not just us

more than a few words have been spent lamenting the extent to which fenway park has gotten quieter, less rowdy, and more corporate over the past ten years. the best example i can think of is this year’s alcs against cleveland, where there was this sinking feeling during game two (even before eric gagne came into the game), and a palpable malaise, none of the ability to rise to a roar with two strikes or three balls, or with a man on, threatening to steal. it was easier to notice in retrospect after the sox survived the trip to cleveland, and returned for game six with the old ballyard in a full-throated roar.

the causes are obvious. tickets are scarcer, more expensive, or both, and different people are at the games. so it was really interesting to read this bbc article about how the same kind of thing is happening to premiership soccer. since i’m planning a trip to see some games, i note how hard it is to get tickets, how you have to have a membership to even have a chance to buy tickets for some clubs, and i can see the red sox becoming the same way.

it’s almost as if we’re loving them to death.