We had the most eyes we’ve ever had on our organization, but it was the eyes right in front of us that mattered most. #fansfirst #fenwaypark #challenge #speech #motivation

As many of you guys know, playing here as a kid has been a dream of mine, but the reality is I know it's become a dream for many of you. The truth is, this is the biggest challenge we've ever had. From ticketing, from the seating, from merchandise, with the challenges inside this older ballpark, from the limitations on the show. So what it's going to come down to is how we act and what we do in the next 24, 48 hours. And when you have challenges like this, often things speed up, they get faster. But the greatest performers know how to slow things down, and that's what we're going to need to do here. We're going to be able to slow things down and take in the moment and get in front of the fans one fan at a time. I got to experience this firsthand when I was five years old. I had my first game with an honorary bat boy sitting in that dugout, and I was in the dugout by myself waiting for the game to start, and a pitcher came over next to me and sat down with me for almost 20 minutes. He gave me my first ever fan's first moment. He was a hall of famer. It's Lee Smith, as I've shared with many of you guys, one of the greatest pitchers of our time, in the middle of a big game, sat down with a five-year-old kid he didn't know and created a fan's first moment. That has stayed with me. Part of the reason we're here is because of that fan's first moment. So how do we slow things down and take in this moment? How do we take the extra time to take an extra picture? How do we take the time to give an extra high-five to a fan? Take the extra time to sign another autograph? It's those extra moments that will matter here, so it doesn't speed up on us. The reality, 37,000 fans are going to be here. They're coming in from 47 states. It's unbelievable. As Jared said, this is their bucket list trip. As big as this game is for me, as big as this game is for us, it's even bigger for them. So how do we slow down and take those moments and put the fans first there? That is going to be the difference. Guys, there's going to be more eyes watching us than ever before, but it's the eyes right in front of us that are going to matter most. So how do we take that time, create those moments? That's going to be the difference for us playing here and playing at the greatest ballparks in the world for many years to come. And so tonight, in rehearsals, when we walk out of the stadium and see fans, tomorrow it's those moments. So I challenge us again, slow things down, look fans in the eyes, spend the time. It's going to make a bigger difference than you ever know. Guys, be in the moment. Embrace it. Put every fans first. This is our turn. You guys ready? Yeah! Alright. There's no one else in this journey I'd rather do this with. I'm so proud of you guys, and let's do it. Zach? Hands up! Fans first on three! One, two, three! Fans first!