The Red Sox open their home season against the Baltimore Orioles today, and, while everyone's wondering aloud about starting pitcher David Price, we're enamored of a new feature at Fenway: booths with virtual-reality headsets that simulate being in the thick of it in a Red Sox dugout.
Per the Associated Press: "The first virtual reality video — more are planned as the team accumulates footage from the regular season — was shot at spring training in Fort Myers, Fla. It includes shots of batting practice and pitching sessions from up close, with the viewer standing in the batter's box or behind infielders as they take ground balls."
Three booths will be set up throughout the ballpark, each with several headsets. The videos apparently last about two minutes each, perfect for fitting into a (very expensive) beer run.
Also, Fenway, one of the tiniest ballparks in Major League Baseball, is going big with protective netting starting this year. It will now extend down the first- and third-base lines so as to now cover all seats within 70 feet of home plate. Stephen King is not pleased.