Did you see this in the Globe today? A front page piece by the in-house tool Bob Hohler (remember the Terry Francona on drugs report?) mocking Boston College for politely declining The Red Sox invitation to play a home game against UConn.
Check out the lead paragraph
Since 2004, Boston College has retained Fenway Sports Management to help market its athletic programs. But the school has rejected at least one piece of advice from the firm: to host a football game Nov. 19 against the University of Connecticut at Fenway Park.
Interesting. Boston College hired Fenway Sports Management, owned by John Henry, to do whatever it does. Last year it arranged for Notre Dame to play a home game at Fenway Park, another John Henry owned entity, against Boston College.
This year Fenway Sports Management advised Boston College to play another game at Fenway. Only this time, B.C. will be the home team. What a deal. Do the players get to take selfies with David Ortiz?
This time BC’s role would be reversed. The Eagles would enjoy top billing. They would dress in the Sox clubhouse rather than on campus, as they did last year. Their fans would receive the lion’s share of tickets. Their school would control the end zone displays and much more.
The event could launch an annual tradition of BC hosting games at Fenway.
Now what I didn’t see in Hohler’s piece was the basic fact that Boston College paid John Henry’s Company for marketing advice. They took the fee and one suggestion was to play a home game at John Henry owned venue. Boston College has it’s own venue. Better place to watch a football game and BC gets to keep all the ticket revenue and parking fees and concession money and everything else. Only problem is John Henry does not own it.
But he owns the Globe.
The president of Fenway Sports Management is Sam Kennedy. He is also the president of the Red Sox. Check out this yes-man’s quote.
“Given the positive feedback we received on last November’s Shamrock Series, the Red Sox would love to see a return of BC football to Fenway Park in the near future,’’ Sox president Sam Kennedy said. “We have extended the invitation for BC to return whenever it works for their schedule.’’
Hey Sam, whose hat do you wear? Don’t you have contractual duties? Implied covenant of good faith and all that. Yet here you are mocking a client in public. My God Man!
Who would hire Fenway Sports Management now?
I think Henry thinks he is smarter than everyone. What an idiot.
Boston College should sue Fenway Sports Management and the Red Sox. Triple damages on this.
Remember folks, Boston College is not going anywhere, but the Globe? It’s in poor health and it has a buffoon for a doctor.
johnk says
UMass and BC were approached. BC was the one who pushed to play at Fenway. Yes, it was an away game so they didn’t lose out on gate redeipts, probably the reason why they lobbied so hard to play the game over UMass.
JimC says
Can you clarify this a little? I know Notre Dame has some sort of special status in college sports (no conference? Not in NCAA? I forget), but how exactly do they have a home game in Boston?
And of all places to approach … Notre Dame thought of Fenway?
doubleman says
They do a weird “home away from home” series. Fenway makes sense – there’s a lot of ND fans here and it’s an iconic and interesting place to play.
johnk says
Looks like Fenway wanted to keep it going, BC is the only logical choice to bring a crowd. Don’t think UMass can fill Fenway, what did they sell at Gillette, 10k maybe? Don’t see how they could make it profitable enough for BC.
doubleman says
They are scheduled to play next season (at Gillette). Those two together could probably sell out. I’m a UMass alum and would go in a heartbeat to watch them lose at Fenway. Trekking to Gillette to sit in a depressingly empty stadium is no fun.
johnk says
I had fun, friends with alum. It’s only a few light cycles away for me, so it’s close. Yes, they close 1/2 the stadium and set up cameras on the closed side so that you actually see people in the stands on TV.
TheBestDefense says
If BC allows it to be a home game, will they lose their usual gate, parking and concession money? If so, it smells like a massive bait and switch.
JimC says
I have to briefly defend Bob Hohler.
After the Francona piece, John Henry made an unscheduled visit to Felger & Mazz, the 98.5 afternoon show. (Apparently they said something about Linda, which I didn’t hear.) So JWH marched right in.
It was pretty riveting radio, I have to say, except Mazz was WAY too excited and nervous, and it showed.
Repeatedly, Henry made the point that Bob Hohler had said that no one in Red Sox management was the source for the Francona story.
A day or so later, Hohler said, “I never said that.” (Or something like that.)
I never liked the Francona story, but it does take guts and integrity to publicly repudiate your boss.
TheBestDefense says
the Globe story is much different at 4pm on Friday than it was earlier today and there is nothing in it about either Kennedy or Hohler repudiating John Henry. Feels like an editor stepped in to sanitize it.
JimC says
I’m left wondering why this is a story at all.
(The repudiating Henry part refers to the Francona story, not this one.)
TheBestDefense says
EOM
JimC says
I am not linking to it.
It became notorious for its stories about beer and chicken in the Red Sox clubhouse. But I think it’s more remembered now for its smear job on Terry Francona.
It is widely believed that Red Sox management was the principal source for it. Hohler quoted people anonymously, so he can’t reveal his sources. Whatever the actual source, he had to reply to Henry’s assertion.
Come to think of it I’m not sure Henry owned the Globe at that time. But as Red Sox owner he was still someone Hohler had to deal with almost daily. Apologies If I’m wrong about the “boss” reference, but my general point stands. I think Hohler was just trying to do his job.
surfcaster says
Would Fenway would get to shut down Landsdowne and Yawkey Way for businesses controlled by the Red Sox during the game? Does this extend the notion of `Game Day’ in the deal the BRA made with Henry?
TheBestDefense says
It seems that the BRA gave to the Red Sox all economic rights for “licensed events” on Yawkey Way in its extension of the deal that would have expired at the end of 2013. From the BRA staff proposal to BRA Director Peter Meade made and voted on September 26, 2013:
What is a licensed event?
The full text of the proposal is here:
http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org/getattachment/4891422c-3750-4588-96e1-76147c6fc4c5