JetBlue Park has been the place to be lately — between the Savannah Bananas visiting, MLB workouts starting, and now games firing up again. The Boston Red Sox faced Northeastern University in their annual exhibition matchup, kicking off the 2025 spring training schedule.
The thing about Boston fans — they are passionate about their teams. Year after year, New Englanders make the trip from frigid Beantown to sunny and beautiful Fenway South.
"There was quite a bit of energy on the fields and stuff, and we're looking for another great year," said Red Sox fan Richard Driscoll.
With several changes in the Red Sox clubhouse over the last few weeks, there are high hopes for a successful season.
"I liked what even the manager [Alex] Cora says, 'We are definitely going to be a contending team, playoff team,'" said Red Sox fan Robert Marcus.
But first, there are 16 more home games at JetBlue Park for Cora and the squad to perfect their 40-man roster. Diehard fans like Robert Marcus and Richard Driscoll make sure they're at the ballpark to see it all.
"[It's] beautiful!" Marcus said. "My favorite spot."
"I'll be here for all the game," Driscoll said. "I don't leave early. I stay here. And this is what I do during the months of February and March."
Driscoll lives in Dover, New Hampshire, for most of the year, but in 2013 he bought a house in Fort Myers so he could see the Sox for the entire spring training season.
"I'm pretty fortunate that pretty much every day I come over in the back fields and watch the practices," he said. "So the pitchers and catchers report, I report. Once the games start, I have season tickets, and I'm able to come enjoy baseball while New England is still in the snowstorms."
"I live close enough that I get on my bicycle, and I ride over here, and pretty much at my seat in, like 10 or 12 minutes," Driscoll said.
With years of great memories made as a Boston fan, his love for the Sox only grows stronger.
"My life now is the Red Sox schedule!" he said.
The Red Sox face the Rays on Saturday in Port Charlotte, then the Red Sox host the Blue Jays at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23.