The Major League Baseball season is a week old today. With their lengthy 162-game schedules, there are still plenty of chances to catch a game at your favorite stadium and cheer on the home team and possibly some future Hall of Famers. To get a few extra fannies in the bleachers, MLB teams will occasionally reward their fans by handing them a trinket as they pass through the turnstiles to get into the stadium.
Some of those promotions are cool, others not so much. I don’t think any of these will ever be valuable enough for nuns to auction off like they did a rare old baseball card for major money. Sure there will be plenty of bobble heads (including an MC Hammer version by the A’s) given away over the course of the season, but are we sure we want to carry the fan goodies over into the pest elimination process? That’s right, the Seattle Mariners will give to their faithful followers a Franklin Gutierrez Fly Swatter (above). Who needs a fly-eating clock when you’ve got Franklin hanging around your house?
For those who’ve been engulfed in the Snuggie craze, the Dodgers and Giants will both give their fans a blanket with sleeves. It makes a lot more sense for the Giants since many of their games are played in the cooler temperatures of northern California. But a sleeved blanket doesn’t seem like the perfect giveaway for the folks in balmy LA.
Speaking of sleeves, the Tampa Bay Rays will give away sleeves. That’s right, just sleeves. Not attached to a T-shirt nor a blanket. Just sleeves. I’m really not sure about this one.
And while, ESPN has it listed amongst the worst handouts, I think the Angels’ wrestling mask promotion is a winner.
Maybe MLB should follow the lead of some of the Minor League teams and really think outside the box, like having a Star Wars Night.
For a more thorough rundown of some of the best and worst promotions, visit ESPN’s Page 2.
