My Sox Summer - 50 games for under $500

[greg775]

Hey Guys- I am looking for a little press as I have come to the final 10 games of my 50 game quest. I have been looking on the net to find most of the beat writers for the Sox as well as the guys who are on the radio too.

 

Who do you think I should contact? Names are great and so are emails!

 

Thanks guys! Two new blogs going up soon, plus I am at the Tigers series all week.

 

Thanks!

 

Email is your best friend in this situation. Email everybody, newspaper, TV, radio and TV news stations. Make it a reasonably long email explaining it to the writers and producers and tell them you'd be available to meet them at your seat or in any part of the stadium they want.

Oh yes, include a link to your blog so they can see it.

Make sure you stress the current amount of money it has cost you to see X amount of games. That's the key in your experience. How cheaply you've been able to do this.

I'd also email those local TV morning shows that lead into the noon news if they have them. You are a legitimate guest if people know about you. In fact, you may be more a featury news type story than a straight sports story. These stories are mighty valuable if the team somehow was to make the playoffs. In fact your odds of getting any pub on this may hinge on the Sox actually growing some balls and taking this division for once and all.

 

You could ask the beat writers the name of an editor in the news section if they are not interested. Or simply send a copy of your email to a features editor as well. There should be a directory of names/jobs on all the newspaper websites in chicago i'd think. You could also send them to the various sports talk show producers finding their names on their websites like the Score, etc.

Edited September 10, 2012 by greg775

[My_Sox_Summer]

Thanks for the info Greg! I have sent out a bunch of emails, no response yet.

 

I have 2 new updates on the blog too. Check them out!

 

Game 41- 9/7/12 – Sox vs. Royals (In Honor of Gracie West)

 

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/2012/09/1...of-gracie-west/

 

Game 42- 9/8/12 – Sox vs. Royals (In Honor of Katie Lawless)

 

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/2012/09/1...-katie-lawless/

 

I am at the Tigers series all week, and actually met and enjoyed my 43rd game with a Sox Talk member. Look for that very soon!

 

Thanks for reading and GO SOX!

[My_Sox_Summer]

Two New Blogs!

 

#43

 

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/2012/09/1...e-lee-swartley/

 

#44

 

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/2012/09/1...n-kellen-selmi/

 

Please check them out! Closer and closer to my goal!

 

Thanks for reading and GO SOX!

[My_Sox_Summer]

Just an update- I have contacted 37 people about my blog (TV, newspaper) and have received 2 responses.

 

From Chicago Magazine and The Daily Herald. Why would the media want to do a feel good story about the Sox?

 

If anyone wants to send my blog out to media outlets, I would appreciate it.

[My_Sox_Summer]

Two new blogs!

 

#45- 9/12/12 – Sox vs. Detroit - In Memory of My Grandpa Swartley

 

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/2012/09/2...andpa-swartley/

 

 

#46- 9/13 (17) /12 – Sox vs. Detroit - In Honor of My Dad

 

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/2012/09/2...onor-of-my-dad/

 

Only 4 games left!

 

Please, if you want to, send the blog link to your fave White Sox player, writer, announcer, anyone! I am on Twitter @mysoxsummer !

 

Looking for a little publicity for a few causes, any help would be appreciated!

 

Thanks guys and gals!

[greg775]

Just an update- I have contacted 37 people about my blog (TV, newspaper) and have received 2 responses.

 

From Chicago Magazine and The Daily Herald. Why would the media want to do a feel good story about the Sox?

 

If anyone wants to send my blog out to media outlets, I would appreciate it.

 

Did those two organizations want to write about you? Chicago magazine would be a great one and Daily Herald would be good cause it's a daily publication. I think if the Sox make the playoffs you might get a lot of pub.

[My_Sox_Summer]

Did those two organizations want to write about you? Chicago magazine would be a great one and Daily Herald would be good cause it's a daily publication. I think if the Sox make the playoffs you might get a lot of pub.

 

They wrote me back and said they had sent the info to their writer. It was up to the writers if they wanted to do it. So far I haven't heard from anyone. I am not doing this for publicity, but I thought it would be a good story for a Sox writer.

[DukeNukeEm]

Saw your Sox-o-Gram at the game last night. Congratulations, did you pay for that or did the team put it up there?

[greg775]

They wrote me back and said they had sent the info to their writer. It was up to the writers if they wanted to do it. So far I haven't heard from anyone. I am not doing this for publicity, but I thought it would be a good story for a Sox writer.

 

It's probably a sign of the times, all the media layoffs. Your story is a great one but would take some work. I think if the Sox made the playoffs you'd get a lot of publicity. Everybody'd be clamoring for fan type stories and yours is a good one.

[My_Sox_Summer]

Saw your Sox-o-Gram at the game last night. Congratulations, did you pay for that or did the team put it up there?

 

Cool. I have a friend who has a friend who works for the team. She put it up there, for free. I had no idea.

 

I am typing up the last few blogs and will post when they are done. Sorry it has taken so long, but I have been working.

 

I did make my goal, and a few extra. I will let ya know the details in the blog!

[Paint it Black]

Really good stuff. Anything that helps shatter the "GAMES ARE TOO EXPENSIVE!!!" myth helps.

[My_Sox_Summer]

Thanks! It can be done on the cheap if you want it to. But my situation is unique as I walked to games and I am just a single ticket guy.

 

I posted the final games today so check out my blog at

 

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/

 

47

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/2012/10/0...grandpa-darkow/

 

48

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/2012/10/0...onor-of-baby-a/

 

49

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/2012/10/0...-of-my-friends/

 

50

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/2012/10/0...honor-of-devin/

 

51

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/2012/10/0...12-sox-vs-rays/

 

52

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/2012/10/0...12-sox-vs-rays/

 

53

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/2012/10/0...l-game-of-2012/

 

 

I plan on coming out with the final few blogs with some stuff that I have taken from this experience early in the week. Plus the stats. I have a spreadsheet and everything!

[demonbluess]

Phenominal stuff! I have been reading and enjoying all season. The idea at it's conception was really cool. The fact that you actually carried through with it was even cooler. It looks like you had a an unfortgettable summer for less than the price of a weekend getaway. Keep fighting the good fight for the common fan! I look forward to seeing the video. Go Sox!

 

 

[My_Sox_Summer]

Some stats for ya.

 

http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/2012/10/09/da-stats/

[southsider2k5]

Nice work and congrats on making it!

[Tuna]

Really good stuff. Anything that helps shatter the "GAMES ARE TOO EXPENSIVE!!!" myth helps.

 

 

I don't believe that to be a myth. If everyone lived in Bridgeport and wanted to go to games by themselves then sure.

[ewokpelts]

I don't believe that to be a myth. If everyone lived in Bridgeport and wanted to go to games by themselves then sure.

tickets were as low as $7 on Mondays in 2012. the same seat was $5 on Mondays in 2000.

 

And parking was $13 in 2000, a year that sold less tickets than 2012, with it's "unsustainable" parking rates.

 

and don't forget that 2000 was a DIVISION TITLE year.

 

people just want to make excuses.

Edited October 10, 2012 by ewokpelts

[Tuna]

tickets were as low as $7 on Mondays in 2012. the same seat was $5 on Mondays in 2000.

 

And parking was $13 in 2000, a year that sold less tickets than 2012, with it's "unsustainable" parking rates.

 

and don't forget that 2000 was a DIVISION TITLE year.

 

people just want to make excuses.

 

Everybody's situation is different. I live in the suburbs, have kids that want to go, etc...I'm not just buying one ticket, I need 3 or 4. I have to pay for parking, I have to pay for drinks/food, whether it be at the park or eating before we get there because we're driving when we would typically be eating dinner. Do you have any idea how early people from the northern suburbs have to leave to get to 35th st by 7pm? I work so Mondays aren't a great option, I'd imagine that's the case for most people and that would be the reasoning behind the Sox giving that pricing in the first place. There's no "excuses" being made, I'm giving you REASONS as to why.

 

[The Ultimate Champion]

IMO if the team is good enough for a long enough period of time, enough people will go out of their way to show up and support the team. If OTOH the team keeps up with this good year/bad year/mediocre year/bad year cycle, and if the good teams are underdog overachievers while the bad teams are pathetic underachievers, then you'll continue to see all those really cold days in April and too much rain/too many scheduling issues affecting the walk-up in August.

[jasonxctf]

Everybody's situation is different. I live in the suburbs, have kids that want to go, etc...I'm not just buying one ticket, I need 3 or 4. I have to pay for parking, I have to pay for drinks/food, whether it be at the park or eating before we get there because we're driving when we would typically be eating dinner. Do you have any idea how early people from the northern suburbs have to leave to get to 35th st by 7pm? I work so Mondays aren't a great option, I'd imagine that's the case for most people and that would be the reasoning behind the Sox giving that pricing in the first place. There's no "excuses" being made, I'm giving you REASONS as to why.

 

i completly agree. It's funny.. we make comparisons to Cubs games attendance. I think parking costs are a big factor in detering a certain amount of fans coming to the games. With the Cubs example, I'm guessing that a majority of those in attendance didn't pay for parking, where as with the Sox, they did. $23 isnt cheap.

 

I'd be curious to see what % of Cubs attendance is from people within a 5 mile radius of the stadium. What % of Sox attendance is the same?

 

Personally, its not so much the costs as it is the time/hassle for me to go to games. With a 2 year old at home, and I live way out in Geneva, we are talking about a 90 minute drive in and 60 minute drive home plus finding a babysitter, etc.

 

Was fortunate enough to go to 3 games this year. Scout Seats (awesome), Upper Deck (thanks Kids Club) and Box Seats (company giveaway).

[My_Sox_Summer]

Everybody's situation is different. I live in the suburbs, have kids that want to go, etc...I'm not just buying one ticket, I need 3 or 4. I have to pay for parking, I have to pay for drinks/food, whether it be at the park or eating before we get there because we're driving when we would typically be eating dinner. Do you have any idea how early people from the northern suburbs have to leave to get to 35th st by 7pm? I work so Mondays aren't a great option, I'd imagine that's the case for most people and that would be the reasoning behind the Sox giving that pricing in the first place. There's no "excuses" being made, I'm giving you REASONS as to why.

 

I think you are right for what I did, no you can't do that. But, if you wanted to attend more games you could. There are free places to park. You can bring a dinner from home. You don't have to sit in the good seats. It can be done cost effectively, but it takes effort. Is Metra an option for you? Heck, we used to park downtown and take a train to Wrigley. It depends how bad you want to go to a game. When I was a kid, all I wanted to do was to go to a game. It didn't matter where I sat, what I got, I just wanted to spend time with my dad. I had very few of those experiences in my childhood, but we made up for them when I got older.

[My_Sox_Summer]

i completly agree. It's funny.. we make comparisons to Cubs games attendance. I think parking costs are a big factor in detering a certain amount of fans coming to the games. With the Cubs example, I'm guessing that a majority of those in attendance didn't pay for parking, where as with the Sox, they did. $23 isnt cheap.

 

I'd be curious to see what % of Cubs attendance is from people within a 5 mile radius of the stadium. What % of Sox attendance is the same?

 

Personally, its not so much the costs as it is the time/hassle for me to go to games. With a 2 year old at home, and I live way out in Geneva, we are talking about a 90 minute drive in and 60 minute drive home plus finding a babysitter, etc.

 

Was fortunate enough to go to 3 games this year. Scout Seats (awesome), Upper Deck (thanks Kids Club) and Box Seats (company giveaway).

 

I read somewhere that 40% of each game's attendance for the Cubs is tourists. I would be willing to bet that the people using public transportation, live in the area, are comparable between the two teams.

 

I agree with you about the parking, honestly that takes away a person who would go to more games. I don't know what they can do about that. I do know that you can park early by Bacardi for free and most people don't know that. I also think there needs to be an incentive to get people out on a Wed or a Tues. Stop having promos on a weekend. People will be there anyways.

 

The Sox were not a unique team that did well but didn't sell tickets this year.

 

[LittleHurt05]

If Sox fans exerted the same amount of energy trying to attend Sox games that they exert making excuses about why they don't go to games, the Cell would be sold out 81 games year.

[My_Sox_Summer]

If Sox fans exerted the same amount of energy trying to attend Sox games that they exert making excuses about why they don't go to games, the Cell would be sold out 81 games year.

 

I agree. Eye opening was how quickly playoff tickets sold out. Fair weather or just excited?

[LittleHurt05]

I agree. Eye opening was how quickly playoff tickets sold out. Fair weather or just excited?

 

At first glance I automatically want to say fair weather. The same thing happened in 2005. There were some dismal attendance numbers that last month of the year for a first place team, but as soon as the playoffs started, those were the hottest tickets around.

 

Then I took a glance at some of this year's playoff teams like the A's, Nats, Orioles, & Reds. They had the same thing going on, where multiple September games were played to half-empty stadiums, yet at playoff games the stadium is rocking. Maybe there is a good chunk of fans that will only attend playoff games? I think that playoff games really bring out the casual/bandwagon fans, which is true in all sports in all cities though.