Boston Red Sox

Changes aplenty

By Eric Wilbur

2 minutes to read

A pretty comedic moment at the celebratory ribbon-cutting to open Fenway’s new State Street Pavillion: State Street CEO Ron Logue had some measure of difficulty with the oversized, plastic scissors handed to him for the ceremony. He struggled with them for about a minute, continuously clamping on the ribbon strewn across the stairway leading up to the new premium seats. Finding the prop a lost cause, he then attempted to rip the ribbon with his bare hands. Still, no luck. Finally, a Red Sox representative had mercy and handed him a real, normal-sized pair of scissors, which did the job handily, if not exactly in a show-stopping scene for the rolling cameras.

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The new seats are magnificent. The State Street Pavillion stretches out in a horseshoe arc, replacing half of the old (and not missed) .406 Club, as well as the roof box seats down the left and right field lines. Prior to the new structure, those were arguably the best seats in the house. Not much has changed except that now they are three-fold. The lower half of the former .406 makes up the EMC Club, a premium dining and outdoor seating area. They are going to be the new “in” seats to have for ’06.

  • Potential best new addition: The set of stairs leading from Level 4 all the way down to Yawkey Way at Gate D, sure to alleviate a large amount of foot traffic down the ramps and elevators upon exiting the ballpark. On a lesser note, the Red Sox also replaced the carpet in the media dining room, opting for pristine hardwood flooring in its place.
  • New rectangular video monitors have surfaced on each ramp floor by Gate D, displaying sports scores and infomercials. Wade Boggs was pushing hair restoration on one pass by. I unfortunately needed to stop and listen.
  • It took a second glance, but the Coke bottles hovering over the Green Monster are new too, more streamlined. They also include the new “Coke Zero” on the right-hand side. The new “Fenway Park” sign atop the press box is now in a 3-D mold, more eye-catching above the new division and world title pennants strewn across, moved from their prior locations down the first and third base line facades.
  • And I thought I was surprised when I plunked down $2.52 for a large iced coffee in Brookline last Friday. At the new Dunkin’ Donuts pavilion in the right field grandstand, the same beverage will run you a remarkable $5.50. A large, regular coffee goes for $4.25. Yikes.

    More concession pricing for 2006:

    Fenway Frank: $4
    Clam roll: $15
    Lobster roll: $16
    Bud Light, Miller Light: $6.50
    Samuel Adams, Heineken, Guinness, Smithwicks, and Harp: $7.25

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