We’re kicking off the inaugural trip of ESPN Experiences, which is a new offering “powered by Adventures by Disney.” The promise of ESPN Experiences is that they will deliver a unique travel experience, including exclusive access and special moments for sports fans. Their first trip is “Take Me Out to the Ballparks” — a 5-day itinerary that includes 3 Major League Baseball games, a tour of ESPN headquarters, and other special moments. We began our adventure today in Boston, home of the Red Sox.
Upon arrival at the airport, we met our private transfer to take us approximately 15 minutes to the Hotel Commonwealth (the official hotel of the Boston Red Sox). I arrived around noon and, when I went to check-in, the room was understandably not quite ready. I took this opportunity to visit the ESPN Experiences hospitality desk where I met our “ESPN Experience Coach” Mike. Naturally, he had Dunkin’ Munchkins as an appropriate way to welcome us to Boston.
He gave us the basic information for the day and was able to answer any questions about the trip and the area. We were also gifted a publication about ESPN+’s Tom Brady: Man in the Arena. While I was getting the rundown from Mike, our room became ready and we headed upstairs. One of the four elevators is their “baseball elevator” which includes signatures from various baseball legends including David Ortiz, Peter Gammons, and even former Chairman of Disney’s Board, George Mitchell.
The room was nice, but the true attraction is the view. As I opened the curtains I got an unbelievable view of Fenway Park and the Green Monster. As I was getting settled I received a delivery of local treats as well as an ESPN Experiences cookie. I had a couple of hours to relax so I caught some of the US Open on ESPN while checking out the coverage of the Little Leaguers parading down Main Street U.S.A.
We met at the hotel’s Fenway Foyer at 3 p.m. for our Welcome Reception. Mike welcomed everyone — including our first special guest, Dave O’ Brien. In addition to doing play-by-play for ESPN’s ACC Network, he is also the play-by-play announcer for Red Sox telecasts. Dave shared what a special experience he felt this would be for all of us. He also shared his own personal history with the Red Sox including visiting the ballpark with his dad and brothers. He also previewed some of the Fenway Park history that we would be learning more about. I am a huge fan of Mr. O’Brien’s work and he was very generous with his time despite his other duties, including it being his daughter’s 30th birthday. He was happy to pose for pictures or sign autographs. After the welcome remarks we could enjoy some beverages, including adult options, and some snacks.
A few minutes after 4 p.m., we met in the lobby for the walk over to Fenway Park. We entered through the Ford Clubhouse and met our trio of guides who would be taking us on our tour of the ballpark. Our first stop was to the field which was quite the experience. We then headed to the oldest seats in the park to get our overview of Fenway. After our history lesson, we walked around the entire ballpark including stops at the Red Sox Hall of Fame and a display of the various Boston uniforms through the year.
After we made the complete rounds, we took a stop at the Sam Deck for some more ballpark snacks and various beverage options. The Red Sox mascot, Wally the Green Monster stopped by for meet-and-greets and photos. Our tour guides then challenged us to recall everything we had learned through a round of Red Sox Trivia. It was also a great chance to take in the beauty of this historic ballpark.
It was then time to take our seats atop the famous Green Monster. These seats, with their unique view, lived up to the hype. As we got settled, there were even more non-alcoholic and adult beverages. Among the food offerings were sausages, chowder, and lobster rolls. There were also assorted cookies and brownies for dessert. It happened to be bobblehead night and the Red Sox team made sure we didn’t miss out. The bobble head commemorated Dave Roberts clutch steal in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS.
It was neat to see an amazing game in this historic ballpark. While the Red Sox didn’t win, it was a tight game which was great to see. It was also fun to participate in some of the Fenway traditions such as the group sing-along of “Sweet Caroline.” After the game, our ESPN Experiences team guided us back to the hotel so we could get ready for tomorrow’s ride to Bristol and ESPN’s HQ.
For even more fun and to see it all in real-time, be sure to follow our ESPN Experiences Tour live blog.