MINNEAPOLIS — Reds chief operating officer John Allen will travel to Seattle for the All-Star Game, but he'll be doing more than rooting for the National League.

        Allen plans to tour Safeco Field, the All-Star Game site, to learn how the Seattle Mariners operate their premium seating areas.

        “If fans are paying those kind of dollars for diamond seats or luxury boxes, you have to make sure they get first-class treatment,” Allen said Saturday.

        Premium seating is a mostly uncharted area for the Reds, so Allen wants to make sure he and the club's staff know what they're doing with their best locations when Great American Ball Park opens in 2003.

        “Operationally, we have a lot of things we're looking at ... How you handle access, concierge services, those types of things that we don't do now that we will be doing,” said Allen, who also traveled here with the team. “It's a whole new ballgame, pardon the pun. We have those boxes up there (at Cinergy Field), but calling them "luxury suites' is kind of a misnomer.”

        Allen's ballpark education has taken him to Pittsburgh's PNC Park and Milwaukee's Miller Park this year; San Francisco's Pacific Bell Park and Houston's Enron Field last year, and Colorado's Coors Field in previous seasons.

What's in crystal ball for Reds? Reds fans stuffed ballots for another Bell Fan's eye view of the Reds Twins 7, Reds 6 Twins' low-power offense impresses Reds New hero every day for Twins Allen looks for tips at Safeco Field Rose story breaks no new ground Reds box, runs

Recruiting shorter, not sweeter
Dale Jr. wins at Daytona
Trucks next at Ky. Speedway
Donald loses by decision
Fighter's dad would prefer he had day job
Best and worst of week in sports
Rose story breaks no new ground
High School Insider
Rich making name for himself at Met
Met tennis results, schedule
N.Ky. Amateur golf tourneys start
N.Ky. Men's amateur tee times
N.Ky. Women's amateur tee times
Mixed Pairings tee times

• Return to Reds front page...