Photo: Mike Macklin (WBZ)
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Boston Red Sox will open the 2023 MLB season in style in the confines of a swanky new clubhouse.
Mayor Michelle Wu toured Fenway Park Tuesday as Red Sox officials showed off the latest renovations to America's oldest ballpark, including the new state of the art players clubhouse.
"It’s gonna be a huge game changer for our players," Red Sox COO Jonathan Gilula told WBZ NewsRadio. "The players spend so much time out of their days in the clubhouse, it’s really their home away from home. So we’re really excited about improving that environment for them."
The new clubhouse includes custom maple lockers, new lighting and sound systems, power and data outlets, and 16 large TV monitors.
1 of 5 Photo: Mike Macklin (WBZ)
2 of 5 Photo: Mike Macklin (WBZ)
3 of 5 Photo: Mike Macklin (WBZ)
4 of 5 Photo: Mike Macklin (WBZ)
5 of 5 Photo: Mike Macklin (WBZ)
Outside the clubhouse, LEDs will now be used in the light towers and around the ballpark to improve energy costs and the park's carbon footprint. To comply with recent MLB rule changes, there will also be five new pitch clocks added around the park and larger bases used on the field.
The Red Sox have also renovated their Kids Concourse with a new pitching cage and a virtual reality set-up where kids can hit against some of baseball's finest.
"[It's] for our younger fans who are coming out, to come to Fenway, enjoy a baseball game, get into the game yourself," said Red Sox President and CEO Sam Kennedy.
Kennedy told WBZ that with the Red Sox struggling through last season and tickets not selling out as they were in years prior, it is vital to get younger fans excited and going to the games.
"If we don’t have that next generation of fans, we’re in huge trouble," Kennedy said.
The Red Sox will face the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway on Opening Day Thursday.
WBZ's Mike Macklin reports.
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