Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook

Uproar After NC State Agent 'Fixes' Girl's Lunch Preschooler has to eat chicken nuggets instead of mom's meal »

Red Sox Freeze Ticket Prices

Team concedes fans may have trouble paying Fenway premium

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 13, 2008 1:15 PM CST

(Newser) – Times are tough, and the Boston Red Sox know it—in a nod to fans, the team froze ticket prices at Fenway yesterday for the first time in 14 years, the Globe reports. At an average $48.80, tickets are still some of baseball's most expensive, but "We do not want to be the ballpark of the rich and famous," says a team exec.

Fenway still sells out—every game has been packed since May 2003—but the Sox are trying to be sensitive to fans’ budgets. "It's easy to just sit around and look at spreadsheets and plug in numbers and say, 'Hey, if we charged $25 for that upper bleacher instead of $12, we could generate X amount more in revenue,’" says the exec. “But we clearly don't do that, because we are thinking like a fan."

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

In this Aug. 1, 2008, file photo, Boston Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield pitches against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia, right, is congratulated by David Ortiz after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning of Game 7 of the AL championship Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

We do not want to be the ballpark of the rich and famous.
- Sam Kennedy, Red Sox chief sales and marketing officer

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Red Sox Miss Playoffs After 'Worst Collapse Ever'

Last-day losses cap miserable month for Red Sox, Braves

(NEWSER) - The Boston Red Sox are in the record books and out of playoff contention after a terrible night capped a terrible September. The Red Sox allowed two ninth-inning runs in a 4-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles last night, the AP reports. Minutes after the Red Sox trudged off the field—still tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for the final playoff spot—the Rays secured the spot by beating the New York Yankees 8-7, having fought back from being down 7-0 in the middle of the seventh inning. More»

Fenway Park Becomes a Hockey Rink

Summer game, Red Sox yield to Winter Classic, Bruins

(NEWSER) - The crown jewel of American baseball became a hockey rink today as the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers took over Fenway Park for the NHL Winter Classic. Fans packed the stands and even perched atop the iconic left-field wall, wearing far more clothing than typical visitors to the almost-98-year-old park. "Not in my wildest dreams did I think there would be a hockey game here," a vendor called into offseason service told the Boston Herald . More»

How I Quit Sports, Cold Turkey

It takes too long to be a modern fan

(NEWSER) - Several months ago, without warning, John Swansburg found he was no longer a sports fan. He just quit cold turkey and never looked back. “Somewhat to my surprise, I don’t miss any of it,” he writes for Slate . Being a sports fan in 2009 simply takes up too much time. There’s almost no week of the year when there isn’t some big game or big story, and thanks to our expanded media, it’s possible—nay, required—to watch and know about them all. More»

For Female Umps, No Field of Dreams

Female umpire speaks out against baseball's 'stained-grass ceiling'

(NEWSER) - Forget blown calls. The real problem with umpires in the MLB, says Perry Barber: A complete lack of females. Barber, who has been in the business since 1981, works high school, college, spring training, and Independent League games—and tells DoubleX , “ We’re just going to have to storm the Bastille, baby, and flood the schools with women candidates and shatter what I call the stained-grass ceiling.” More»

Umps Under Fire After Rash of Botched Calls

Postseason miscues have MLB considering drastic changes

(NEWSER) - This year’s postseason has featured the usual thrills—pitchers' duels, come-from-behind victories—and an outbreak of something unusual: botched calls by umpires. The threat of more gaffes in next week’s World Series has the tradition-bound sport considering expanding the use of instant replay beyond the verification of home runs. And not everyone objects. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Red Sox Freeze Ticket Prices