FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – The Boston Red Sox will get their championship rings at their home opener before a full house of 35,000 fans and their fiercest rivals – the New York Yankees.

The jewelry symbolizing the team’s first World Series win in 86 years will be handed out in a pregame ceremony on April 11.

The Red Sox might have been disappointed onlookers had they not rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees in the AL championship series. New York opens the season at home on April 3 against Boston.

The Yankees had no complaints about being at Fenway Park for the ring ceremony and raising of the championship banner.

“The Red Sox won their rings. They earned them,” Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said in a statement. “They have the right to pick the date at which they present them, and it’s not a personal affront to our players.”

To accommodate fans who didn’t get tickets to opening day, the rings will be displayed at a welcome-home dinner attended by players that night and on display at Fenway Park along with the World Series trophy and the ball first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz caught for the last out of the four-game sweep of St. Louis.

Admission will be charged for the display, which probably will be held on April 12, an off day for Boston, and the dinner with proceeds going to the Red Sox Foundation charity.

“Even though the fans are not getting (a ring) they have to feel like they’re receiving one because they all deserve it,” David Ortiz said. “They supported us a lot through the years.”

Charles Steinberg, Red Sox executive vice president for public affairs, referred to the dinner as a “charity ball.” It would cost much less, perhaps $5, for the ring viewing at which “parents can bring children in a casual setting and actually see the rings up close. All you do is take a stroll in the park.

“It seems that everybody wins in that scenario.”

The ring issue had simmered for several days and, at one point, principal owner John Henry said it wasn’t necessary that the rings be presented on opening day. He wasn’t even sure they’d be ready by then.

But Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said Wednesday he expected the final design of the ring to be revealed this week. Players began getting their fingers measured for the rings at spring training on Tuesday.

Damon already has one new ring. He was married late last year and made his wedding band flashier so it wouldn’t get lost in the glare of the championship ring.

“The only reason why I put some bling on my wedding ring was because I knew I was going to have that nice ring” on his other hand, Damon said. “I was just going to go with a tattoo or even just a little band, but because we got this (championship ring), this one had to get better.”

The decision for the ring celebrations was made late Tuesday afternoon at a meeting with Henry, Lucchino and minority owner Tom Werner.

“This is the kind of quality problem I hope we’re going to be able to have with some frequency,” Lucchino said, “sit around at spring training and decide just when, oh when, do we give out the World Series championship rings.”

Every player who played for the Red Sox last year will get a ring. Lucchino estimated that several hundred would be awarded to managers, coaches, scouts and other employees in the organization.

“They won,” Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina said from the team’s spring training facility in Tampa. “They can do whatever they want. Hand out 5,000 rings if they want to.”

Lucchino said he would like former players, including Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe and Nomar Garciaparra, to receive their rings directly from a member of the organization rather than have them mailed.

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was asked if he had a preference for watching the ceremony or not.

“I’m sure I’m not going to help them hand them out,” he said to laughter. “But they deserve it. I’m sure they’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. So let them do it.”

New York manager Joe Torre said he’s not bothered by seeing the Red Sox get their rings.

“We’re not going to arrange, or rearrange, our routine to either be there or not be there,” he said.

Ortiz said the Yankees, winners of 26 championships, might even enjoy the ceremony.

“They must feel good about it because they received a lot (of rings) before,” he said. “They know how the feeling is.”