Red Sox Confiscated Pro Don Orsillo Signs At Fenway Park [UPDATE: Or Not]
By Ty Duffy
The Boston Red Sox are replacing longtime NESN play-by-play man Don Orsillo with Dave O’Brien after the 2015 season. Per chairman Tom Werner, the team wished to re-energize the broadcast.
Per the Boston Globe, the Red Sox also acted to de-energize fans outraged by the decision, during Orsillo’s first broadcast from Fenway since the announcement. The team relocated its pregame show inside the stadium and confiscated Orsillo signs from fans entering the ballpark.
"To prevent a potentially embarrassing scene, NESN moved its pregame show from Yawkey Way to a more secure spot near the Red Sox dugout. Two Sox employees told the Globe that workers at Fenway turnstiles were ordered to confiscate any signs supporting Orsillo as fans entered Fenway."
As a Red Sox fan who purchased MLB Extra Innings to listen to games called by Mr. Orsillo, I can confirm I have been re-energized to explore other uses for that money in 2016.
UPDATE: As Deadspin noticed, the line about the two Red Sox employees was removed from Dan Shaughnessy’s column without a correction. According to the Globe, the “sourcing was weak” so the line was removed. Many will note that the Boston Globe, which has been critical of the Orsillo move, is owned by Red Sox owner John Henry.
[Getty]