Review by Kristen Merrill, Guest Reviewer, Basegirl
Turns out, there’s a very good reason they don’t traditionally play hockey in baseball parks in January in Boston. Several reasons, in fact, whether it be the periodic snow that, while picturesque, casts shadows on the ice, the inconvenient sight lines for something as small as a hockey puck, and the fact that eating a Fenway Frank with mittens on is a difficult endeavor. But perhaps the biggest reason hockey is generally confined to indoor arenas in the Northeast is that standing outdoors in temperatures in the teens tends to weaken even the hardiest souls. All that said, outdoor hockey has become a tradition of late, ever since the NHL played the first Winter Classic on New Year’s Day in 2008 in Orchard Park, NY.
When the powers that be transformed Fenway Park, home of Boston’s Red Sox into an outdoor winter wonderland for this year’s third annual Winter Classic between the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers, Bostonians’ thriftiness kicked in and many of the region’s colleges and high schools decided to make use of the rink before it’s taken apart and Fenway’s friendly confines get ready to host the 98th straight Red Sox season.
Last Friday evening, I was lucky enough to attend the Boston University vs. Boston College men’s hockey game with a friend, a BU employee. Our tickets, which would have been to-die-for had we been attending a baseball game, were slightly less than ideal for hockey as the game necessitates a higher sight line than the first base line. However, whoever was in charge has anticipated this issue and placed large television screens in front of the Green Monster and in the upper reaches of the park. The game was also broadcast on the centerfield scoreboard.
Fenway, being a nearly 100-year-old baseball park was clearly not built with hockey in mind. But those in charge did their absolute best to make sure everyone in attendance for the historic event had a great time regardless. Pond hockey is something of a religion in New England as legions of us grew up skating on flooded yards and neighbor’s ponds with packing boxes duct-taped to our legs as makeshift pads. Bringing that nostalgic experience to the masses is what this experience was all about. In that respect, Fenway delivered.
FANFARE Score: 25
Food & Beverage: 3
I’m tempted to give the food a 4 because of my fondness for Fenway Franks and the roaming vendors hawking New England Clam Chowder and hot chocolate but the fact is that said vendors were few and far between (and those we did see were wearing shorts!) and $7 is far too expensive for a watered-down hot chocolate, souvenir cup or no. Kayem’s Fenway Franks are as delicious in January as they are in June but eating one with mittens proves a challenge. Standard fare – chicken fingers, fries, Italian sausages, domestic beer – was also available for normal prices, all of which are about $1 to $1.50 too much.
Atmosphere: 5
For a baseball game, Fenway is a necessity. It’s ancient and cramped and oftentimes inconvenient and you’re as likely to have a post in your seat as not, but it’s all part of the experience. For a hockey game, the experience is totally different, but still completely worth it. The fact that they don’t play hockey at Fenway is reason enough to see it but the unique perspective of seeing a Zamboni drive in front of the famed Green Monster in left field is something your grandfather never saw. Sure, the park wasn’t built with hockey in mind but that’s half the fun.
Neighborhood: 3
I’ve never been a huge fan of the pre- and post-game Fenway scene because the options available – Cask ‘N Flagon, Boston Beerworks, Game On – always boast enormous lines and standard food and drink. Beerworks does brew their own beer and they’ve had some great ones in the past, but especially in the freezing cold, braving the lines outside isn’t worth it. The rest of the Fenway neighborhood runs the risk of being overdeveloped and inundated with chain stores. Formerly residential, Kenmore Square and the surrounding area has not been spared the sprawl of nearby Boston University.
Fans: 3
Here’s where the scores differ from Red Sox baseball games. Clearly, I’m biased but Red Sox fans are frequently cited as being knowledgeable, passionate and interested in the league as a whole, not just their particular team. But college hockey fans? Pretty much only want to chant about how the other school sucks. There are standard chants ”BC Sucks!”, somewhat creative ones, “Sucks to BU!” and the usual array of shirtless, intoxicated frat boys. All of which are fine and is certainly expected at a college hockey game, but there’s nothing extra special about it.
Access: 2
Parking at Fenway is impossible. Don’t even try. And if you do, expect to pay $50 or more for your space. And if you do shell out for the “convenience” of driving to the game, don’t expect anyone to sympathize with you when there are three T stops within a 5-minute walk. Winter conditions make every kind of transportation a bit dicier but to get to and from Fenway the T is still your best – and most cost-effective – bet. Fenway has even added a Charlie Ticket machine (for subway tickets) in the park itself in an effort to cut down on lines at the stations.
As for bathrooms, they’re available and usually easy to find. As you’d expect, the lines at the women’s rooms are longer. The problem, however, is that Fenway is a baseball park and baseball is played in the summer. As such, the bathrooms were not built with winter clothing in mind. You might find yourself struggling in a tiny stall with a broken lock while you try to negotiate your tights, longjohns, pants, gloves, mittens, two scarves, earmuffs, winter hat and a ski parka while simultaneously trying to keep your souvenir foam finger from falling in the toilet. And in one restroom I visited, the faucets spewed only cold water. Unhelpful.
Return on Investment: 4
At $15 for the game (which also included admission to the matinée women’s game between Northeastern and the University of New Hampshire), the tickets were a steal. It may seem silly to pay any money for the privilege of standing in the freezing cold for four hours but New Englanders are hearty folks and we do most anything to support our team. $15 is a small price to pay. I can’t award a score of 5, however, because of the insane mark-up on souvenirs at various stands around the park. A Winter Classic hat I got my brother for Christmas for $20 from the Bruins Pro-Shop online was being sold for $30 at the park and all other souvenirs from hats to sweatshirts to scarves seemed inordinately pricey. I’m nearly certain they can be found online for less. On the plus side, programs and Hockey East foam fingers (which doubled nicely as seat cushions) were free.
Etc.: 5
For an experience like Frozen Fenway, it’s all about intangibles. So what if you can’t see the puck in the corner? Who cares if you have to stamp your feet to regain feeling in your little toes? What’s the difference if the coffee is lukewarm and watery? None of that matters when the teams march Travis Roy and Mike Eruzione onto the ice as honorary captains. Roy, the Boston University player who suffered a cracked vertebra just eleven seconds into his first-ever shift at BU that rendered him a quadriplegic, has gone on to serve as an inspiration and a fundraiser for spinal cord injury survivors. And Eruzione, currently employed by BU’s athletic department, was the captain of the 1980 USA ice hockey team that defeated the Soviets and captured the gold medal. Some chills can’t be chalked up to the weather.
