Here we are, at the end of January, the point where baseball is SO close, but still so far away. Until this point the only thing fans had to hold on to was a hot stove update from MLBTradeRumors and the Hammy calls we know by heart. However, there is a day when fans have something real to grasp, a reminder that baseball is closer than it seems, and that day is the glorious release of the promotional schedule.
It might seem like a small update to the non-Indians obsessed, but for those of us aching for the smell of fresh grass and over-priced cheap beer, it’s a list sent from the baseball heavens. Each off season, we are graced with a schedule of nothing but jersey giveaways, bobble heads and fireworks nights to make our future visits to the ballpark even more amazing…and the best part? It’s all free stuff!
Promo Release Day is also the first in a line of days set to get fans pumped and ready for the coming 162 games. What follows? Tribefest, Trucks Day, Pitchers and Catchers, the first full-team workout, and the first official game of spring training, but in this article, those aren’t important. What IS important is what is on that promo schedule!
In 2017, there are four bobble heads; like a Ramirez bobble hopefully with that Heat Miser hair on May 27th, four jerseys; save a reminder for the Encarnacion jersey August 26th, and eleven dollar-dog nights to sink your teeth into. Also, expect a ton of fireworks nights because I counted FIFTEEN of them throughout the season and almost all of those are shared with the pre-games we all enjoyed last season.
To get a bit more in depth, I’ll highlight the best promo per month for the season, starting with April. It’s a month with few home games, and less incentive to get to the park for the potential of a blizzard in Cleveland. The biggest reason to go in April would be none other than Opening day on April 11th, which also comes with a Block Party and a handy-dandy fridge magnet schedule! The only other promotion that month is the Kids Fun Day on April 30th, which is always a blast for the youngin’s!
In May things are to get a little more exciting, and it’s a serous toss up for the best promo of this month. On Saturday, May 13th, they’re giving away t-shirts courtesy of CLE Clothing Company to the first 10,000 fans. A few days later on Friday, May 24th the first 10,000 shall receive an AL Championship Replica Trophy, which is something I think every die-hard will cherish. Three days after that the Tribe is handing out 12,500 J-Ram Bobble Heads on the same night as the Frank Robinson statue unveiling. All that plus fireworks and dollar dog nights makes for one hell of a month.
June is full of block parties, fireworks and pre-games. The perfect combination to get fans settled in for a great month of baseball. The weather should start to be consistently warm, and team start to show their real colors on the field. There are also two jersey nights, Saturday June 10th, and June 24th, giving away Carlos Santana and Cody Allen jerseys to the first 12,500 bodies through the gates. Make sure on the 24th you get there early though, and I only mean that because it’s a 4:10 start that night!
July looks to be the most action-packed on the promo-schedule with tons to get your paws on. There’s a Francisco Lindor bobble head on the 4th, an Andrew Miller jersey on the 8th and best of all, two Rock’n Blast nights July 21st and 22nd following what I hope is an absolute massacre of the Toronto Blue Jays. Don’t think it’s the big stuff that tops it all in July though, because some of the smaller stuff is pretty awesome too. For the kids, the first 5,000 fans under 12 years receive a toy truck courtesy of W.B. Mason on Kids Fun Day July 9th! And of course, Slider’s birthday and the season ticket holder event fall on Sunday July 23rd! As always, you should expect to see all sorts of mascots from across baseball to wish our beloved Slider the happiest of birthdays!
At this point, we’ve hit the dog days of summer, where the races in the division start to tighten up, and our thirst for wins and cold, cold beer increase. Lucky for us, the Indians are giving away Mason Jar Mugs courtesy of Key Bank that I’m sure the country fans will truly enjoy. August 5th will be the unveiling of yet another new statue, Lou Boudreau will join the rest of our boys standing guard outside the gates, and you can also grab his bobble head if you’re one if the first 12,500. You can also look forward to another Terry Francona bobble head on the 23rd, with less scooter and more MOY, and the replica jersey of our newest Tribe member, Edwin Encarnacion on the 26th.
Finally, we’ve reached September, the month we all hope will end with another central win to ensure a repeat trip to October. For promos, it’s a short month. There are only 5 promo days, starting with dollar dogs and fireworks on the 8th, and a 1977 jersey give away on the 9th. Families plan on getting out to the final Key Bank Kids Fun Day of the season on the 10th, and with hopes of good weather, a final lap around the bases for the wee ones. To wrap up the last few promos on the schedule, we finish out with a dollar dog night on the 15th and last, but not least, Fan Appreciation Night on the 30th.
This season is without a doubt going to be a mind-blowing experience, and the Indians are topping off our already hyped-up expectations with some of the coolest giveaways I’ve seen in a while. We all love baseball, and for most, don’t need the coaxing of free stuff to get us into the park, but adding that little bit of extra magic to it makes it even more special.
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