Fans these days

As we all know, baseballs opening night is Sunday April 4th when the Yankees come to Fenway. If you’re a fan of either team or of baseball in general this isn’t news to you as you’ve had this day circled on your calendar since the schedule was announced. Now, a die-hard fan like I knows there is no chance in hell I’d ever be able to: A) afford a ticket to this game, and B) afford a ticket in general to any games. What I do know is that the crowd that mostly comprises a Fenway home game is full of….

 

• Business parties who have no interest in the game
• Girls looking down, texting throughout the entire game “yaaaaa I’m at the gamee!”
• Little kids there with parents who just want a t-shirt, hat, and a ice cream
• Season ticket holders

 

The demographic that’s missing these days are kids ages 16 – 24 who should comprise at least 30% - 50% of a crowd. It’s from this group that the wave is able to make a complete lap around the stadium, that a Yankee’s Suck chant will start in the 3rd inning when the sox are playing the Blue Jays, that every opposing team player is booed till the brink of tears.

 

 

The ballpark environment has shifted and I hate it. I should be there – eyes on the game the whole time, cheering for every Sox player, wearing the shit outta my 2007 World Series shirt, screaming till my voice gives out.

 

 

 

With all that in mind here’s what I heard on the train this morning. A business looking gentleman entered the train at the Copley stop. On board was an apparent friend of his judging by the “HiiiiI!!!” and the embrace the two shared following.

 

They talked – I eavesdropped.

 

It came up in the conversation that both of them would be at Fenway on opening “day” (games at 8:05pm) but they’ll be there for opening day. This is exactly the type of person I was talking about when I said the crowd these days sucks.

 

Strike one: Kid said he’ll be at opening day for “the team” (kid doesn’t even know the Red Sox play at Fenway, pretty sure I knew that when I was still in the womb)

 

Strike two: “Ya I’ll be at opening day on the 5th” (kid doesn’t even know opening day is the 4th)

 

Strike three: “I’m sitting in the Miller Lite section” (kid doesn’t even know it’s the fucking Budweiser section)

 

So besides the fact that this kid is out – he still gets to somehow participate in the glory that is Opening day at Fenway Park. Fortunately, Fenway can hold a lot of people so I know that my 16 – 24 year olds will represent well and boo the shit out of the Yankees when they come to town next Sunday. I have no doubts this will be a great season – maybe I’ll get a ticket and prove to all just how a fan should be in their teams presence.