A new survey suggests MA voters "have far more
affection" for the Red Sox than for the Patriots, and are
"more willing" to use taxpayer dollars to help the baseball
team build a new ballpark, according to Meg Vaillancourt of
the BOSTON GLOBE. Lou DiNatale, who conducted the poll of
400 registered voters at the McCormack Institute of the
Univ. of MA at Boston: "Support for the Red Sox across the
state is deeper than any other sports team and cuts across
demographic lines." More than 65% agreed that the state
"should do whatever is necessary to keep the Sox in
Massachusetts," while 25% disagreed and 10% had no opinion.
The McCormack poll does "contain a cautionary note." While
53% said they "favored using state funds to pay for
infrastructure improvements" like roads and sewers for a new
ballpark, only 23% were "strongly in favor" of it. About
38% opposed "using tax dollars to fund infrastructure"
(BOSTON GLOBE, 5/14). In Boston, Macero & Meyers report
that Red Sox execs will meet with the Greater Boston Chamber
of Commerce exec committee "to try to convince" business
leaders that a new ballpark "is the only option." The
"high-level" meeting, which may include plans for a new
$400M Fenway, is part of a "lobbying blitz" in response to a
"Save Fenway Park" group (BOSTON HERALD, 5/14).
