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 Greed is Good

                                                    Mike DiPatri    05/28/04 

In Boston, the Red Sox owners and management apparently have the attitude that greed is good.  They want as much as they can get, but won't spend anything to bring a winning team to the city.

Fenway Park is the most expensive place in Major League Baseball to watch a game.  Now the Red Sox are developing plans to renovate the park.

Why would they want to make changes to the ballpark with the most character in the league?  They want to add seating to the park so they can get more from the most loyal fans in the league.  They know these fans will pay it.  They have already added additional seating in an earlier renovation.

The Red Sox management says it wants to keep capacity at no more than 40,000.  They want you to believe they are keeping capacity low so they will maintain the quaint personality of the park.  They also say that it's to keep the neighbors happy.  Really, though, there are a couple of reasons that are more realistic.  First, there is not enough room in the park to put many more seats.  Additionally, by keeping the number of seats low, they place a premium on the available seats, thereby justifying higher ticket costs.  They will be adding more concessions as well, generating even more revenue.

Another plan the Red Sox considered was a new stadium.  It seems they have decided against that.  Why would they even consider it?  There are three Major League stadiums that should never be destroyed, and Fenway is one of them.  It is the oldest park in the league; a historical site.  Think of the history they would lose if they tore it down.

The Red Sox have indicated that the renovations would not require any public money to complete.  However, everybody knows that charging exhorbitant admission does not bother them.  They know that even though the team has not won a championship since 1918, fans will still pack the park for games.  The team could always just increase the cost of a ticket to cover the renovation price.  Now, is that not public money?

Boston has the ballpark with the most character in the league and one that is loaded with history.  Already fans there pay more for a ticket than anyone else does.  Still they regularly sell out.  Now the team wants to renovate an already great ballpark and add more seating that will generate more income.  It seems the owners and management want to take as much as possible from the fans.  Of course, these Yawkey Way money-lusters won't do anything to bring the fans what they really deserve.  That would be a winning team.  Of course, to them, greed is good!