Even those who hate baseball in New England, love the Boston Red Sox.

Every home game in Fenway Park since May 15th, 2003 has been sold out. That’s over five years.

And what other team could pose for Hairstyles of the Rich and Famous? (see photos below)

We are a Red Sox Nation.

I knew what a hit and run was by the time I was seven. I could even imitate Louis Tiant’s wind-up.

Back in the 1960’s, you could get bleacher seats for $1.75, and watch the games on TV for free. My father and I would sit in front of the TV, me on his lap, him cutting slices of pepperoni and Cracker Barrel sharp cheddar cheese, which he would lay on top of a Ritz cracker, while pointing out all the important aspects of the game, in great detail. Sometimes he would give me a sip of his Black Label beer. I usually fell asleep about the fifth inning. No matter. 162 games per year, after all.

Even when we weren’t watching it, the sound of the game on TV would be droning in the background. If there was a hit, we would stop everything and go watch the replay.

Once a year the family attended a live game. For less than $50, a family of four could sit in the bleachers and eat and drink one of everything.

But these days, Manny and Big Papi do not come cheap. Fenway Park, home of the 2004 and 2007 World Champion Boston Red Sox - breakers of the infamous Babe Ruth Curse of the Bambino - is one of the smallest parks, and consequently has the most expensive game tickets, in Major League Baseball. On top of that, ticket resellers - legal scalpers - will charge as much as $1000 dollars a ticket for box seats against the arch rival New York Yankees.

In fact, most seats are sold through resellers these days. The resellers have special computer software that allows them to buy large blocks of tickets at face value. All this, before the average consumer can even get logged in to the Red Sox Ticket Website. All legal.

No matter. I prefer the team on TV, with replays, and no chance of rain. That only costs me $60 extra a month on my cable bill. The reason it is $60 extra a month is that I have to purchase a complete package of ninety channels to get the one channel that the Red Sox are on.

Here’s something I found on the web:

“For Father’s Day last week, my oldest son got me tickets for yesterday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals (in which the Red Sox got trounced 9-3). Despite the loss, it was a good day and the seats were fantastic (just about 15 rows behind the Red Sox dugout).

However, I am in shock over the amount of money that we ended up spending. I will list it out for you here and I promise that I am not exaggerating:

Tickets - $148 each ($296 total) (face value=$90 each)
Parking - $35
Four beers at $7.50 each ($30 total)
Four hot dogs at $7 each ($28 total)
Cup of ice cream $4
Two lemonades at $5 each ($10 total)
Two ballcaps at souvenier shop $30 each ($60 total)
One Red Sox jersey at souvenier shop for $75
Dinner after the game $94 (including tip)

Total expenditure for day = $632

That just blows my mind.”

Nonetheless, all that being said:

It’s Red Sox baseball. I love it.

Hairstyles of the Rich and Famous Boston Red Sox

(Youkalis, bottom left, shaves his head)

Related Posts

• August 12, 2008 -- Be a Part of the Latest Buzz in Personal Finance (0)
• August 11, 2008 -- Pension Cutbacks Could Burn Retirees (0)
• July 27, 2008 -- Cash for Clunkers - A Great Idea (7)
• July 25, 2008 -- Finally Some Relief for Struggling Home Owners (2)
• July 21, 2008 -- List-o-Rama - Some Recent Great Personal Finance Posts, And a Great Summer Weekend (1)