Category: Dailies
BCA Day Number 10
We are very proud of the Breast Cancer Awareness Day events at the A’s. Special Events and other departments did a terrific job coordinating the recent 10th Anniversary celebration of A’s BCA Days. Perhaps you’d like to see some photos from Saturday, September 13?
Weekend Photos
Four Game Homestand Sets Up Labor Free Day
The A’s return home tonight for a brief four game homestand against Minnesota after a three city road trip that concluded with last night’s thrilling win over Anaheim. Can you recall another single series homestand against one team? Dana Eveland takes the mound in the series opener tonight at 7:05 PM, and there are great giveaways throughout the holiday weekend. Take advantage of the warm weather by coming out to McAfee Coliseum to see your 2008 Oakland Athletics.
Upon entry to Friday’s game, receive a Jack Cust Bobblehead, which is available to 15,000 fans. As if that wasn’t incentive enough to arrive early, there will be a special pre-game presentation to Brad Ziegler, who just broke a 101-year-old record by starting a career with 39 1/3 scoreless innings pitched.
Upon completion of Saturday night’s game, we invite you to come down to the outfield grass where you can watch our third fireworks show of the season. Bring that special someone because the theme of Saturday night’s show is “Duets”. We have word from a well-placed source that this show is going to be “awesome.”
Sunday’s series finale begins at 1:05 PM and 7,500 kids will receive a Back-to-School backpack. Your child may dread going back to school, but at least they can go in style. Kids that stay for the whole game are invited to the Oh Boy! Oberto Beef Jerky’s Post-Game Race Around the Bases. Baseball pants and high socks are strictly optional.
The A’s won’t play a game on Labor Day for the first time since we can remember. This provides us with a free day to sleep in, boulder, BBQ by the pool, head to the dog park, and enjoy any other “labor free” activities that we fancy. What do you plan to do with your baseball free/office free day?
Sweet Tooth….
Our 6 game homestand has come to an end and the ticket office is going through withdrawal. Connie the Cookie Lady brought in super-charged Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookies on Friday night and one of our favorite season ticket holders Gene brought in that little pink box of treats on Saturday. Come Monday when the team is out of town we typically detox but today’s been harder than usual. Maybe it’s the fact that we’ve played better over the recent years, maybe it’s because we are getting a few calls today about Saturday’s game time change. MAYBE it’s because we sold out of the Ziggy tickets for August 29th.
Anyway, to satisfy that crave in a virtual way, we logged on to Bullpen Betty’s blog and checked out those Ziggy Zig Zag Brownies….Do they look amazing or what! A few minutes of dreaming about them, as well as a tootsie roll pop that Ray Fosse brought up for the crew before he left for Detroit seemed to have done the trick. Ray knows that the Ticket Office rarely takes a day off so he makes it a point to bring a box of Tootsie Roll pops up to the office once in awhile before he departs on a long road trip.
Enough about sweets, we have two homestands left and included on those homestands are 2 fireworks shows, a jersey giveaway (which based on the line around the stadium this past Saturday for the Hendu jersey, may be our most popular item), Cust bobblehead, Backpack, and our final $2 Wednesday against the Angels. Not bad for 2 homestands. We’ll be busy until the end this season.
A Message About The Blog
As the team on the field continues to evolve and put the pieces into place for what we hope will ultimately lead to multiple championships in the near future, the Ticket Services Office is also redefining ourselves in order to better serve our valued fans. To provide our most loyal customers with the experiences they truly desire we have set up a Ticket Services Blog. The Blog is designed to streamline communication between the Ticket Staff and fans. We will post topics, respond to questions, listen to feedback, and address comments about the complete gameday experience. We will utilize fan feedback in order to better serve you while at the ballpark. A transparent Ticket Services Office not only benefits fans, but also helps our office better cater to your changing needs.
Another benefit of the Blog is that you will be given the opportunity to learn more about why certain decisions are made and whom the individuals are that service you in the Ticket Office. We have developed personal relationships with many of you over the years and treasure those interactions with our fans and “friends.” We would love the opportunity to get to know even more of our season ticket holders in that same personal fashion. It is our organizational philosophy that in order to make Oakland A’s Baseball the best experience, we need to keep many lines of communication open. This is “Our Team” and together we can make the Oakland A’s gameday experience a memorable one.
If you are not quite ready to join us on the Blog, please remember that we would love to speak with you by phone, in person at the Ticket Services Office, through e-mail, and will continue to read your letters in the mail. We look forward to growing our relationship and providing you, the fan, with value and excitement for your entertainment dollar. Thank you for your support.
Regards,
Steve Fanelli
Senior Director of Ticket Operations
Commemorative Ticket Stock Carefully Selected
One of our favorite topics of discussion with Season Ticket Holders relates to the season ticket stock. Ticket plans paid in full by the February deadline received commemorative ticket stock in bound booklets. A’s Season Ticket Holders will notice that, for the first time, each game is unique by game date helping to commemorate 40 years of Oakland Athletics baseball in the Bay Area. A full-season ticket book has 80 unique tickets.
Savvy Season Ticket Holders may also notice that some of the photos are not random. For example:
- Players are featured on their bobblehead giveaway dates. Most recently Dick Williams on July 27.
- Our replica jersey promotional dates coincide with the player featured on the ticket. For example, Vida Blue is featured June 22 and Dave Stewart is featured on July 13.
- Player birthdays are also celebrated: Frank Thomas on May 27.
An interesting tidbit about Mark Ellis: He was featured on our May 7 ticket vs. Baltimore. Mark hit his first career walk-off home run in the 10th inning, winning the game for Oakland 6-5 and preserving a three game sweep of the Orioles. Are we clairvoyant in the A’s Ticket Services Office? Short answer: Yes.
Some of our office favorite tickets this season…
Josh most enjoys the May 24 ticket. A huge Stew fan growing up in Ohio, Josh wound up working for his favorite team.
Adam likes the jubilation on catcher Ray Fosse’s face on June 28. Now an A’s broadcaster, we enjoy Ray for more than just his athletic prowess.
Catherine and Travis think the July 26 ticket with MC Hammer and Rickey Henderson is most amusing. Travis lobbied for the photo to be used on the ticket stock for the historical uniqueness and Travis’ penchant for wearing “Hammer pants.”
David is happy to celebrate Vida Blue’s 1970 no hitter to the day on the September 21 ticket. It is also the final home game of the regular season and a fond farewell.
“Totally 80’s” Fireworks Playlist
We’ve received numerous emails and phone calls regarding the July 11 post-game fireworks “Totally 80’s” playlist. If you heard and had questions or if you missed entirely, here is the track list below…
TOTALLY 80’S
OAKLAND A’S PYROSPECTACULAR
PRESENTED BY CC TIMES/OAKLAND TRIBUNE
Friday, July 11th, 2008
Songs Artist
Juke Box Hero Foreigner
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) Eurythmics
Walk like an Egyptian The Bangles
America Neil Diamond
Heartbreaker Pat Benetar
Beat It Michael Jackson
Sweet Child O’Mine Guns N’ Roses
Special thanks to Jenna Zito, Special Events Assistant, for song selection and use of her playlist. The next fireworks event is Saturday, August 30. The theme: Duets.
Months and Weeks in the Season
The A’s Ticket Services Office received a few choice emails and phone calls in the past 24 hours. Only a few of the “You Stink” variety. RHP Rich Harden was traded yesterday to the Chicago Cubs, along with pitcher Chad Gaudin. While news stories report most about the known quantities, we are happy to receive Sean Gallagher and friends. Any player that our Baseball Operations Department identifies as a desire must be positive (see: Mark Ellis, Dana Eveland, Greg Smith, Carlos Gonzales, Ryan Sweeney… all starting A’s players acquired from trades).
But rather than focus on the two players that departed, we’re excited about the four new members of the A’s family that came from the Cubs. Not to forget a fifth new addition to the A’s that stopped by McAfee Coliseum yesterday, recent first-round draft pick Jemile Weeks. Weeks signed his first professional contract with the A’s yesterday. While it could be a few years until we see him again his combination of speed and power has the Ticket Services staff wiping our brows with ticket stock in anticipation of future gains. Ironically, a retired Athletics great with plenty of speed and power in his heyday was on hand last night for the ceremonial first pitch. Rickey Henderson returned to the site of his record breaking 939th stolen base. Watch out Rickey, Weeks might be on your heels someday.
In the meantime, for a “rebuilding season,” the A’s have been very successful on field. Coupled with our affordability, accessibility, and extensive promotional schedule the A’s should be a point of interest all summer. Helpful ballpark tip: wear green.
A's Ticket Services 