The Spikes’ Promotional Cup Runneth Over
Given the absurd amount of details involved in hosting a professional baseball game, almost all Minor League front office staff members are highly-skilled in the fine art of multi-tasking.
Yesterday, the State College Spikes took multi-tasking to the limit with their highly innovative (and somewhat masochistic) “Night of 100 Promotions.” The evening was exactly what its name implied, as the Spikes crammed an absurd number of promotional endeavors into the span of nine innings. Some of these activities are really stretching the limit of what could be called a “promotion”, but such boundary-pushing is what Minor League Baseball is all about.
Spikes promotions and community relations manager Jennifer Orlando was kind enough to send me a list of all 100 promotions, which I will now reprint in tiny font:
1. Paper Airplane Contest
2. Pet Rock Petting Zoo
3. Rubber Band Shooting Contest
4. Sock Puppet Show
5. Crazy Straws at Concession Stands
6. Bubbles at the Gates
7. Stick of Gum…Win a Contest, win a stick of gum
8. Paper Clip Giveaway
9. Free Laughs
10. 10 Free Popcorn Gloves @ Gates
11. Paper Plate Mask Making Station
12. Dum Dum Giveaway
13. Sunflower Seed Giveaway
14. Pixie Stick Giveaway
15. Face Painting
16. Amazing Christopher Appearance
17. 70’s Night
18. Family 4 Pack
19. Stadium YMCA Dance
20. Disco Dance Off
21. Hippie Cam
22. Groovy Grounds Crew Dance
23. Free Programs at gates
24. Free T.P. squares at gates
25. Free High Fives
26. Free Hugs from Ike
27. The Hustle dance instructions
28. Free Smells
29. Spend an Inning in the Press Box
30. Spend an Inning with Ike
31. Bag of Ballpark Air
32. Hula Hoop station on Concourse
33. 70’s Trivia…Valpak?
34. Leftover Night
35. Kids Run the bases
36. Balloon Giveaway
37. Arts and Crafts…Coloring stations?
38. Mini-Golf
39. Self-Guided Concourse tours
40. Spikes Trivia
41. Curve Trivia
42. Pirates Trivia
43. Penn State
Trivia
44. New York
Penn League Trivia
45. Meet the Spikes Staff
46. Gates open 1 minute early
47. Do the Wave!
48. Free Hugs
49. Intern Olympics
50. Ike Autograph Session
51. Merchandise Sales
52. Front office carnival at the gates
53. Play in Porter
Gardens
54. Wing Eating Contest
55. Spread the “Peace” Signs
56. $1 off burgers
57. ½ off 16 oz. beer from 6–8
58. ½ off small soda from 6–8
59. Free Pocket Schedules
60. Free Half sheeters
61. Free lists of 100 promotions
62. Free Business cards
63. Sidewalk Chalk
64. Free Trash Disposal
65. Free Recycling
66. 162 Free Student Tix from SPA
67. Ike’s First Pitch
68. Nookie Monster’s First Pitch
69. K Contest — If the Spikes Get 9 Strike Outs, One Lucky
Fan Gets $9 off a Hat
70. Triple Play Contest — If the Spikes Turn a Triple Play,
One Lucky Fan wins Three Free Tickets
71. Walking Taco Walk — If the Spikes Get 4 Walks, One Lucky
Fan wins a free Walking Taco
72. Be the Playball Kid!
73. Fan of the Game Contest
74. Hot Dog Launch
75. Throw Out the Last Pitch of the Game
76. Be the PA Announcer for an inning
77. Jimmy John’s Frozen T-Shirt Contest
78. Weis Market Hamster Balls
79. Mt. Nittany
Wheelworks Tricycle Race
80. T&B Medical Karaoke
81. ValPak Trivia
82. McDonald’s Waterballoon Toss
83. Sweet Tooth Bakery Candy Toss
84. Dominoes Pizza Scream
85. Heimer Eyecare 20/20 Dash
86. Nittany Embroidery T-Shirt Toss
87. Wegman’s Playbill Signature
88. Sheetz Playbill Signature
89. Pre-game Player Autographs
90. Be the Honorary Bat Kid Pre-Game
91. 4 Lucky Fans will get their seat upgraded
92. Grounds Crew Tip of the Day
93. Birthday & Anniversaries will be announced
94. 4 Free Pizzas!
95. One Lucky Row will win free car washes
96. Ike Skit
97. Play Ball Launch at the end of the game
98. Guess the Attendance
99. Lucky section will win a prize when the first Spikes run
scores
100. Be on the Fan Cam!
There are many, many highlights here, but perhaps my favorite is #61 — “Free List of 100 Promotions”. This list could then serve as a handy checklist throughout the evening, as fans participated in a veritable promotion scavenger hunt. I am also partial to the free bag of air (#31), free smells (#28), and the chance to win a “walking taco” (#71).
So now that the Spikes have set the bar with this promotion, will any team be able to top it? Will we soon see a night of 101 Promotions? 200? 567? The sky’s the limit, really, and I am hoping that a full-fledged battle now erupts as teams vie for the coveted honor of “Most Promotions Staged in A Single Night.”
I would also like to see a team host a “Knight of 100 Emotions”, featuring a medieval warrior with bi-polar disorder.
