Commemorative purchases

[oldsox]

Pardon me for being an old guy too easily offended by new methods of separating money from baseball fans.

 

I'm watching the Sox vs Mariners and Ichiro Suzuki comes up. He had recently experienced a great accomplishment -- nine consecutive years of 200 hits. He is a fabulous player. But when he comes up to bat they shamelessly advertise a miniature bat with an insignia on it that sells for a whopping $129. And it's a limited edition; only 5000 are available (supposedly). Those pieces of trash could not possibly cost more than $10-15 to produce. I presume the proceeds are split between MLB, the Mariners, and the player. Don't they make enough money, do they have to blatently rip off their constituency? How stupid do you have to be to buy this crap? It's another example of dumbing down our country, which includes sports fans.

 

I know the Sox did the same thing after Buehrle's perfect game, and I just shook my head when I saw it advertised. Now the Mariners do the copy cat routine. I can only expect that from now on every single athletic accomplishment will be followed by a similar tasteless rip off. Now, I bet every one of us has bought a T shirt or something similar to celebrate something, whether it was a ball game or trip to the Bahamas, etc. But the overcharge was nominal and not shoved down our throats by a free ad during a ball game. Plus, you could wear it. Probably some folks here at SoxTalk purchased the Buehrle deal, and if I offended you, I apologize in advance. That is not my intention.

[dmbjeff]

Pardon me for being an old guy too easily offended by new methods of separating money from baseball fans.

 

I'm watching the Sox vs Mariners and Ichiro Suzuki comes up. He had recently experienced a great accomplishment -- nine consecutive years of 200 hits. He is a fabulous player. But when he comes up to bat they shamelessly advertise a miniature bat with an insignia on it that sells for a whopping $129. And it's a limited edition; only 5000 are available (supposedly). Those pieces of trash could not possibly cost more than $10-15 to produce. I presume the proceeds are split between MLB, the Mariners, and the player. Don't they make enough money, do they have to blatently rip off their constituency? How stupid do you have to be to buy this crap? It's another example of dumbing down our country, which includes sports fans.

 

I know the Sox did the same thing after Buehrle's perfect game, and I just shook my head when I saw it advertised. Now the Mariners do the copy cat routine. I can only expect that from now on every single athletic accomplishment will be followed by a similar tasteless rip off. Now, I bet every one of us has bought a T shirt or something similar to celebrate something, whether it was a ball game or trip to the Bahamas, etc. But the overcharge was nominal and not shoved down our throats by a free ad during a ball game. Plus, you could wear it. Probably some folks here at SoxTalk purchased the Buehrle deal, and if I offended you, I apologize in advance. That is not my intention.

 

I agree with alot of what you say. For me, my money is better spent on tickets. But along with tickets, they have me on the hook for parking, concessions, buying a new hat or jersey before the game or even after etc. People spending hard earned money on MLB related merchandise. Everyone is out to make a buck, just some folks can afford to buy a bat or lithograph and hang it in their den and some of us either can't afford it or find no need to purchase an item like that.

 

Certain things the White Sox do are out to just get your money and I won't have any part of going to a SoxFest, buying a brick, going to any of their clubhouse sales to buy merchandise. While other things I have purchased and had no problems doing so. The World Series Ring Raffle comes to mind. For some folks, it's part of being a fan. The more they buy, the more of a fan they are. This obviously is not true. If I had the money, I would own alot more White Sox items, but for most of us, we live within a certain budget and find alot of these type of things as gimmicks or just plain useless.

[Drew]

Ichiro makes $20MM per annum and the Mariners suck—if they're not selling tickets, Shakespeare still gotta get paid.

 

Let's just say that most sports memorabilia just is not my taste. Double-matted glossy photos on wood plaques with engraved brass plates, Bradford Mint plates, and logo-shaped throw pillows don't play in my mid-century modern bachelor shoebox.

 

I've got a vintage bobblehead doll from the 1950s (whose head has been repaired after an earthquake knocked it from where it sits), and the 'Believe It!' Tribune frontpage under glass.

 

Then there are my ticket stubs, the cap I wore to the World Series, and my DVD sets from 05. I've also got a box full of sports pages and magazines.

 

I'd spring for a vintage pennant from the early 80s or before, or if I could find a Winning Ugly tee from '83 I'd frame and hang it. (I've looked.)