ TD Banknorth Garden.

Replaced a real dump-Boston Garden. But nobody wants to go. No history. No nostalgia.

Part of a Sox game is the experience of going to Fenway. Replace it with something else and it will never be the same.

[mdjet]

I think Fenway is almost the perfect stadium. The one thing I would change is the old wooden seats that remain. Way too tight for us ample New Englanders.

I love what they did out beyond RF/CF... nice and wide open... same with behind 3B and the entrance over there. They have done a great job updating the park and keeping it relevant. If they ever replaced it, Red Sox nation would have a tough time accepting a new park.

Look at the Fleet Center/ TD Banknorth Garden.

Replaced a real dump-Boston Garden. But nobody wants to go. No history. No nostalgia.

Part of a Sox game is the experience of going to Fenway. Replace it with something else and it will never be the same.

true, but the Fleet Center is an airplane hangar with a b-ball court/rink, worst arena I have ever been in... If they had put some thought into it, could have been a great place

[mdjet]

true, but the Fleet Center is an airplane hangar with a b-ball court/rink, worst arena I have ever been in... If they had put some thought/money into it, could have been a great place.

m

[Gainzo]

true, but the Fleet Center is an airplane hangar with a b-ball court/rink, worst arena I have ever been in... If they had put some thought into it, could have been a great place

Jeremy Jacobs was the driving force behind the Shawmut/Fleet/TD Banknorth Arena. Need I say more?

I'm not sure if you know but public money does not build pro sports venues in Massachusetts.

[Bugg]

I think Fenway is almost the perfect stadium. The one thing I would change is the old wooden seats that remain. Way too tight for us ample New Englanders.

I love what they did out beyond RF/CF... nice and wide open... same with behind 3B and the entrance over there. They have done a great job updating the park and keeping it relevant. If they ever replaced it, Red Sox nation would have a tough time accepting a new park.

Look at the Fleet Center/ TD Banknorth Garden.

Replaced a real dump-Boston Garden. But nobody wants to go. No history. No nostalgia.

Part of a Sox game is the experience of going to Fenway. Replace it with something else and it will never be the same.

All true; it's a fun place. But again,it's beyond it's useful life, and you cannot make a buck off nostalgia.That may sound harsh, but it's a reality. I've been to a Bruins game at the new Garden, and it was nice. Antiseptoc, like the ALbany Arena or the Meadowlands. It doesn't have the cache of the old Garden, but at some point so what? Does anyone miss no AC during the NHL and NBa playoffs? We don't walk around with fedoras smoking cigars either.

The "standing room" thing and the whole bowels of the stadium are a fire hazard that they've been allowed to ignore, and hopefully there never is an emergency. Boston's poohbahs have no compunction tearing up half the town for high rise luxury crap. There's no reason some nearby blocks couldn't get torn up to make room for a new, nicer copy. And keep the old one as a park, which is what the Yankees are doing(Shea-who freaking cares?; Mets fans probably want tickets to the implosion of the dump).

Keep in mind what ever the ownership group says today, new Yankee Stadium and Citifield are going to make the Yankees and Mets gobs of money the Sawx won't be able to compete with. At some point, some small town or municipality in or around Boston is going to see that there's a match to be made. Why not do it near where it is now and be done with it?

[Gainzo]

All true; it's a fun place. But again,it's beyond it's useful life, and you cannot make a buck off nostalgia.That may sound harsh, but it's a reality. I've been to a Bruins game at the new Garden, and it was nice. Antiseptoc, like the ALbany Arena or the Meadowlands. It doesn't have the cache of the old Garden, but at some point so what? Does anyone miss no AC during the NHL and NBa playoffs? We don't walk around with fedoras smoking cigars either.

The "standing room" thing and the whole bowels of the stadium are a fire hazard that they've been allowed to ignore, and hopefully there never is an emergency. Boston's poohbahs have no compunction tearing up half the town for high rise luxury crap. There's no reason some nearby blocks couldn't get torn up to make room for a new, nicer copy. And keep the old one as a park, which is what the Yankees are doing(Shea-who freaking cares?; Mets fans probably want tickets to the implosion of the dump).

Keep in mind what ever the ownership group says today, new Yankee Stadium and Citifield are going to make the Yankees and Mets gobs of money the Sawx won't be able to compete with. At some point, some small town or municipality in or around Boston is going to see that there's a match to be made. Why not do it near where it is now and be done with it?

Can you please tell me where you saw all of these luxury high rises?

If they ever build a new Stadium for the Red Sox it will not be in the City of Boston as there is no room.

The new Garden sucks.

[Bugg]

Can you please tell me where you saw all of these luxury high rises?

If they ever build a new Stadium for the Red Sox it will not be in the City of Boston as there is no room.

The new Garden sucks.

All over Boston. Seemed like every other street had a crane on it. Is there anything other than those gardens that so special, unique and wonderful near Fenway that 2 or 3 city blocks cannot be torn up for a new one?

[Lil Bit Special]

All true; it's a fun place. But again,it's beyond it's useful life, and you cannot make a buck off nostalgia.That may sound harsh, but it's a reality. I've been to a Bruins game at the new Garden, and it was nice. Antiseptoc, like the ALbany Arena or the Meadowlands. It doesn't have the cache of the old Garden, but at some point so what? Does anyone miss no AC during the NHL and NBa playoffs? We don't walk around with fedoras smoking cigars either.

The "standing room" thing and the whole bowels of the stadium are a fire hazard that they've been allowed to ignore, and hopefully there never is an emergency. Boston's poohbahs have no compunction tearing up half the town for high rise luxury crap. There's no reason some nearby blocks couldn't get torn up to make room for a new, nicer copy. And keep the old one as a park, which is what the Yankees are doing(Shea-who freaking cares?; Mets fans probably want tickets to the implosion of the dump).

Keep in mind what ever the ownership group says today, new Yankee Stadium and Citifield are going to make the Yankees and Mets gobs of money the Sawx won't be able to compete with. At some point, some small town or municipality in or around Boston is going to see that there's a match to be made. Why not do it near where it is now and be done with it?

After what this city back in the 60's in the name of urban renewal (Scollay Square/ Govt Center) I am surprised Fenway lasted this long. In fact a few years ago they wanted to build a new park right behind Fenway (homeplate)

Follow this link:

http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/american/bosbpk.htm

I think it never happened because of public outcry and the new ownership group planning to squeeze every penny out of the old park... which they did. And they have built up a rabid fan base. What will happen when the Sawx fall on hard times?? Who knows... maybe they will look to build a new park then.

[Gainzo]

All over Boston. Seemed like every other street had a crane on it. Is there anything other than those gardens that so special, unique and wonderful near Fenway that 2 or 3 city blocks cannot be torn up for a new one?

They are building a couple of high rises over the Mass Pike.

Boston is a small City (square mileage).

Did you go to Cambridge or base your opinion of Boston on the amount of cranes in the City?

Not for nothing:

When I drive to NYC and come down 95 all I see high rise public housing.

Make fun of Boston all you want. We don't have twenty, 30 story buildings, full of welfare receipints.

[Lil Bit Special]

Make fun of Boston all you want. We don't have twenty, 30 story buildings, full of welfare receipints.

Nope... and Boston does a better job segregating them... wish they would post a sign saying "welcome to dorchester... leave now whitey"

Plus we enjoy having them shipped all over Mass. Lowell, Lawrence, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Worcester, (dont really know the sh!tty south shore cities....)

Plus we have our fair share of whitey welfare... dont get much of that in NY, except upstate and the south shore of LI.

[Gainzo]

Nope... and Boston does a better job segregating them... wish they would post a sign saying "welcome to dorchester... leave now whitey"

Plus we enjoy having them shipped all over Mass. Lowell, Lawrence, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Worcester, (dont really know the sh!tty south shore cities....)

Plus we have our fair share of whitey welfare... dont get much of that in NY, except upstate and the south shore of LI.

When you drive down 95 into NYC what do you see? I see many high rise buildings.

Lowell? Cambodians. Lawrence? Hispanics.

What is your point?

Fithchburg, Worcester & Holyoke? Who gives a crap.

[Lil Bit Special]

When you drive down 95 into NYC what do you see? I see many high rise buildings.

Lowell? Cambodians. Lawrence? Hispanics.

What is your point?

Fithchburg, Worcester & Holyoke? Who gives a crap.

Typical Boston response..... there is a massachusetts outside of 495!

My point: Massachusetts does a better job keeping their "undesirables" separate from the general population and not draw attention to it with high rise slums like NY.

Guess you missed the point of my post WAS SUPPORTING BOSTON. In NY, all the cambodians and hispanics and blacks and Newyo-ricans all live generally in slums together. Mass has them better segregated throughout the state. In NY they are kept in NYC.

[Bugg]

Without putting too fine a point on it, Bsoton is the whitest city I've ever been in, other than may be Cologne, Germany or Liege, Belgium(around 1987;may be they've changed). And it's just a fact.Who ever got the idea of houing projects in NYC needed to be shot. Let's get all the people who don't work together and stack them vertically in an impersonal enviroment with no real social structure or community-GREAT IDEA! There's no defending the stupidity of it. Only in NYC do they put projects on the oceanfront like in Rockaway or Coney. For many of the same reasons-impersonality, lack of community, no human scale, no open space, nolight-I think many of the housing we now build (in the northeast, anyway) is imbecilic, who ever is living in it.

Look, my parents as children each with their families and schools walked to Ebbets Field, which opened the same year as Fenway. My dad as a young cop took CYO outings to the Polo Grounds to see the Giants and Willie Mays. Both gone.The stadiums I grew up going to-Yankee(old a few times) and Shea will soon be gone. Things, cities and places change. Fenway has a lot to say for it, but there's no rational reason you couldn't approximate it. And in the years to come that will become more obvious.

[Gainzo]

Without putting too fine a point on it, Bsoton is the whitest city I've ever been in, other than may be Cologne, Germany or Liege, Belgium(around 1987;may be they've changed). And it's just a fact.Who ever got the idea of houing projects in NYC needed to be shot. Let's get all the people who don't work together and stack them vertically in an impersonal enviroment with no real social structure or community-GREAT IDEA! There's no defending the stupidity of it. Only in NYC do they put projects on the oceanfront like in Rockaway or Coney. For many of the same reasons-impersonality, lack of community, no human scale, no open space, nolight-I think many of the housing we now build (in the northeast, anyway) is imbecilic, who ever is living in it.

Look, my parents as children each with their families and schools walked to Ebbets Field, which opened the same year as Fenway. My dad as a young cop took CYO outings to the Polo Grounds to see the Giants and Willie Mays. Both gone.The stadiums I grew up going to-Yankee(old a few times) and Shea will soon be gone. Things, cities and places change. Fenway has a lot to say for it, but there's no rational reason you couldn't approximate it. And in the years to come that will become more obvious.

The City of Boston is tiny compared to most other City's. It's only been around for 200+ years!

NYC and Boston are old City's. NYC has Harlem, we have Dorchester and Mattapan.

[Garb]

Attended the Sawx/Rays game on 7/6/2007, which was pretty much over by the 2nd inning.

Tickets-scalping is about the only way in. Paid $80 each for $20 standing room. And standing room really is standing room, which in seems crazy and dangerous. No matter-you can find a bar/concessions tand along the 3rd base line by the Grenn Monster. The sight lines are really bad, but that seems true of the whole park, with some seats directly behind support beams.

The Park-it is in manys ways a tarnished old jewel. Reminded me a lot of Wrigley. Big difference-Wrigley is mostly wrought iron and latticework; Fenway is cinderblock and mortar and brick that was added to over time as money and opportunity presented itself. On and 80 degree/100% humidity day, it was like a kiln. The Sawx have pretty much devoted as much space as possible to commerce and concessions, which adds to the carnival atmosphere. Prices are pretty much along the lines of Shea or Yankee Stadiums.No matter what attending an MLB game means getting hit in the head repeatedly with the cash register.

Wooden seats? If you're that desperate for cash, I think the Nation would buy them up and you could put in some new plastic ones.

The area-lots of clubs and bars.All of them nice, pleasant and nearby. Taxis and the subway are nearby too. But...

What jumps out is that Boston, like NYC, is pretty much hellbent on building "luxury housing" everywhere. As an aside, I cannot begin to figure out the luxury of living in a top dollar apartment with limited services and shopping, no natural light, no fresh air and no car. When did simple 1 and 2 family houses on a human scale become obselete? I don't think you can look up in Boston and not see a contstruction crane. Which is why the devotion to Fenway seems a little much.

As a facility, it's way past it's useful life. If you can move Yankee Stadium 2 blocks, and you can knock down all kinds of other stuff for rich developers, why can't you accomodate a new Fenway nearby? By all accounts the Boston government is as crooked and slimy as there is. Not getting a new stadium is embarrasing when you see the absolute explosion of develeopment everywhere else in Boston.

A nice time was had by the family, though as a Yankee fans, the shellacking of the Rays was a tad depressing but expected.

Spot on! People are sooooo enamored by the old charm of Fenway. I think the place blows. The surrounding area is awesome, the "carnival" atmosphere is great, but the park itself stinks.

Oh, and I agree 100% about the luxury living condos going up everwhere. $750,000 for a one bedroom with no parking and beautful view of Kinkos.

There's plenty of low-income housing in Boston too - it's just not in the city's "centers": Back Bay, Financial District, Kenmore; Beacon Hill; North End, West End. Yet, they exist - alongside luxury condos - in the South End, South Boston, Brighton and Dorchester....all parts of Boston.

[haggis]

Spot on! People are sooooo enamored by the old charm of Fenway. I think the place blows. The surrounding area is awesome, the "carnival" atmosphere is great, but the park itself stinks.

Oh, and I agree 100% about the luxury living condos going up everwhere. $750,000 for a one bedroom with no parking and beautful view of Kinkos.

There's plenty of low-income housing in Boston too - it's just not in the city's "centers": Back Bay, Financial District, Kenmore; Beacon Hill; North End, West End. Yet, they exist - alongside luxury condos - in the South End, South Boston, Brighton and Dorchester....all parts of Boston.

Go sit yourself in the EMC Club and you tell me if it blows or not. I had the chance to sit in section 5 of the EMC Club this past July 4th. The most comfortable sporting experience I've had and ANY stadium in ANY sport. Ofcourse, to get this you'd have to pay $290 just to get access to it, so i guess it should be nice. I lucked out in an Amherst College connection got us free tickets. I've been on the Monster and that is not a bad experience either. Plenty of space, quick concessions.

I agree on a new park for Red Sox. If Liverpool can tear down Anfield then Boston can tear down Fenway. But I enjoy going to Fenway even if it is in the bleachers. The concessions and bathrooms are better now than ever, the problem for me are the "fans". A lot of bandwagon fans in Fenway these days. Not really a problem, but it just irks me at times.

I understand the owners want Fenway to be at 40,000 capacity and then they're happy. You could build a new 70,000 stadium and fill it every night but if that won't happen, you're going to have to keep paying scalper prices (btw, $80 for SRO for the Rays leads me to believe you got hosed a little. You didn't have on your NY hat did you??)

[Garb]

Go sit yourself in the EMC Club and you tell me if it blows or not. I had the chance to sit in section 5 of the EMC Club this past July 4th. The most comfortable sporting experience I've had and ANY stadium in ANY sport. Ofcourse, to get this you'd have to pay $290 just to get access to it, so i guess it should be nice. I lucked out in an Amherst College connection got us free tickets. I've been on the Monster and that is not a bad experience either. Plenty of space, quick concessions.

I agree on a new park for Red Sox. If Liverpool can tear down Anfield then Boston can tear down Fenway. But I enjoy going to Fenway even if it is in the bleachers. The concessions and bathrooms are better now than ever, the problem for me are the "fans". A lot of bandwagon fans in Fenway these days. Not really a problem, but it just irks me at times.

I understand the owners want Fenway to be at 40,000 capacity and then they're happy. You could build a new 70,000 stadium and fill it every night but if that won't happen, you're going to have to keep paying scalper prices (btw, $80 for SRO for the Rays leads me to believe you got hosed a little. You didn't have on your NY hat did you??)

I've sat in the Soveriegn and BOA luxury boxes. It was good. I got lucky. I couldn't possibly afford those tix myself. I've also sat behind home plate, behind the dugout, along first base, third base, grandstands, bleachers, etc. Nothing - I mean nothing - could be worse than sitting in the middle of the grandstands.

[124]

The City of Boston is tiny compared to most other City's. It's only been around for 200+ years!

NYC and Boston are old City's. NYC has Harlem, we have Dorchester and Mattapan.

You do know that America has only been around for 200+ years, right?