On Wednesday night, America’s most beloved ballpark will be packed with book lovers, for Fourth Wing Night at Fenway.
The Red Sox are looking to expand their reach, so they teamed up with the author of the New York Times Best-Selling romantasy novel.
“Fourth Wing” is the first in a series of books about dragon-riding students at a war college.
And while books and baseball may not seem to have too much in common, Shelley Thompson, the manager of The Purple Couch bookstore in North Andover says, “People are passionate about their books, and they are passionate about their baseball, and we get both together.”
Book club member Meredith Longo adds, “I think probably the Red Sox are finding that there is a huge intersection, unexpectedly maybe, of fantasy readers, and romance readers, and Red Sox fans. We’re everywhere.”
It’s something the Red Sox are excited about. “We’re bringing those two powerful brands together and taking over a ballpark,” said Travis Pollio, the director of ticket strategy for the Red Sox. “It’s amazing.”
Purple Couch owner Kate Keisling agrees, saying, “Whenever one of these books comes out, it’s a firestorm of people who are really excited to get it.”
Members of the romance book club at The Purple Couch have been counting down the days to the game.
“The night we were told about this, it was immediate. Thirty people said they were in,” Thompson said.
More than 10,000 tickets sold
More than 10,000 fans who bought tickets through a special link will take home a flight jacket, straight from the books.
Book club member Caitline Duncan said she’s “super excited for the flight jacket. The designers did an incredible job.”
VIP ticket holders will also receive a special edition of Fourth Wing, complete with baseball stitching and the Red Sox logo on the back.
Author Rebecca Yarros is set to throw out the first pitch.
Pollio says, “I’m fully expecting her to have a David Ortiz round of applause when she’s out there on the field.”
“I know a lot of the book signings that she’s gone to, there’s hours’ waits just to see her, just to line up to see her,” said book club member Maura Harper. “So, to be able to see her and say, ‘I saw Rebecca Yarros throw out the first pitch at the Red Sox’, it’s pretty cool.”
Longo added, “To have an event at a place that’s so special to me and my family at Fenway, and have it be book related? To me it’s unheard of.”
Largest promotion at Fenway
“It’s the largest promotion that we’ve ever had at the ballpark,” says Pollio. “We’ll be setting the record, I think, for quite some time. It’ll be hard to top this.”
More than half of the people who bought tickets for the promotion have never been to a game at Fenway before.
And the ballpark is going all out. There will be “Fourth Wing” themed concessions, photo opportunities, and cosplay on the Sam Deck, where fans can dress up as their favorite characters from the book series.