Promotions

My buddy Dave at work is a football fan. An NFL football fan. No Arena 2 football for him, he is too good for that. He is really in the dumps because the season is over.
I am trying to convince him that its OK, the better sport is about to start up! Baseball season is almost here! In fact, pitchers and catchers have already shown up in Florida and Arizona.
Its nice knowing that its all about to start again. Of course, around October, I am going to be bummed out just like Dave is now. Then, Dave will make fun of me the way I am making fun of him.
I love baseball. Its great watching prospects working their way up. I love big furry mascots. Nothing beats a free bobble head. I hate loud obnoxious announcers though. I am obviously not a purist, but the announcers can take a break.
I love goofy promotions. I am hoping to catch The Famous Chicken this year. I have seen Reggie the Purple Party Dude, and I love this guy. The Zooperstars are great, and I can watch a guy get eaten by one over and over and its still just as funny as the 1st time I saw it. I could watch Birdzerk all day long. Don't act like you're too cool to appreciate that stuff!
I love free stuff too. I can afford it! My favorite free stuff is anything. OK, I especially like free caps, shirts and bobble heads. I hate it when they just give the free stuff to little kids, because that means I am going to have to swipe the giveaway from a little kid later in the game (just kidding....maybe).
There are some promotions I want to see more of. What ever happened to Negro League Night? This used to be a common promotion, but I am seeing less of it. A lot of former Negro League players are thankfully still with us. Every pro baseball team needs to make sure they bring in one of these legends AT LEAST once a season. AND there is no reason not to sport a retro jersey honoring one of the old teams that played close to the park. Charley Pride songs should be the standard that night at the game.
I love it when a team brings in a retired player. Thats just cool.
Bring your dog to the park night is fun. My dog freaks out a bit, but you would too if everyone around you was at least 2 times bigger than you, you were naked, and just had a stuffed hot dog on your back.
The Legends hosted Star Wars night last year, and that was super cool. I would love to see that evolve into a tradition and exploited more. The only thing more cool would be Star Trek night. Oh, I just thought of this one.... horror villain night! Think about it!
I have never heard of a team doing "A League of Their Own" night. This is unforgivable. Like the Negro Leagues, MANY of the gals from the All American Girls Professional Baseball League are still around! MANY of them are in this area! I am certain they would be honored to throw out a first pitch and sign some autographs. A showing of the film could be arranged after a game. I would not advise the teams to wear retro AAGPBL uniforms though.
I think its the Altoona Curve who host "awful night". This sounds hysterical. I wish more teams would adopt this idea.
I like fireworks, a lot, but to me this is an overrated promotion. Its cool, but I don't have to see them every Friday or Saturday night. I must admit, I was once looking out of a 16th story window in downtown Lexington. I could see the Fireworks going off at Applebee's Park across town. It was just darn cool, and looked spectacular even from a distance.
I'm not impressed with local cover bands playing before and after a game. Some of the fun bands whose songs are being covered can probably be hired to play at the game anyway, for about the same price. You bring in Kansas or Foriegner, maybe the Guess Who and I am there! Just make sure there is at least one original member.
I love military appreciation night. This should be done at least monthly at every park. I love it when they go all out on this one too. A helicopter landing or taking off from a baseball field is worth the price of admission times five.
This isn't a promotion, but it is something I look forward to at a ball game, and that's the Star-Spangled Banner. I ALWAYS get goose bumps at the "our flag was still there" part. I am hoping some teams get a bit more selective about performers. It is OK to bring out the same performer more than once too if they are good. This isn't a reality show audition. This is the National Anthem. I will take a sincere, if not perfect rendition over an exaggerated over the top version any day. I saw a little girl, maybe 5 years old, do a perfect version at a Horsemen's game last year. Perfect. I saw some big guys get a little choked up. No showing off, no unnecessarily long, exaggerated notes. This was a highlight of my sports season.