Red Sox expand Fenway Park adding two new bleacher sections

Red Sox ownership adds more to Fenway Park

The Red Sox’s new phase of Fenway Park expansion will take place with the addition of two new sections in the bleachers. The two new areas are designated the Bleacher Overlook and the 521 Overlook. Both are an anticipated addition, and blueprints can be viewed here. Completion and pricing to be determined.

The Bleacher Overlook will have an architectural feature in another bleacher section called “Monster Seats.” That touch will be barstool seating and a drink rail. The 521 will have a touch of upscale class with a private entrance and private deck above the bleachers. Both will be behind sections 39-43.

The new sections are reminiscent of what one cannot build outward; they can build upwards. This is just symptomatic of ownership’s continual seating expansion at Fenway Park, with the last significant change being the ultra-pricey dugout seating. For snarky me, the term ultra can apply to just about all seats at the ballpark.

A positive omen is honoring Ted Williams by naming the section the 521 Overlook – a noted reference to Teddy Ballgame’s 521 career home runs. Remembrance is the departure of the .406 Club that also honored Williams for being the last of MLB’s .400 hitters. That vanished about 15 years ago.

The Red Sox’ are not novices in tinkering with the bleachers. In 1940 the bullpens were added to shorten the distance to right-field for the aforementioned Williams. The team proposed another shrinkage to the bullpens a few seasons back, but that was shot down.

The Boston Landmarks Commission buried the proposal since the Red Sox park is designated “historic,” and any changes would remove a nice tax break for such a designation. Goodbye to that!

For those who drift back into the past, the park has undergone significant changes designed primarily to get more seats and thusly (Drum roll, please) more money. The whole upper deck was once a mere 325 seats designated roof boxes and a nightmare of catwalks, a rickety elevator, and limited food and beverage. They are now various corporate boxes and other seats that cost about the same as filling up my Silverado’s gas tank.

The Monster Seats – motivated (supposedly) by a Roger Clemens comment have long been a draw for fans and a glorified bleacher seat that has become a premium choice for fans. There have been roof decks, a 502 section, and some I missed since the names seem to change based on advertising connections. The team is constantly in incremental mode with seat expansion into any available space.

The flagpole in center field is no longer an obstacle but is now encased. No more Jim Piersall mastering that pole. But the most significant loss for us older male fans is the removal of the troughs in the men’s room. At least at Wrigley Field, they are still there. The real selling point is the product on the field, with new faces and a close call to the World Series in 2021 that appears solid for 2022. But the price will remain negative for far too many.