Tagged: Barack Obama
Barack and His Bobble
I attended yesterday’s “Baracklyn Cyclones” promotion at KeySpan Park in Coney Island, and am currently working on an article recapping the evening’s events.
(update: article is here)
But, because it is important for me to remain America’s go-to Minor League promotional guru, I feel compelled to share the following image immediately. It is an all-time classic.
Photo Credit: George Napolitano/Brooklyn Cyclones
Even the President Can't Get Past Customs
One of the more amusing stories to emerge in the past 24 hours involves the West Virgina Power and their difficulties in obtaining a shipment of bobbleheads.
The bobblehead in question features President Barack Obama in his high school basketball uniform, and 1000 of these fine collectibles were slated to be distributed prior to Saturday’s game. Yesterday, however, the Power issued a press release that explained that U.S. Customs had detained the bobblehead shipment for an “extended search.”
Just what U.S. Customs was searching for remains unclear. Perhaps they were just puzzled by the incongruity of a West Virginia-based baseball team distributing bobbleheads of the President wearing a Hawaiian basketball uniform. At any rate, the story had “legs”, as evidenced by the fact that it was picked up by the Associated Press.
As an aside, I remain baffled by the Associated Press and other national media outlets. When it comes to which Minor League stories get picked up and which ones don’t, your guess is as good as mine. I think the term “arbitrary crapshoot” (also the name of my high school band) would apply. My suggestion to all members of the national media is to read this blog religiously, because I’ve got all the scoops. Just make sure you link back to my work, because doing so helps to justify and legitimize my fleeting existence on this Earth.
But back to the saga of the detained bobbleheads…it appears that there is more BREAKING
NEWS.
A press release issued just a few hours prior explains that the bobbleheads have finally been sent on their way to West Virginia. They won’t make it in time for the game, however, so fans will instead recieve a “Golden Ticket” that can be exhanged for the bobblehead at a later date.
In the meantime, I hope that the national press continues to monitor this story. Why not send out live news copters to film the journey of the bobbleheads as they make their way to West Virginia? I don’t know about you, but I would watch that all night long.
benjamin.hill@mlb.com
Three For the Price of One
Things are starting to kick into high gear, folks. Therefore, I am occasionally going to have to include multiple topics within the same post. Presented forthwith is a triumvirate of interesting Minor League news items:
#1 — I had always thought a Homewrecker Hot Dog was an adulterous ski instructor, but leave it to the Charleston RiverDogs to show me the error of my ways.
Last week, the club announced a bevy of new season ticket options, one of which immediately caught my eye. Take it away, press release:
[H]ighlighting the new slate for the 2009 season is the Homewrecker Hot Dog Pack. This 10-game flex pack…not only offers fans the choice of two areas of seating, but also includes a Homewrecker Hot Dog Trucker cap and a voucher for a Homewrecker Hot Dog for each game.
Okay, but if not an adulterous ski instructor…what is a Homewrecker Hot Dog?
A Homewrecker is a half-pound of hot dog with a choice of multiple toppings that range from sauerkraut and okra to hot peppers and cole slaw.
And now, in lieu of 1000 words:
(thanks to RiverDogs play-by-play man Danny Reed for the picture. I am grateful that I now have another go-to food item to feature on this blog, in addition to the ubiquitous Taco in a Helmet).
#2 — From the “Hey, Why Not” department: The Charlotte Knights have invited Barack Obama to throw out the first pitch at their home opener. Sure, the chances that #44 attends the game fall somewhere between “slim” and “none”, but there is never any harm in extending the invitation. The Knights rationale for the invitation (as if they needed one): Obama’s favorite team is the White Sox, and the Knights are a Sox affiliate.
(thanks to blogger Jackie Adkins for the heads-up on this).
#3 —
For whatever reason, I always feel compelled to promote touring performer Dave the Horn Guy on this blog. So I must mention the fact that Dave has just sent out word that 18 free “Horn Guy Ringtones” are now available for free download on his site. My favorite, by a considerable margin, is Usher’s “Yeah”.
Barack in the Future
Throughout the past month, I have taken the time to highlight some promotions to look out for during the 2009 season (if the content of these posts has slipped your mind, just click here, here, and here).
But an email arrived in my inbox today touting what may be 2009’s premier promo thus far: On June 23, the Brooklyn Cyclones will transform themselves into the BARACKLYN Cyclones. The club has established a website that is dedicated solely to this promotion, and is well worth exploring. But here are the most crucial details:
Normal
0
MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”;}
For one night this summer, the Brooklyn Cyclones will be
transformed into the Baracklyn Cyclones, honoring the 44th President of the United
States with a night of patriotic partying at
the ballpark.
The June 23rd festivities will feature:
Alternate red,
white, and blue jerseys adorned with the team’s new name
FREE Barack
Obama bobbleheads to the first 2,500 fans in attendance, featuring
the President in a Baracklyn Cyclones Jersey
The Economic
Stimulus Package: From 10am
on January 20th – Inauguration Day – to midnight
on January 23rd, ticket prices for the June 23rd game will be “rolled back” to
the Cyclones’ inaugural 2001 season rates: $10 Field Box Seats, $8 Box Seats,
$5 Bleacher Seats. Beginning January 24th, tickets will be priced at the
regular 2009 rates ($15, $12, $8)
Universal Health Care: Free Band-Aids to
the first 1,000 fans
Naming Rights: Anyone named Barack gets in
for free (Bring your ID on the night of the game)
Joe the Plumber special: any plumber named
Joe gets two free tickets – one for
himself, and one to “spread the wealth”
with a friend (Bring your ID and a business card or proof of employment on the
night of the game)
Bi-Partisan Consolation Prize: anyone named
McCain or Palin will get a free Bleacher Seat (Bring your ID on the night of
the game)
A clear-cut Exit Strategy: fans will
receive American Flags and discount coupons as they leave the ballpark.
All in all, this stands to be the most talked-about political promo since Bobblection riveted our nation last summer. Now, I realize that some of you may be saying that you just McCain’t wait until June 23, because all other promotions Palin comparison. Well, I’m sorry, but I’m afraid you’re going to have to Biden your time until then.
Nothing like going out on a high note, right? Email all complaints to: benjamin.hill@mlb.com
Ben's Biz Blog 