Pope hats, bloody shirts and so many bobbleheads: The creative ways MLB teams lure fans to the park

Pope hats, bloody shirts and so many bobbleheads: The creative ways MLB teams lure fans to the park Chicago’s White Sox turned a simple promotional idea into a full-blown celebration of local history and pop culture on Tuesday night. The team gave out free papal-style hats, shaped like the Pope’s miter, featuring the White Sox sock logo, to every fan attending the game against the Cincinnati Reds. The event drew a crowd of 38,113, who lined up early for the chance to take home the novelty headgear. The gesture paid homage to Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native and lifelong White Sox fan, and helped boost the team’s season-long attendance to 1,460,383, surpassing last year’s total of 1,445,738. The promotion began as a limited-time theme night, but it quickly gained traction after feedback from fans. Brooks Boyer, the White Sox' chief revenue and marketing officer, described how the idea evolved. “When things go bananas … that’s when it gets really fun,” he said. The event included themed signage referencing current players and legends, a ceremonial first pitch thrown by Sister Mary Jo Sobieck, and a special play-by-play announcement by former White Sox pitcher Donn “The Pope” Pall. Fans like Edward Lopez, a truck driver from the South Side, praised the effort. “I thought it was a great idea, knowing that the Pope is from Chicago and he's a Sox fan, which is great,” he said. He even made the trip twice to ensure he got two hats for himself. The White Sox aren’t alone in using unconventional giveaways to draw fans. Across Major League Baseball, teams have embraced creative promotions to boost attendance. The New York Mets offered fans fake glasses and mustaches for a Bobby Valentine Disguise Night, while the Texas Rangers distributed a Nolan Ryan bloody lip jersey. Bobbleheads remain a staple, with examples like the Brandon Nimmo Bull Riding bobblehead in Texas and the butter-churning Nick Kurtz “Big Amish” bobblehead with the Oakland Athletics. However, these aren’t the only strategies working. The Milwaukee Brewers gave out 25,000 bar dice sets to fans aged 21 and older, resulting in a crowd of 40,625 at American Family Field. Innovations beyond the field have also contributed to rising attendance. The 2023 introduction of a pitch clock and other rule changes aimed at speeding up games have been credited with increasing fan engagement. Yet, the real impact seems to come from the giveaways themselves. Long lines at stadiums and soaring resale prices on eBay suggest that clever promotions can significantly influence ticket sales. Meagan Hermosillo, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ director of marketing and promotions, noted that teams must avoid standard offerings. “For us, we can’t really do a standard bobblehead or a standard anything. It has to have some kind of unique factor if we want it to move the needle,” she said. The White Sox’ promotions committee, led by Mike Downey, plays a key role in brainstorming and vetting ideas. The team regularly reviews suggestions from both internal staff and external vendors. Recent giveaways include wooden domino sets for 10,000 fans on August 22 and magic wands for 20,000 fans on September 4, inspired by the viral wand-waving displays of injured reliever Mike Vasil. Boyer emphasized that the goal is to offer items that fans will wear, use, or value. “So it starts with that,” he said. Religious considerations were also taken into account during the planning of the pope hat promotion. While the White Sox honored Pope Leo XIV, the team avoided creating items resembling his likeness without Vatican approval. “We wouldn’t do that without the permission of the Vatican,” Boyer said. The team acknowledged that not all items will appeal to everyone, highlighting the need for nuance and care in designing promotions. Other teams have followed similar paths. The Baltimore Orioles recently handed out a Tupac Shakur bobblehead, blending music and sports culture. These efforts reflect a broader trend in baseball: using creativity and community connection to bring fans back to the stands. As the season progresses, more teams are likely to experiment with new ideas, ensuring that the game remains engaging and relevant.