Boston, the city once home to the invincible Red Sox fan base, appears to be showing signs of dwindling enthusiasm toward their iconic team as they gear up for the 2024 Major League Baseball (MLB) season.
NBC10 Boston, during their visit to the historic Fenway Park, interviewed several Boston residents.
The responses they received revealed a startling indifference or, at the very least, apathy towards the Red Sox"s upcoming season.
Boston residents unable to name Red Sox players in local news segment https://t.co/BjjMIyOYKF pic.twitter.com/cJieHd4cnc
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 21, 2024
Worryingly, many residents interviewed were unable to name a current player in the Red Sox lineup, with one person merely recalling All-Star third baseman, Rafael Devers.
"Current? [Rafael] Devers. That’s probably it," one interviewee said.
"When I was a kid, it was must-see TV when Pedro Martinez was pitching," said another.
This significantly contrasts the landscape witnessed in the 200s when the likes of Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and other players were akin to living legends in the New England area.
In addition to the unfamiliarity with the current Red Sox lineup, a lack of excitement towards this spring was also noted.
“Usually other years, I kind of hear about it or people are talking about it," said a Boston resident, Samantha Perez. “But this year, I didn"t even know they were starting. I had no idea."
"Opening Day is right around the corner, however, no one seems to be talking about the Red Sox. We sent our Mary Markos out to Fenway Park to find out if anyone cares."
"Many (fans) can't even name a current Red Sox player."
[@NBC10Boston; @redsoxstats]pic.twitter.com/SZJSDusGsr
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 20, 2024
Amidst the newly uncovered apathy, an evident lack of season ticket sales is observed.
Regular-season tickets are available at extremely low prices on the secondary market, as low as $11 showcasing a lack of demand.
The alleged apathy appears to root from the Red Sox ownership"s stinginess in contributing to the team’s roster.
This particular action, or rather lack thereof, seems to convey disinterest to the fanbase, as stated by NBC Sports reporter John Tomase.
In the recent past, baseball’s popularity has seen a national dip.
Teamed with the Red Sox’s diminished power, post their star player Mookie Betts" trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team now trails miserably.
Since 2020, the Red Sox have unfortunately been struggling through losing records in three of four years and currently hold the 12th highest payroll in baseball, according to Fangraphs.
Coming into the 2024 season, the future may not be resplendent for the Boston Red Sox. The team"s over/under win total set at 77.5 by oddsmakers reveals a grim outlook.
