Overseas Fan - riding the Green Monster

In the previous article in this series, I brought you up to date on how I became an Overseas Fan by falling in love with the Red Sox and Fenway. We pick up where we left off.

As previously stated, I have the chance to visit Boston a few times each year, which usually means I get to 1-2 games at Fenway. I talked about standing room only seating (well, no seats were involved) but what really makes the heart beat faster is looking up at those seats on the Green Monster.

I looked online for tickets, but the prices were a bit crazy for me to spend on a single ball game. So I dreamed like most of us do and just went to a game that included a seat in the outfield. I sat with a friend in center field, way up at the top underneath the large video scoreboard. I had a great view of the field but nothing of the replays shown on the big screen.

I was still searching for my ideal seating, when it happened.

My work holds a conference in Boston every summer. In 2011, I was asked to speak at the conference and afterwards to meet with a large delegation of customers from Asia. For this effort I would get to join the VIP event from the conference, which was a secret.

I did the talk, met with the customers and we proceeded to board buses for who knows where. After a long ride around town we arrived at Fenway and I though, great, we get to see a ball game! We got the stadium tour, peanuts, popcorn, saw the clubhouse, and then had a reception in the same standing room area I was at the year before along the 3rd base side.

Then it happened.

They passed out tickets and I was given a Monster seating ticket! I was speechless and thrilled as we headed up to our seating and I was in that last section on the end, front row in the middle. As you can see in the picture it is an amazing view.

Me on the Monster!

The game was great, but there was a 2 hour rain delay so they took us off the Monster and up into the club house to stay dry. They gave us a jersey, the same one I wear to games if you see me at Fenway some day, to compensate for the loss of time on the Green Monster. Later we came back to watch the Red Sox finish the win, at 01:30 hours EST.

To say the least, I was tired the next day, but it was definitely the best seating in Fenway. Even the hot dogs are tastier on the Monster!

Next time I will cover what it is like to try to keep up with the Red Sox as an Oversea Fan that has to travel for work. I am on the eve of a trip to Asia for a week that will put me +12 hours from the East Coast. That just challenges me in my creativity to follow and watch Red Sox games, but more on that next time.

Post a comment or hit me up on twitter @ericschabell with your thoughts.

More by Eric D. Schabell