I learned early on that being a Red Sox fan is something that just sort of happens to you if you grow up in this area. I learned to hate Daryl Strawberry, love Ted Williams, and try to make it to Fenway at least 3 or 4 times a year. I have known since the age of about 8, that on game nights, the main tv in the house would be tuned into the Sox game and that was that. Being part of Red Sox nation was just something that you did, and it didn’t make you feel special or cool. It was just something that came with being from Boston. Like a lot of others in this area, and outside of this area to an increasing degree, I am beginning to feel the Red Sox backlash that I knew was going to follow the bandwagon into town should the Sox actually pull it off. It sucks, but I knew it was coming. I guess if that’s the trade off for getting a championship, I’ll take it.

In addition to the social backlash, local Boston guys and girls like myself, have been priced right out of our own team’s ballpark. Thanks to Ben Affleck, Fever Pitch, Seth Myers, Johnny Damon’s hair, Kevin Millar’s mouth, pink red sox hats and other side affects of the past 18 months, it costs the average Joe about 4x face value to get into the lyric little band box that is Fenway Park.

This past week, for the opening series here at Fenway, I was lucky enough to grab a set of tickets to the second game of the season against the hated Yankees. In the bleachers. The last row of the bleachers. For $80 a piece (face value Is $12). Now don’t get me wrong, the game was great and I would do it again…but over six times face value for a bad bleacher seat was a tough one to swallow. It made me think back to my past post about going to Oakland to see the Sox for less than it would cost to see them in Boston, and it also made me think about my upcoming trip to Philly to catch a series there in June. Here comes the math.

Sox/Yankees at Fenway
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• Ticket $80 (last row of the bleachers)
• Parking $40 (the city has stepped in since some outfits have been charging $100 to park around Fenway, so $40 is a bargain)
• Beer (2 12 ouncers at $6.50 each)
• Hot Dog (one sausage at $6)

Total = $139

Sox/Phillies At Citizens Bank Park
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• Tickets To Two Games $70 total (Pavilion level for Friday night and Saturday)
• Plane Ticket Round Trip To Philly From Providence $100 (we could have done the earlier flights for $40 less)
• My Share Of The Hotel For 2 Nights $64
• Beer (estimate 4 12 ouncers at $6.50 each)
• Hot Dog (estimate two sausage at $6)

Total = $272 ($136 per game)

After the Philly trip, I will update these numbers and report on what the actual cost was, since there are some estimates on concessions in there, and transportation from hotel to field is still unknown…but I think the point here is made. Also, one other important thing to note here. The tickets would have only been $40 total if we didn’t have to get Saturday tickets from a broker after the Phillies presale link leaked onto some Red Sox message boards causing the game to sell out before general sales opened.