‘It’s been this way for so long. What’s the big deal?’

The Yawkey Way name change had fans talking outside Fenway Park:

“I actually think that people are a little too uptight so I actually don't care if they change the name back or not. It's been this way for so long. What's the big deal? Yeah, I understand the politics behind it ... but why is it so important to make that change?” — Rachael Barzey, 49, left, Hyde Park

•••

“It just feels like as long as I have been watching baseball it's always been Yawkey Way. It feels like it has that Boston twang in the name, an accent in it. It's almost synonymous with Fenway itself ... a lot of history behind it, but I can understand, especially in this day and age with this political climate.” — Connor Anthony, 19, Salem •••

“It makes sense that they would want to change it

... it's a good idea if it avoids conflict.” — Robert Brooks, 26, Brookline •••

“If he's a racist person I agree ... I don't have the context ... this is one of the least racist places in a city that I've lived in ... people have moved beyond that in Boston. This won't have much of an impact. People put a lot of the situation in the past now.” — Guru Siva, 34, Quincy

•••

“I'm kind of mixed. I guess I understand why some people have some objection to the name. But I think it's more of a tradition. It was done, you can't change the past ... changing the name isn't going to necessarily change the past ... it's kind of like when they changed the name of the Garden, it's still the Garden.” — Sanford McMurtry, 54, Fenway

•••

“I personally don't care. It's always been Yawkey Way long since I was born and I've never had a problem with it. It doesn't necessarily bother me ... it just seems like too much of a big deal, but I don't know too much about it. If it's the spirit of the team and the history and too much of all that than it may not be a good idea to change it. I'm not familiar with the controversy behind the name.” — Jordan Ortiz, 19, Salem