Minor League Baseball teams are widely recognized for their ability to generate creative ideas on how to promote their team and ensure a festive atmosphere off the diamond as well.  The same amount of energy put into game production can be applied to manufacturing a promotional giveaway item in return.  Many fans will be delighted to receive their Ken Griffey Jr. bobblehead (or should we say bobblearm) at Arrowhead Credit Union Park on Saturday, April 23rd, but few know the taxing process of getting the concept of a bobblehead from out of the creator’s mind and into the fans hands. 

The first item to be decided was what pose we wanted to use to portray the former Spirit and Mariner great.  One of the most memorable traits Griffey Jr. possessed was the ability to leap and climb outfield walls to rob homeruns. So naturally, we decided to use that as the pose. 

Another important feature of bobbleheads that cannot be overlooked is the face on the bobblehead. After pouring through our archive of old Griffey Jr. photos from when he played on the Spirit, we could not help but notice how he always seemed to be smiling.  We utilized his smile and added eye black for a finishing touch and the concept of what we wanted to showcase was complete.

When we had our idea of what we wanted the bobblehead to look like, we took our vision out of our heads and put it onto paper.  Several drawings were rendered and a final copy was produced and sent to the manufacturer. 

Once the sketch reaches the manufacturer, the concept becomes reality.  The manufacturer looked at our drawing and fashioned a wax model of the bobblehead. Several picture emails phone conversations ensued until we were happy with the finished product.

The final stage in completing the bobblehead is applying the paint to the figure.  We provided the manufacturer with the colors we desired and the figure was almost complete.  Once Rotolo Chevrolet came on as a sponsor for the bobblehead, their logo was applied to the item and it was ready for mass production.   

However, the uniqueness of the promotion does not conclude when the bobblehead is shipped out for distribution.  In true Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory fashion, five of the Ken Griffey Jr. bobbleheads are painted gold and the lucky fans that find them will receive free Half Season Ticket plans!

2011 truly is the season of giveaways for Inland Empire 66ers fans!

Apologies from all of us at the 66ers for the lack of posts this week, but we’ve sort of been saving it all up for a doozie.

Today we released our 2011 Promotions Schedule, complete with three fireworks extravaganzas, two national entertainment acts and tons of great giveaways.  It’s the day you pick your favorite games and decide which dates you can’t miss at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.

We begin on Opening Night, April 7, with our magnet schedule giveaway against I-10 rival Rancho Cucamonga.  From there, almost every night features some sort of promotion, whether it’s a themed evening, special giveaway or traveling act.

Christopher (you may remember him from last year as the Amazing Christopher) returns this year on June 10 with his dancing dummies and wild music.  He’ll entertain the crowd as Michael Jackson or as the Village People, or may have a new and unique routine to show off in San Bernardino this year.  Another national touring act, the Inflatamaniacs also return this year on April 22.  The Inflatamaniacs are inflatable mascots that use bizarre costumes and interesting dance moves to crack up the crowd.

Christopher performing at a game in 2010 at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.

Inflatamaniacs character “Munchie” catches items from a 66ers bat boy during a game in 2010 at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.

The 66ers have a strong tradition of memorable giveaway items.  This season we have nearly 20 giveaways, ranging from items featured at Angel Stadium in Anaheim to exclusive 66ers products, including a Felix Hernandez bobblehead, celebrating his 2010 Cy Young winning season (August 20).

We’ve partnered with the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians to produce several giveaways this year, none more exciting than the lucha libre mask that we’ll provide our fans on July 22.  The mask, which features an Angels theme, will resemble the masks worn by popular high flying Mexican wrestlers.

WWE professional wrestler Rey Mysterio in a traditional lucha libre mask. (Credit WWE Entertainment).
 

In addition to giveaways and entertainment acts, Arrowhead Credit Union Park will be a hot spot for theme nights all season long.  We’ll have nightly themes, including Toyota of Redlands 50 Cent Fridays, where select items will be significantly discounted throughout the ballpark, and Bark in the Ballpark on Wednesdays where fans are encouraged to bring their dogs through the gates.

We’ll also celebrate 25 years of professional baseball in San Bernardino this year with Turn Back the Clock Tuesdays, where players will wear San Bernardino Spirit jerseys every Tuesday throughout the season.  Any fans with special memories from the past quarter-century are encouraged to tell us all about them in the comment section, and we’d love to use some of those in game this year.

Not all theme nights are limited to nightly features, however.  As noted in a previous entry in The Inland Empire Insider, we’ll have decade nights, where fans are encouraged to join the 66ers Dance Team in dressing in appropriate attire from the specific era.  Star Wars Night returns on June 11, and, in order to coincide with summer movie releases, there will be special evenings dedicated to Transformers and Pirates of the Caribbean.

66ers Dancers in poodle skirts on 50s Night at Arrowhead Credit Union Park in 2010.
 

Ticket packages have been created around these promotions, with our 24 Game Premium Plan guaranteeing at least one game against every California League opponent and a giveaway or theme night on just about every night.  For more information about our ticket packages, click here or call (909) 888-9922.

To view the complete list of promotions for 2011, click here.  Please also remember that all promotions are subject to change without notice.

Opening Night is only a handful of weeks away!  April 7 can’t get here soon enough!

Go 66ers!

A few weeks ago we released two of the 2011 promotions that we’re particularly excited about.  Today, we’ll let you in on one of our weekly themes that may sit you back in that easy chair and reminisce!

Jukeboxes will rock and the poodle skirts will swing on select Friday nights this year at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.  Flash the peace sign and plug in the Atari and join us this season for 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s nights at the ballpark.

Not only will we feature special discounts every Friday throughout the park, but we’ll also entertain our fans with music, costumes, on-field promotions and overall fanfare from the different decades of the 20th Century.  Start digging through your parent’s attic today to prepare!

In addition, we’ll throw in some other theme nights like Country Music Night or a futuristic theme to really give our fans some variety throughout the season.  We love to have fun, and our goal has always been to be the place for families.

Check out our Facebook page to let us know about some of your best memories from those decades.  Was it the moon landing or Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle’s race to pass Babe Ruth’s single season homerun record?  The Reagan presidency or some of the classic battles between the Lakers and Celtics?  Or maybe it’s a memory unique to you — we want to hear it!  Let us know and maybe we’ll feature you in one of our games this summer.

 

One of the most exciting things about the winter months for fans of baseball is when their home town team releases their promotional schedule. Maybe they’ll have the opportunity to collect a bodacious bobblehead, plan a group outing around a fleece blanket giveaway, or even go for the thrill of seeing a dog riding monkey herd sheep at the ballpark.  With the multitude of promotions coming to San Bernardino in 2011, it’s easy to see why there’s such a buzz about the much anticipated release of the 66ers Promotional Calendar.

While I cannot reveal all of our promotional plans, I feel that since it is the time of giving, I can provide a preview of two promotions that 66er fans can look forward to in 2011. In regards to weekly promotions, the most notable difference will be “Turn Back the Clock” Tuesdays when the 66ers will wear Spirit jerseys in tribute to San Bernardino’s first California League Franchise, the San Bernardino Spirit. For you younger fans, the San Bernardino Spirit featured some of baseball’s brightest stars at a young age, most notably Ken Griffey, Jr. Other successful ballplayers that played for the Sprit include Mike Hampton, Paul Konerko, Ted Lilly, and Jeff Nelson amongst others. For those of you who were big fans of $2 Tuesday don’t fret as our $2 ticket, beer, and parking specials will still apply on all 2011 home games.

As far as giveaways go, one item that will sure to be a hit will be the fleece (don’t call it a snuggie) blanket with sleeves. The first 1,200 fans in attendance for the Saturday, April 9^th game will receive one of these functional (yet fashionable) blankets. What’s even better is that people can stay warm as they cheer their 66ers on against their arch rivals, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. 

Stay tuned for more information on upcoming promotions leading up to our official release of the entire promotional schedule in early January. And remember, a great way to reserve your seats for all of our promotional giveaway nights is to buy the 24 game ticket plan. Until then, have a great holiday season and a happy new year.