What would you do with 52,000 square inches of plasma-screen TVs? Eighty computer-controlled video screens and 35,000 watts of audio power? 12,000 square feet of space? What about a really great chopped sirloin burger?
No idea? No problem, because the Boston Red Sox administration and The Lyons Group - the same outfit that pumped up Fenway Park's prestige with the Green Monster seating area - have taken care of it for you with the creation of Game On!, a brand-new sports café promised to establish a new model of experiential sport dining in Boston.
Part of the Red Sox administration's plan to make the area surrounding Fenway more fan-friendly, Game On! is a two-story facility located on the corner of Lansdowne St. and Brookline Ave., right inside Fenway Park's Gino building, though patrons won't need a ticket to the game to enjoy the food, bar or al fresco dining.
Red Sox Chief Operating Officer Mike Dee said Game On! should heighten the level of fans' experiences.
"Like the Monster seats and the right- field roof before it, these are all incremental improvements that we think provide a better Fenway, a more enjoyable Fenway, a friendlier Fenway for our fans," he said.
While Game On! is a sports bar, don't plan on memorabilia-encrusted wall space and greasy food; the venue is an attempt to set a new precedent in sports café dining, and the inclusion of Sonsie's culinary team in the project should help make that happen. The projected menu includes everything from Boston Clam Chowder and The All- American Hamburger to Filet Mignon and Market Grill Fish.
Game On! also plans to be the new pioneer in multimedia entertainment, broadcasting every game played in the world on over 90 screens, as well as hosting Fantasy Draft events, including real-time statistical tracking on LED signs and sports tickers.
In addition, Game On! will be the first sports café in Boston to host regional and national video gaming tournaments on single and multiplayer X-Box, GameCube and Playstation2 consoles.
While the downstairs bar area will cater to the over-21 crowd with a full bar and generous seating areas, including "box seats" that will be available for reservation, the first floor will feature a family-friendly atmosphere.
Adam Hawk, Game On!'s Assistant General Manager, promises that all of this will come at a price designed not to take a chunk out of the college kid's wallet.
"We understand the demographic of the Fenway neighborhood and, obviously, a huge part of that demographic is the student population," Hawk said. "We want students to be able to afford Game On!"
While some of the Fenway fan population might miss the worn-in character of the ballpark's neighborhood, the Red Sox took its game to a new level. m
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