The Suite Life: the inside story

 The Suite Life:  the inside story

 

View along suites from L7

Everyone knows they’re there: the luxury suites, one of the big changes that modernized “Old Fenway”.  The suites were installed in 1982 and remodeled in the 2006-2007 offseason.  They’re on Level 3, the Dell Technologies Level, stretching from either side of the Dell Technologies Club.

The best known suite is the Legends Suite, where a Red Sox legend visits during the game and is shown on the main videoboard in a fourth inning break.  Dwight Evans, Carlton Fisk, and Fred Lynn are three legends who show up there fairly frequently.  That suite is called R1, first on the right side.  But who sits in there, and in all those other suites?  And is it possible for an ordinary fan to visit one?

 

View toward wall from L7

Occupants of the suites

Fans with access to Level 3 can walk the corridors and see the signage at each door.  (How do you access Level 3? Only those with tickets to the Dell Technologies Club, the State Street Pavilion Club, or the suites themselves can go there.  Best way to access is up the escalators at the premium entrance on Jersey Street.)  The R (Right) suites are on the first base side; the L (Left) suites are on the third base side.  Lowest numbers are closest to home plate.  Occupants this year are:

R1 (Legends Suite presented by W. B. Mason): Red Sox sell on per-game basis; 20 tickets for $11,000 - $20,000 per game; also includes 4 front row Green Monster seat tickets, keepsake souvenirs, 2 parking passes.

 

R2: Sign says Morgan Lewis (global law firm with 2200+ lawyers); but Sox ticket site says it is sold on a per-game basis, 22 tickets for $6,600 to $14,300 per game.

 

R3: Bank of America, multinational bank, 8th largest in world

 

R4: EY-Parthenon, management consulting arm of Ernst & Young, one of the “big four” accounting firms

R5: shared by W.B. Mason (business products company with 1100+ trucks) and Granite City Supply (electrical equipment supplier established in 1923 in Quincy).

R6: possibly sold on a per-game basis

R7: Walsh Brothers, construction management company since 1901; managed the construction of the State Street Pavilion Club and EMC Club, among many other Fenway Park projects

R8: Arnold Worldwide, US advertising agency base in Boston, en element of the global advertising firm Havas, based in France

R9: Hill Holliday, 17th largest US advertising firm, invented “America Runs on Dunkin’” slogan

R10: the “Partners’ Suite”, shared by all the Red Sox owning partners; individual tickets are awarded to a few Red Sox Rewards auction winners each season

R11: part of combined R10?

R12: MGM Resorts, operators of hotels, casinos, and other resorts across America

R13: possibly sold on a per-game basis

R14: F. W. Webb Co., wholesale distributor of plumbing and other mechanical supplies, sponsor of BOTH Red Sox and Yankees

R15: The Kraft Group, owners of the New England Patriots and other sports endeavors, also paper industry holdings

R16: PricewaterhouseCoopers, multinational accounting and other professional services company; in charge of the Oscars award voting and therefore responsible for the “wrong envelope” blunder of 2017

R17: possibly sold on a per-game basis

R18: Dunkin’ Donuts LLC, an element of Inspire Brands, operators of 8 restaurant/food chains including Arby’s and Buffalo Wild Wings

R19: sold on a per-game basis, 22 tickets for $6,600 to $14,300 per game.

R20: sold on a per-game basis, 22 tickets for $6,600 to $14,300 per game.

R21: sold on a per-game basis, 22 tickets for $6,600 to $14,300 per game.

L1: Red Sox President Sam Kennedy

L2: Bank of America, to go with their R2 suite

L3: Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, regional bottling company for beverages including Canada Dry and Dr Pepper, actually owned by Japanese brewery Kirin

L4: Locke Lord, international law firm based in Texas with 641 attorneys, has some roots in Boston

L5: WCVB, television station (channel 5) based in Needham MA, outgrowth of WHDH which had broadcast Red Sox games on radio and TV

L6: Pyramid Hotel Group, global hotel operator with brands including Hyatt, Doubletree, Hilton, headquartered in Boston

L7: Aramark Corp., operators of Fenway Park concessions, began in the 1930s as a vending operation in California (ARA stood for Automatic Retailers of America)

L8: sold on a per-game basis, 22 tickets for $6,600 to $14,300 per game

L9: General Electric, multinational conglomerate formed in 1892 with roots in Thomas Edison’s businesses, headquartered in Boston, made diesel locomotives until 2019

L10: NESN (New England Sports Network), created in 1984, televises most Red Sox games; 80% owned by Fenway Sports Group, owner of the Red Sox

L11: Audacy, internet radio platform, 2nd largest radio company in US with 235 stations including WEEI

L12: Citizens Bank, has 1000+ branches in the eastern US, founded 1828 in Providence RI

L13: Dell Technologies, computer equipment and services company based in Texas, formed by merger of Dell and EMC

L14: Encore Boston Harbor, casino resort in Everett MA owned by Wynn Resorts; has 2700+ slot machines

L15: Morgan Lewis, to go with suite R2

L16: Azcat Foundation, investment and personal services company based in Connecticut

L17: probably sold on a per-game basis

L18: Fenway Sports Management (FSM), global sports group managing sales, brands, special events; subsidiary of Fenway Sports Group, owner of the Red Sox

L19: shared by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Boston publisher with origins in the 1830s) and Santander Bank (formerly Sovereign Bank; US operations headquartered in Boston, part of Spanish company Santander Group, no relation to Anthony Santander of the Orioles)

L20: Effectv, advertisement analytic company creating targeted ad campaigns, part of Comcast Cable

L21: shared by Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Co. (roots in Philadelphia in 1876), Chicago Title Insurance Co. (roots in Chicago in 1847), and Fidelity National Title Insurance Co.; all are parts of Fidelity National Financial.

L22: Boston Beer Co., makers of Samuel Adams beer, Twisted Tea, Truly seltzer, Angry Orchard cider, and other beverages, founded 1984

L23: Fidelity National Financial, to go with suite L21

L24: the Marvin Suite, sold on a per-game basis, 35 tickets for $10,500 to $22,750 per game ($300-650 per ticket). This is the newest suite, added when Grandstand 33 was roofed over.

View toward Dell Tech Club from L13

How to visit the suites

Here are a variety of ways to visit a luxury suite, some very difficult!

— Work at one of the companies listed above, preferably in a high-level position, or a position in which you interact with wealthy clients.

— Know someone, preferably in a high-level position, at one of the companies listed above.  Long-term clients, suppliers, or business partners often get invited, usually resulting from high-level financial relationships.

— Become a purchaser for a suite for the entire season.  I do not know the cost but I would guess on the order of $800,000, with probably a multi-year commitment necessary.

— Purchase a suite for a single game, and bring lots of friends, or sell extra tickets on StubHub.  See prices above.  Price is determined by five price tiers as determined by a calendar on the Sox website; click link at www.mlb.com/redsox/tickets/suites/dell-technologies-suites.

— Become a high-roller at the Encore Casino in Everett, spending lots of money there.  Tickets in L13 are handed out as “comps”, just like hotel rooms and other bonuses are.

— As a season ticket holder, accumulate enough points in your Red Sox Rewards account to become the winning bidder in an auction for “Tickets in the partners’ suite” (R10).

— Search many, many games on the Red Sox single-game ticket website.  Surprisingly, once in a while, suite tickets appear.  The Purist bought one of these for May 28th this year, in Suite L7.

— Search many, many games on the StubHub website.  Surprisingly, once in a while, suite tickets appear.  The Purist bought one of these for May 7 this year, in Suite L13.

— As a result of a visit by one of the last two methods, develop a relationship with the contact person for that particular suite.  Though unlikely, it might then be possible to ask to buy a ticket or two for a certain game.

The suite experience

You really do feel like a special guest, not just a fan, as you enter the door of a suite.  Where else do you have a private restroom with TV, comfy leather couch facing a giant TV, coat closet, pizza warming stand, champagne bucket, heated seats?  It’s just about as good as it gets.  Every true fan should put a suite visit on their bucket list.  Maybe pricey, but worth it once in your life!

L13, inward view

 

Most suites are linear, with the long axis toward the field.  The restroom and coat closet are in back, then the kitchen/serving area with cabinets, refrigerator, icemaker, and sink.  Next is the plush upholstery area with the large TV, which may be tuned to any station desired.  In 2019 I was in L7 and fans were closely watching the Masters golf tournament on the TV instead of the game.

 

L13, outward view

 

From there you are near the door to the outdoor seating.  There are high stool seats on either side; in L13 the three stools to the right have a food/drink counter just inside the window, which may be slid open vertically.  Outdoor seats are numbered, but according to suite etiquette you shouldn’t absolutely insist on having your specified seat for the whole game.  Some tickets have numbers higher than those on the seats (meaning some patrons are assumed to be indoors).

 

There are at least two outdoor seats with a drink counter in the third row, which is very handy if you’re using a scorebook.  All the outdoor seats are warmed by overhead radiant heaters, but the heat is not uniform and may be slightly inadequate on a chilly, windy day.  At each side of the seating area, you can chat with those just across the rail in the adjoining suite, and compare notes on the food available.

 

 

Important on cold days!

There are NESN monitors in overhead spaces.  And some suites have fancy video cameras discretely placed overhead.  They are aimed at the infield, for both in-house video and proprietary MLB use during umpire challenges.  You’d be surprised at how many stationary cameras are all over the park… several dozen.

 

Some fixed cameras are made by Spiideo, suppliers of incredible camera technology to many sports teams and leagues around the world.

Food choices

The suites do not come with any food or drink except tap water.  Special menus give lots of choices, but the catch is, each item serves TEN guests.  This year’s menu has the following:

Warm, salty pretzel bites with mustard, $75

Cracker Jack (bagged), $45

Ballpark peanuts (bagged), $55

Ballpark nut mix, assorted, $60

Souvenir popcorn buckets, $55

Kettle potato chips with onion dip, $75

Tostitos tortilla chips with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, $70

Classic antipasti assortment, $165

Mozzarella sticks with sauce, cheese, basil, $95

Vermont fried chicken wings with maple syrup/chili sauce, $150

Buffalo wings with cheese, carrots, celery, $150

Vegetable crudités with ranch dressing, $110

Garden salad w/vinaigrette, $75, grilled chicken $50 extra

Caesar salad, $85, grilled chicken $50 extra

Seasonal fruits & berries, $100

Sal’s cheese pizza (whole 16” pie), $52

Sal’s pepperoni pizza (whole 16” pie), $57

Kayem Fenway Franks, rolls, sauerkraut, $90 (gluten-free buns $2.50 each)

Kosher style hot dogs, rolls, sauerkraut, $90 (gluten-free buns $2.50 each)

Veggie hot dogs, rolls, sauerkraut, $90 (gluten-free buns $2.50 each)

Chicken tenders with honey mustard, $115

Spicy fried chicken sliders with pickles, sriracha aioli, lettuce, $95

Cavendish french fries, $90

Cavendish potato barrels (tater tots?), white truffle, herbs, cheese, $100

New England Clam Chowder, $90

Yankee Lobster Co. lobster rolls, $360

Kayem Italian sausages, rolls, peppers & onions, $110

Ice cream novelty bars in a souvenir Red Sox cooler, $110

House-made cookies & brownies, $95

Ice Cream Cart visit to the suite, guests can create their own sundaes, $9.75 per sundae

Soft drinks, water, juices, per 6-pack, $27

Domestic beer, per 6-pack, $57

Craft beer, per 6-pack, $65

Hard seltzers, ciders, cocktails, per 6-pack, $62-$67

Wine, per bottle, $50-$150

Reserve List (per bottle):

Nickle & Nickel merlot, $210

Far Niente Chardonnay, $210

William Selyen pinot noir, $340

Dom Perignon champagne, $400

From this list, you can see that food and beverage service can easily reach $500 or even $1000.  Six Cokes and ten Fenway Franks? $117.  Ten lobster rolls and a bottle of Dom Perignon?  $760.

L13, galley area. Ice-maker in back corner.