Fenway Park is scheduled to open this week. With the Boston Red Sox more popular than ever, fans need to know certain self-help tips as they scramble for tickets to opening day and other big games.
Beth Lindstrom, Director of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, and her Consumer Awareness Team will be outside Fenway Park on Opening Day from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. just outside Gate A. The mission is to educate consumers on the best ways to purchase and identify an authentic Red Sox ticket.
"Consumers need to protect themselves when it comes to ticket resale, " said Lindstrom. "Opening Day is always a day filled with fun and excitement and we want it to stay that way. By educating Red Sox fans, we help ensure that the day won't be ruined by ticket fraud or the unscrupulous activities of ticket scalpers."
The Office of Consumer Affairs recommends the following to fans looking to buy tickets:
Buy From the Red Sox Directly:
The best way to ensure purchase of an authentic ticket is to buy tickets directly from the Red Sox. Believe it or not, there may be tickets for the Opening Day available on Friday at the ticket booth or online through the Red Sox SmartFan service. Anyone can become a member of SmartFan for $49.95. The initiation fee grants the consumers 2 Red Sox tickets to an upcoming game and exclusive access to purchase premium tickets from Red Sox Season Ticket Holders who have tickets they cannot use. Fans can sign-up for SmartFan online at www.redsox.com. With unpredictable weather conditions, it is possible that Opening Day tickets will be for sale
Ask Questions When Buying From a Ticket Reseller:
Make sure the seller is a licensed ticket broker or reseller with the state. Consumers can call the Office of Consumer Affairs toll free at 888-283-3757 or the Office of Public Safety at 617-727-3200 to confirm the license of a broker. Consumers should also use a credit card to pay for the tickets instead of cash. There may be some protection from the credit card company to dispute the charges if there is improper billing, a cancellation or fraud. In addition, a consumer should check the company's refund policy.
Beware When Buying a Ticket on the Street:
Consumers should beware - this is the riskiest proposition of all. You may find yourself dealing with an unlicensed ticket scalper that may charge you double or triple the face value of the ticket. Consumers will also be required to pay for the transaction in cash so there is no record of the sale and no recourse if the ticket is counterfeit.
Finally, consumers should know how to identify an authentic Red Sox ticket by looking for the following features on any Red Sox ticket they wish to purchase:
*Navy blue border
*Picture of a baseball player on the top of the ticket with the Red Sox logo in one of the two top corners
*Picture of a baseball on the bottom right corner that says "Fenway" on top of the baseball, "Park" on the bottom of the baseball and the word "Game" followed by the actual game number.
*Just below the picture of the player, check for the opponent's team name, date and time
* Below that your seat location should be printed
* On the bottom of the ticket is the ticket stub. Here, the game information and ticket information is repeated.
A consumer who still feels anxious and has a cell phone available, can contact the Boston Red Sox ticket office located at Fenway Park to authenticate the ticket, 1-877-REDSOX9.
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Greylock School Project Garnering Interest From Bidders
By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A recent walkthrough of the Greylock School site turned out more interest than expected, which school officials and project managers hope will translate into multiple bids.
The project includes the demolition of the 60-year-old elementary school and the construction of a new two-story school directly to its north.
"We don't always expect a lot of them to show when a building is going to be demolished. There's not a lot for them to see," said Tim Alix of Collier's International, the owner's project manager, told the School Building Committee on Tuesday. "But just putting eyes on the site, seeing where the utilities are coming in so they can they've seen them all that information on the documents, but to see it in 3-D and they can start making their plans.
"We're hopeful that that means that we are going to be receiving a number of bids in each category. So that's encouraging."
The subcontracting bids are due Tuesday and the general contractors' on Jan. 14. Alix said there will be plenty of time to review the subcontractor documents before releasing that information so the general contractors can compile their bids. All bidders went through a prequalification process this past fall to be accepted by the Massachusetts School Building Authority, which is covering more than two-thirds of the cost of the project.
Jesse Saylor of TSKP Studio, the school's designer, said there have also been a lot of questions from potential bidders.
"We have received a number of bidders' questions, which are called bid RFIs, and that's normal," he said. "I think it shows participation, you know, bidders who are working on the job, are looking at the documents, and they're finding things that they want to make sure they understand."
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