Why Fenway Park Works: A Tale of Tradition, Success, and Uniqueness

Fenway Park is one of the most famous baseball stadiums ever built. From the iconic Green Monster to Pesky’s Pole, this one really stands out. But why is it that this hundred-plus-year-old stadium is so successful, especially when it lacks many of the modern amenities of today? This is why Fenway Park works.

History Of Fenway Park

Fenway Park was built from 1911 to 1912, opening for the 1912 season as the home of the Boston Red Sox. For much of its early history, it was just one of the many jewel box ballparks of the era. It did not even draw well at the gate for much of its early history, partly due to the fact that the Red Sox only made the postseason once from 1919 all the way to 1966.

During the latter half of the 20th century, the Red Sox would become a greater draw due to the team’s ability to improve on the field and string together 14 consecutive winning seasons from 1967 to 1980. Also, though attendance remained low after the Boston Braves departed the city in 1953, not having to split fans with another team likely helped the Red Sox and Fenway’s ability to draw fans over time. As attendance improved, so could revenues and, in turn, payrolls.

From the 1986 season onward, the team began to reach the postseason more regularly. This was partly due to playoff expansion. The team has averaged no less than 26,000 fans a game since by 1999. The stadium was pushing 90 years old, and like many jewel box era stadiums before it, plans for replacement were being drafted.

New Fenway Park, as it was called, was a new stadium proposal that called for more seating and more modern features while having elements such as its own Green Monster to be built to serve as tributes to the past. This proposal never got off the drawing board, though, as the negative reaction from the public and the inability to make a deal with the city resulted in a renovation of Fenway instead.

Attendance remains strong into the 2000s, and from 2003 to 2013, the Red Sox would sell out 794 straight games in the regular season. The park is still as popular as ever despite its age. So why does it all work so well?

First and probably foremost is the winning. The Red Sox have won and won a lot in the last 20 years, with four World Series wins, 10 playoff appearances, and only four losing seasons. Second, the elements and environment at Fenway are very exclusive. It’s one of only two jewel box stadiums still in use and has so many features such as the Green Monster, Pesky’s Pole, and the Triangle that simply cannot be found anywhere else. This uniqueness and environment make it a pilgrimage site for baseball fans across the country.

Also, there is the market. Boston is the 10th largest metro in the US, and its sports teams generally represent and draw from all over New England, which has over 15 million people and no other MLB teams to compete with. It is this three-pronged combination that makes Fenway one of the most popular, if not the most popular, stadiums in baseball. While eventually the stadium may become too old to update anymore, it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. It represents a bygone and classic era in baseball, and all these reasons are why Fenway Park works.