Jon Wallach: Is the Red Sox’s new reality unlike anything we’ve seen before? – Toucher & Hardy
got an email from the Red Sox last week about buying tickets. It’s nothing new. I’ve gotten them periodically ever since I purchased a pair of Pavilion seats for a Shohei Ohtani start at Fenway Park a few years ago, and I’ve also gotten them with some more urgency in the last 12-18 months from a woman who claims to be my “personal” contact with the team.
Welcome to the new reality. Red Sox fans have finally woken up. I looked at the secondary market for these seats, too. Opening day against Baltimore is now going for as low as $58 dollars. Then there are games 2 and 3 of that series with the Orioles. On Wednesday night, April 10th, you can currently get seats in the second row of reserved grandstand section 19, which is basically behind home plate, for $26 dollars apiece. Thursday against the Orioles $27 can get you a seat in row 1 of section 20.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 17: A general view of Fenway during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Houston Astros at Fenway Park on May 17, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
It’s a mess, and, in any other year, I’d say that this would get the attention of ownership. Hit them where it hurts. Fewer tickets sold means fewer concessions purchased, fewer $50 dollar parking spots occupied near the ballpark and, maybe….MAYBE…..Those In Charge would care. However, if Those In Charge aren’t paying attention, the lack of funds coming in doesn’t matter too much.
I get the push from the marketing department. You want as many people to spend money on this team before they fall out of the race. The problem is that the Sox don’t play here until they complete a season opening 10 game west coast road trip. Even the best teams don’t come back with more than 6 or 7 wins from that kind of trip, and this team is much worse. Would YOU really spend a lot of money to watch a team that could very well be 3-8 or 4-7 after opening day at Fenway Park with no promise of getting better?
After opening day, I’d get used to seeing a lot of empty seats for at least a few weeks. The weather isn’t nice enough yet for the college kids to come or the tourists to visit the city. The question remains – 5 and a half years removed from the best team in the history of the franchise – Is anyone in the front office outside of the people who send E-mails paying attention?
JON WALLACH does headlines on Toucher & Hardy, weekday mornings on 98.5 The Sports Hub. You can follow Wallach on X/Twitter at @KenGriffeyrules
CONNECT WITH TOUCHER & HARDY: linktr.ee/ToucherandHardy
For the latest, Visit the show page on 985thesportshub.com. Follow 98.5 the Sports Hub on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram! Visit our channels on Twitch and Youtube!
The definitive list of places to get a roast beef sandwich in Massachusetts
