What Makes Red Sox Nation So Great Part III

The final part of my paper examines the one thing that ties in both the emotional appeal of the Red Sox and the commercialization of the team. Thus far I have examined how the team is used as a brand to sell and how the the fans feel connected to the team and the players on an emotional level.  But really neither of these two things would exist without the media. The media is the platform that markets to us and tells us how we should feel emotionally connected to the team.  So when it all comes down to it the reason Red Sox Nation stands out above other fan bases is because of the intensity of the Boston media. So here's another little chunk of my paper, enjoy!

"The business of sponsorships begins to blend the lines of commercialization and the grand encompassing matter of the media in baseball and New England.  The media is what allows all commercialized aspects of the team to reach the fans and the media is who tells us what we should care about and why we should become emotionally invested.  Newspapers like the Boston Globe and New York Post are the places fans look to for the major headlines and are the sources that fuel the rivalry between the two teams. The media tells us what players to love and hate from the opposing team and brings the message right into our homes.  The Red Sox coverage never stops, regardless of the time of year.  In 2003 the Boston Globe and Boston Herald ran at least one story on the team every single day from the beginning of spring training until Christmas Day.[i] Jerry Beach in his book, Fighting Words, also claims that a major factor in the media’s influence on Red Sox Nation is that many of the writers in Boston are also fans.  Beach believes that this is unique to New England saying that baseball writers in the region are partial to the team and often write biased articles.[ii] 

Some teams have created their own television networks and the Red Sox are no different.  The team owns the New England Sports Network (NESN) that is used for the soul purpose of broadcasting all games, pre and post game coverage, Sox themed game shows, and specials about the team.  Every media platform has been used to its fullest and the team keeps adapting to the world of social media and technology including twitter contests and online video clips or web series. 

Grabbing the Boston Globe and watching “NESN Daily” in the morning, then staying up late to watch post game coverage is just the daily routine for Red Sox fans.  No one questions seeing a cardboard cut out of Jonathan Papelbon, the Red Sox closer, when they order coffee.  If anything fans enjoy these things because they have a personal connection with the ball club.  The Red Sox have a unique appeal, created by their historical roots, that they have kept strong by commercializing the team and providing the media platforms necessary. Many teams have elements of Red Sox Nation to them, but only Boston has put them all together to generate such a strong fan base. Red Sox Nation is an ever-growing phenomenon that will continue this way as long as fans maintain traditions while connecting with the team and the game."

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[i] Beach, Fighting Words. 7.

[ii] Ibid. 19-20.