Red Sox: A Guide to the Year’s Remaining Promotional Items
Promotional items are always a fun addition to a day spent at the ballpark. Here is a guide to this season’s Red Sox promotional items.
If you’re trying to select a few dates to head out to Fenway Park and see a Red Sox game, one of the best ways to capitalize on the experience, and maximize the cost of your ticket, is going to a game where there are special events or giveaways.
With the retirement of David Ortiz, the signing of David Price, and the recent enshrinement of two Red Sox legends, this year’s promotional schedule is a good one.
Before we get into the upcoming promotional items, lets take a look back to those offered earlier this year:
On April 12, the Red Sox celebrated David Ortiz and remembered his 500th career home run that he hit at the end of last season. Fans got the chance to honor Ortiz by wearing gold and diamond 500 necklaces, featuring Big Papi in his signature pose, pointing towards the sky. It was some serious bling.
A week later, on April 19, fans who went to the game received a Mookie Betts bobblehead. With Betts diving to make a play, as he so often does. The bobblehead was a big hit and was named one of the year’s ten best baseball bobbleheads by the Bobblehead Hall of Fame.
In May, the Red Sox honored the newest member of Red Sox Nation, David Price, with a bobblehead of his own. The honor may have had a positive impact on Price, who after losing a game to the Yankees, bounced back and got his fifth win of the season against the Houston Astros on May 12.
Three days later, the Red Sox celebrated Wally’s birthday (how could you not?) by giving fans in attendance a Wally gnome.
The Red Sox then rounded out the month by, once again, honoring David Ortiz and giving the first 15,000 fans in attendance a print celebrating his career. The Red Sox will be honoring Ortiz with a promotional item in each of the subsequent months.
Here is a monthly breakdown of all the promotional items being offered by the Red Sox for the remainder of the season:
June
On June 14, former catcher and now Red Sox Hall of Famer Jason Varitek will receieve baseball’s highest honor, by being forever enshrined in bobblehead form. Sponsored by Granite City Electric, the first 15,000 fans will receieve a bobblehead of number 33.
The Red sox will square off against their division rivals, the Baltimore Orioles, on the 14th at 7:10 PM.
Two days later, the Red Sox will be celebrating Country Music Night, and the first 1,000 fans to purchase tickets through the offer will receieve special Red Sox country music themed hats, and have a chance to hear a variety of country music bands.
Continuing with the tradition of honoring David Ortiz, fans in attendance at the June 21 game against the White Sox will receieve a Big Papi gnome.
The next day, basketball fans may want to attend “Celtics Night,” where the first 1,000 purchasers of a special offer will receieve a Celtics-themed Red Sox snapback, the night before the NBA Draft. And the game the following day on June 23 may be the perfect one to bring kids to, as children 14 and under will receieve a free Wally towel. Now who wouldn’t want that?
July
The promotional items in the month of July kick off with a July 4th celebration, where the first fifteen thousand fans will receieve a Stars & Stripes themed Red Sox cap at the July 5th game against the Texas Rangers.
For those 14 years of age and under, the July 10 game may be a dream come true as they will have the opportunity to not only run the bases, but will also receieve a free Wally and Tessie bobblehead.
Nine days later, All-Star left-fielder Brock Holt will be made into a toy far greater than a bobblehead: a pet rock. That’s right, at the July 19 game against the San Francisco Giants, Red Sox fans in attendance will receive a Pet Brock. Now you may be wondering, “What exactly will that look like?” And, to be honest, I have no idea.
And rounding out the month, on July 26 against the Detroit Tigers, fans will receieve a “Build-A-Papi.” A Build-A-Bear type doll honoring David Ortiz.
August and September
The month of August begins with a home series against the New York Yankees, and what better way to top off a victory over the Yankees than with a David Ortiz bobblehead? That’s right, at the August 9 game against the Yankees, fans will receieve a Big Papi bobblehead, perhaps the last one issued of him as an active player.
Later in the month, the Red Sox will celebrate, perhaps, the new face of their franchise; one of the league’s rising stars and most dominant players, shortstop Xander Bogaerts. At the August 30 game against the Tampa Bay Rays the first 15,000 fans in attendance will receieve a bobblehead of the man himself.
The next day, on August 31, those 14 and under will have another chance to run the bases, and will also receive a free Wally piggy bank. Not a bad deal.
On September 13, against the Baltimore Orioles, the first 15,000 fans in attendance will receieve a t-shirt designed and voted on by fans. And then the next day, a tradition that, perhaps, can only be found in Boston will be celebrated: Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day. That’s right, those who purchase their ticket through this special offer will receieve their very own Red Sox scally cap. Definitely not a bad way to close out the season of promotional items