• Loading stock data...
Saturday, June 21, 2025

Take Me Out To The Non-Ballgame

BOSTON, MA – FEBRUARY 11: Snowboarders test the ramp in preparation for a Polartec Big Air event at Fenway Park on February 11, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Michael Ivins/Boston Red Sox)
Photo Credit: Billy Weiss, Red Sox.

Yoga class? Snowboarding? Drone Racing? As teams like the Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks seek new revenue sources, a day at the ballpark is taking on a much different meaning.

Most Major League Baseball stadiums used to stand empty on non-game days and during the offseason. There might be an occasional concert, but that was usually it.

Those days are over. More MLB teams are employing alternative events to drive revenue. They see their stadiums as blank canvases. All-purposes venues that can be the setting for any event in any season. 

The Red Sox’s venerable Fenway Park has hosted sporting events ranging from the NHL Winter Classic and Big Air snowboarding to college football and European soccer.

But did you know that fans could also buy tickets to everything from yoga classes (or FenwaYoga) and movie nights to $21 walking tours of 107-year old venue?

The strategy comes right from Red Sox team owners John Henry, Tom Werner and Mike Gordon, according to Mark Lev, president of Fenway Sports Management. Since it opened in 1912, Fenway has been a “gathering place” for the greater Boston community, he said. The current management team set about restoring that tradition as soon as they bought the team/ballpark.

“Our executive leadership team challenges us to deliver events that wouldn’t normally be thought imaginable in the ballpark, and that appeal to a younger and broader audience than the typical fan who comes through Fenway Park to catch a Red Sox game,” said Lev. “If we’re attracting new audiences into Fenway Park for every event, and they leave saying they want to come back, we’ve done our job.”

The strategy is working. The Red Sox won’t disclose financial information. But the readers of TripAdvisor voted Fenway the No. 1 tourist attraction in all of New England.

The Diamondbacks sold $25 ticket packages to a “Yoga at Chase Field” event this season.  

But the 49,000-seat ballpark also hosted the WWE’s Royal Rumble in January. That was the first time the event was held inside a baseball stadium. It was a big hit. This September, Chase Field will host its first Drone Racing League event. 

The Diamondbacks also market smaller, more intimate experiences for fans. Baseball-loving couples can get married right at home plate at Chase Field. “Celebrate your special day with the largest diamond you’ll ever find,” promises the team.

Companies can “buy out the ballpark” for private outings, conference and holiday parties. These corporate groups may eat dinner on the infield, then have their own private batting practice. There’s even an elegant “Evening on the Diamond” fundraiser on the infield, with proceeds going to charity. 

“If a year ago you told me Chase Field would be hosting a drone racing league event, I would not have told you that’s feasible,” said Ryan Holmstedt, the Diamondbacks vice president of ticket sales and events. “But we’ve taken a step back and said, ‘We need to stop looking at this like a baseball venue. And instead look at this as a blank slate that’s truly an event venue.’” 

READ MORE: LGBT Promotions Gain Steam, But Success Requires More Than One Night

Holmstedt oversees sales for both baseball and on-baseball events. The proliferation of alternative events on the Chase Field calendar make his job easier. He declined to cite numbers but said the revenue generated by the team’s Events & Entertainment unit has exceeded his expectations.

“It’s created a great synergy for anybody looking to come into our building. We’re able to say, ‘Here’s what your event can look like if it falls on a baseball date. And here’s what your event can look like if it falls on a non-baseball date,’” Holmstedt said.

In November, Stadiumlinks will invite golfers to tee it up from the upper reaches of the New York Mets’ Citi Field, then hit golf balls to the field below. Stadiumlinks has held similar events at NFL venues such as Levi’s Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium. Prices generally start at $75 per person for the standard package.

https://twitter.com/MariaHechanova/status/1142818350608736256

It’s not just MLB ballparks. More football teams like the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots are using their cavernous, pigskin palaces for non-football events, according to Mike Lombardi, a former NFL executive with teams such as the Cleveland Browns, Philadelphia Eagles and the Oakland Raiders.

“You have to do it,” said Lombardi, who currently is an NFL Insider for The Athletic. “Pro stadiums are like airplanes. When they’re not running, you’re not making money.”

READ MORE: LA Dodgers Social Media Manager Sue Jo on Sustaining Creativity

Dr. Emil Steiner of Rowan University sees states and municipalities employing sports stadiums for more civic events in the future. After all, many are financed by taxpayer dollars.

“Stadiums are almost like parks. They’re beautifully constructed. They have great views of the city or skylines. Their use is only limited by the imagination of the people controlling them,” Steiner said.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Fenway Park

Fenway Park Concession Workers Poised to Strike 

The unionized workers overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike.
Devers

Devers Stunner Only Part of Wild Week for Fenway Sports Group

Red Sox fans immediately started making connections to soccer.

Devers Deal Gives Giants Star Hitter After Free-Agency Rejections

The Devers deal shows a heightened aggressiveness from a former league power.

NBC Eyes MLB Rights, Looks to Own Sunday Nights Year-Round

The league continues to shop media rights being forfeited by ESPN.

Featured Today

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter on the red carpet before the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field

‘More Is More’: The Elite Luxury Jewelers Decking Out Athletes

Meet the elite group of luxury designers crafting the biggest statement pieces.
Dec 5, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club Word Cup draw at Telemundo Studios.
June 15, 2025

Revamped Club World Cup Is FIFA’s Billion-Dollar Gamble

The revamped soccer event debuts amid controversy.
Jun 10, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands during the anthem against the Switzerland during the first at Geodis Park
June 14, 2025

Gold Cup Is Complicated for USMNT—but U.S. Soccer Has Its Eyes on..

Uncertain tournament success isn’t fazing forward-looking U.S. soccer.
Jan 24, 2017; Davidson, NC, USA; The Davidson Wildcats student section cheers during the first half against the Duquesne Dukes at McKillop Court at John M. Belk Arena. Davidson defeated Duquesne 74-60.
June 6, 2025

Every College Wants a Flashy Basketball GM Hire Right Now

The role is more important than ever, and the definition is ever-evolving.
MLS Chicago Fire FC stadium rendering of hero visual

Chicago Fire Planning $650M Stadium As Bears, Sox Projects Stall

The MLS club unveils designs for its planned 22,000-seat stadium.
June 12, 2025

$3.8B Commanders Stadium Deal at Risk Over Political Rift

D.C.’s mayor and council chair spar publicly over the proposed football stadium.
June 12, 2025

$2.4B Browns Stadium Plan Clears Hurdle With $600M State Backing

Legislative support for the stadium plan is clear, but more hurdles remain.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Ted Leonsis unpacks basketball’s global rise, media rights, and portfolio ownership.
June 11, 2025

Missouri Approves Chiefs, Royals Stadium Funds Despite Intense Debate

A funding measure passes easily after hours of often-tense debate.
May 27, 2015; Paris, France; Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) knocks the clay off her shoe during her match against Simona Halep (ROU) on day four of the French Open at Roland Garros
June 4, 2025

Roland-Garros’s Iconic Red-Clay Surface Is a Precise Alchemy

The exact science behind maintaining the French Open’s red clay.
Soccer
June 3, 2025

Chicago Stars Aren’t Asking for Taxpayer Stadium Money—Yet

A unique new law will compel Illinois lawmakers to consider women’s teams.
June 3, 2025

While Bears and White Sox Stall, Chicago Fire Make Stadium Move

The proposed $650 million stadium will be privately financed.