For most of you, the calendar turning to September means that the pennant race is really about to heat up. Teams are jostling for playoff positioning, rosters shape into their final form ahead of October, and players make their final cases for the top accolades of the game. It’s a great time in the sports calendar; football’s back while the best sport on the planet gets to the business side of the year.
September is also the last chance we get for some fun giveaways at Fenway. Some might say that’s even more important than the playoff hunt. Trinkets are forever, after all.
With a month to go in the regular season and with a wild card spot still firmly within our grasp (in spite of the series in New York….yeesh. What a win on Monday, though!), you shouldn’t need any extra incentive to head out to the park if you already were planning on doing so. The chips are piling up on the table and the weather’s hopefully going to be fine enough for your day/night out; that should be enough intrigue.
But in case you needed an extra push to head over to America’s Most Beloved Ballpark, here are the freebies you can expect to get in the last few weeks of the season.
Tuesday, September 1: Backyard Baseball Night, David Ortiz and Pablo Sanchez Bobblehead (Themed Ticket)
We start the month off with an absolute heater, folks. I don’t know if the Backyard Sports video games were before or after your time. I can tell you that as a Red Sox fan who was born in 1996, the combination of David Ortiz and Pablo Sanchez together on a bobblehead is something that speaks to me on a deep level. I wonder if the Sox will wear an alternate Mellonheads uniform tonight.
Not aware of who Pablo Sanchez is? That’s a you problem, frankly. Go ahead and look up The Secret Weapon’s highlights on YouTube. If you’re younger, ask your elders about that demon. He was special. I think Pete Wheeler, Keisha Phillips, and Achmed Khan would’ve been great choices from the Backyard gang as well to feature on the bobble, but I get that Pablo’s the face of the franchise.
Let me know if you used to play (or still play, since they just released a new one!!!) Backyard Baseball in the comments below. What a time to be alive.
One thing to note here and for the rest of the article: this giveaway requires that you purchase a specific themed ticket. It’s the same price as a regular ticket, from what I understand/from my experiences, but you need that specific ticket to be eligible to claim your prize. Meanwhile, other giveaways are provided on a first come-first served basis. More details are on the Sox’s official website here.
Monday, September 7: David Ortiz Football Jersey (Free Giveaway) and KPop Demon Hunters Jerseys (Themed Ticket)
A fun double promo day against the Halos here in a little under a week, it seems!
If you’re one of the first 7,500 fans through the gates on Labor Day, you’ll receive a free David Ortiz football jersey. Not sure when you’d go out and about with that on, but it’s sharp enough I suppose. Just in time for the Pats’ kickoff on Wednesday, too. Maybe Papi can help us out at edge rusher.
As for the KPop Demon Hunters giveaway, good for the fans of the movie. It’s not for me since I haven’t seen the film, but the fact that the jerseys glow in the dark is fun. It’s an off day for school, so I’d imagine this will be a big one for the kids. Ask your kids about whether or not this is cool because I can’t gauge that one for ya. I think our fearless leader Dan has kids. Would kids like this promo, Dan? (Ed. Note: yes.)
Tuesday, September 8: Section 10 Jersey (Themed Ticket)
Yeah listen they’re no Pod On Lansdowne but Section 10 has done pretty well for themselves I suppose!
The boys from the 10 have another themed night at Fenway lined up, and the jersey giveaways this time call back to the 1999 All-Star Game jawns that were sported in Boston. I love anything ‘99 ASG themed, I eat that shit up. Hopefully this giveaway will be soon followed by some ketchup drizzlin’. Buy a ticket to this and then listen to POL, why don’t ya?
Sunday, September 13: Boston Common Golf Vest (Themed Ticket)
What even is this golf league thing that FSG keeps pumping? It’s like IRL golf and simulator golf put together? And Rory’s somehow involved? And our team’s logo is a frog named The Frog? Y’know what, I don’t know and I don’t wanna know. If you’re pumped about this, knock yourself out.
Friday, September 25: Reusable Tote Bag (Free Giveaway)
A practical gift for ya! Swag you can use on an everyday basis! Bring it to the supermarket! Bring it to a picnic or a partay! Put your other reusable tote bags in there, or place this tote bag inside of an even BIGGER tote bag that holds all of the other tote bags! Use it as your designated “random stuff” bag that you just keep in the corner of a side room where you keep all your other stuff that you say you’re gonna find a real home for but never actually do! The possibilities are endless!
Sunday, September 27: Iron Flame Day (Themed Ticket)
So I can’t lie to ya: I have no idea what Iron Flame is. It appears to be a book series; apologies to any Iron Flame fans but I was not aware of it until I saw it on the promo schedule.
However, I think there’s something cool to point out specifically with this promotion on the final day of the regular season. Per the Sox’s blurb online regarding the giveaway:
A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit The Trevor Project. The Trevor Project is a non-profit suicide prevent organization that provides 24/7 crisis support services, research, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ young people.
I think that’s a great cause to champion. That sounds like enough reason to buy a ticket through the promotion if you intend on going to game 162!
Cultural and Identity Celebrations (Themed Tickets): Nigerian Celebration on September 13, Japanese Celebration on September 22, Hispanic Heritage Celebration on September 24
A trio of cultural celebrations to end the regular season! Head on over the Fenway if you want a special Sox jersey themed to Nigerian, Japanese, and/or Hispanic heritage!
So save up your dimes and nickels if you want some free goodies before the end of the year, friends!
