Boston Red Sox

Your name in Fenway lights: Sox offer scoreboard messages to benefit charity

BOSTON — The Red Sox announced Thursday they will put the centerfield scoreboard to use in a way not typically done at Fenway Park. For a donation to the Red Sox Foundation, fans can have their personal messages displayed, with a digital image sent to them for use as they wish.

Here is the information released by the Red Sox:

The Red Sox are offering fans the chance to create their own personalized message on Fenway Park’s John Hancock center field video board as a way to raise funds for the Red Sox Foundation, the club’s public charity that has been maintaining operations and programming during this crisis to ensure consistent and necessary support and resources to hundreds of other non-profits and youth throughout New England. This is the first time the 40 by 100-foot John Hancock center field video board is being utilized for fan messages. The smaller New Balance video board in right field is historically used for fan messages during Red Sox games.

“We typically offer fans the chance to have a message on our New Balance right field video board during games as a fundraising tool for the Red Sox Foundation,” said Senior Vice President of Fan Services and Entertainment Sarah McKenna. “With the baseball season on hold and our front office working from home, we figured out a way to operate the main centerfield video board using remote technology. We’re now able to safely provide fans with a way to mark a special occasion, like Mother’s Day or an upcoming graduation, during this unique period of social distancing.”

Fans can visit redsoxfoundation.org/scoreboard to place an order and will receive a digital photo of their message within seven to 10 days. For a tax-deductible donation of $50, you will receive an image of a text message, and for $100, you will receive messaging that includes an image of your choice.

“Like many non-profits, we are faced with a great need in our community and limited means to fundraise with the typical events we host each year,” said Red Sox Foundation Executive Director Bekah Salwasser. “Every dollar raised through these scoreboard messages helps sustain the hundreds of Boston Public Schools students we mentor and provide scholarships to each year through our self-operated Red Sox Scholars Program. The scoreboard messages will also enhance our ability to support other non-profits who are all struggling to fulfill their mission because of the demand for various services during this challenging time for so many in our community.”