IN OTHER NEWS: The Tampa Bay Rays have appearantly chosen to execute a rarely used agreement between Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball that allows any MLB club to prohibit a minor league franchise within 60 miles of their club to give away bobblehead dolls at any game.
On Friday the Threshers are scheduled to give away a Pat Burrell bobblehead as part of a Friday night bobblehead series which has already included Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins on two previous Friday night games. The Threshers’ intention was to give away a bobblehead of every starting player in the Phillies 2008 World Series lineup.
The Rays have now executed their right in the MLB/MilB agreement to prevent the Threshers from giving away the Pat Burrell bobblehead and any future bobbleheads.
The Clearwater Threshers and any other team within 60 miles of the Rays television viewing audience will be no longer be allowed to give away bobbleheads as a promotion for ANY of their games. This will prohibit the F.S.L. affiliates the Clearwater Threshers, Dunedin Bluejays, Tampa Yankees, Sarasota Reds, and Lakeland Flying Tigers from EVER issuing a bobblehead.
It will however allow the Port Charlotte Stone Crabs of the F.S.L (a Rays franchise that is just outside of the 60 mile radius) to be allowed to give away bobbleheads.
Email the Rays to send an email to the Rays to tell them what you think about their actions.
June 11, 2009 at 10:40 PM
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090611&content_id=5280844&vkey=pr_t566&fext=.jsp&sid=t566
June 11, 2009 at 10:43 PM
So the Phillies could conceivably prevent the Wilmington Blue Rocks and Trenton Thunder from handing out bobbleheads? What a retarded rule.
June 11, 2009 at 10:48 PM
I guess the Rays poor ticket sales (and hatred of the Phillies) have convinced them that the Clearwater Threshers are taking away ticket sales from the team.
BOO! Now I have just one more reason to not support my own home team!
June 11, 2009 at 10:55 PM
I would suggest that whatever messages sent to the Rays are basically polite. Also it would prove worthwhile to submit a link to BaseballThinkFactory, and perhaps the Phillies’ beat writers.
June 11, 2009 at 11:01 PM
Agreed.
Make them polite. (PLEASE)
I hate to even bring this up here, but since I know so many people view this site I thought it was worth a mention.
June 12, 2009 at 1:21 AM
“Please sir, I want my bobblehead”? Like that’s going to convince them they made a bad move.
I wrote a strongly worded e-mail that I probably wouldn’t call polite, but I wouldn’t call it rude either. I called attention to the fact that they’re hurting the fans more than anything else, and that the advertising those bobbleheads bring in help support the teams where the ticket sales certainly do not.
June 12, 2009 at 1:34 AM
LOL what a joke
June 12, 2009 at 4:43 AM
Perhaps they can cobble them into Raul’s image then redo the words. “Raul the Bat” hmmmm
Ps. RAAUULLL keeps impressing. He looked dead on his
right up until the ball went out.
Angelo doesnt have to think hard for a wessel of the week. Some power hungry Rays exec is going to get fired,I think.
June 12, 2009 at 5:22 AM
This rule has me scratching my head. I guess I could understand if the Rays didn’t want a Burrell bobble-head presented so close to their home stadium but any other team within 60 miles and all bobble-head promotions forever? This might invite retaliation by other clubs around the minor leagues.
I also think that restricting teams from attracting more people to ANY ballpark, in this economy, is insane. If they think that the people who would normally go to a bobble-head promotion (and now it’s cancelled) would instead go to Rays game, that’s crazy too.
June 12, 2009 at 7:25 AM
Okay well here is the deal. This isn’t about Pat Burrell or bobbleheads. It is about the Phillies ‘brand’ infiltrating the Rays area of influence.
The Threshers could give away bobbleheads of say Phinley, an intern or even Opie again. Because those are Threshers related, but the Rays have a problem with 9 Phillies bobbleheads celebrating their World Series win 20 miles up the road from the Trop.
I can see their point, but at the same time the Threshers have been giving away bobbleheads for years with the Phillies ‘brand’ on them and never has it been a problem before. Oh and by the way the Phillies ‘brand’ has been in the area since 1955, Rays. We didn’t just get here.
This move makes the Rays look bad. Sure the Threshers maybe should have done a little better homework, but if the Rays seriously think that a single A minor league baseball team is causing a draw on their attendance for 1,500 bobbleheads they are hallucinating.
As far as I am concerned this is sour grapes from the World Series nothing more. If the Rays had won last year bobbleheads and the Phillies ‘brand’ would have been a non-issue!
Bad move from the Rays front office.
June 12, 2009 at 7:37 AM
I left out one point, yes this does mean that the Dunedin Blue Jays, Tampa Yankees, Lakeland Flying Tigers and Sarasota Reds can also not do anything that supports their Affiliate ‘brand’. So I would watch to see if the Rays go after any of those teams as well.
June 12, 2009 at 7:56 AM
I’m just happy to see “Jeff Crupper” again and no more golden poops
The Pooping Dog Gives: 4 SMELLY DUMPS!
June 12, 2009 at 8:17 AM
what a joke
June 12, 2009 at 8:22 AM
I am sad that my bobble head won’t be allowed to be given out.
June 12, 2009 at 8:25 AM
I think the Threshers should do a ‘beat the Rays’ attendance night to see if they could draw more phans on a week night.
June 12, 2009 at 8:30 AM
Really? Just like when the Rays were upset when the City of Clearwater posted signs congratulating BOTH teams for reaching the playoffs! The Rays ran and cried about it to who ever would listen.
Really pathetic to pick on a minor league team.
June 12, 2009 at 8:35 AM
B Says:
what a joke
Jamie Says:
what a joke
Please let me say
what a joke also
June 12, 2009 at 8:40 AM
Or take away all bridges. Where is the commissioner off buying another ill fitting suit.
June 12, 2009 at 8:55 AM
I think it’s time to move on from Pat the Bat. Though it seems petty, I think the Rays are in the right on this one.
June 12, 2009 at 9:04 AM
But this isn’t just about Pat the Bat. It is about the Threshers or any minor league team in the area not being allowed to do any promotions that have their Affiliate ‘brand’ on them.
It is petty because the Rays could have cared less in past years. Now they want to bully and shame minor league teams and whole cities into supporting them.
The Phillies have been a part of this community forever, the Rays just need to accept that.
June 12, 2009 at 9:25 AM
I’m emailing, this really pisses me off… and btw, actually… in spring training, clearwater had no signs mentioning the Ray’s, just “congradulations philadlphia phillies on your WFC”
This crap really pisses me off. @#% the stupid ^%#ing Ray’s.
June 12, 2009 at 9:41 AM
We KNOW who the real bobblebrains are. This makes me pround not to be a Rays Fan
June 12, 2009 at 9:44 AM
Well I was a fan of all three teams, the Threshers, the Phillies and the Rays. But after this crap, the Rays have shown what kind of low life organization they are.
A major league team should not care what a minor league team does…they shouldn’t be concerned with such ‘trivial’ matters.
Go Threshers!
June 12, 2009 at 9:45 AM
I thought everyone would appreciate this…
Greetings,
I just wanted to take the time out of my day to express my disbelief at your decision to prohibit the Philadelphia Phillies minor league club (Clearwater Threshers SINGLE A) from giving out bobbleheads.
I understand, maybe you’re worried about the Philadelphia brand infringing on your home turf, but pardon me, it’s a very low minor league team that’s been in Clearwater since 1955.
DO YOU SERIOUSLY BELIEVE THAT THEM RELEASING BOBBLEHEADS OF THE 2008 WS TEAM IS GOING TO REDUCE YOUR ATTENDANCE OR SOMEHOW DEPRECIATE YOUR BRAND?
What this really appears to be is a situation where your team made it to the World Series last year, you’re mediocre this year, and somehow, can’t attract fans. You’re desperately searching for an excuse, good luck.
Your decision makes little business sense please reverse your position.
Regards,
Aaron Stange
Aaron Stange * Sungard * Investran * Alternative Investments * 340 Madison Ave., 8th Floor * New York, NY 10173
June 12, 2009 at 9:50 AM
Nicely done.
June 12, 2009 at 10:14 AM
Just so I am clear on this, does the rule prevent any form of ad giveaways within 60 miles or just bobbleheads? I can’t imagine it is restricted to bobbleheads.
I say this only because if it is all giveaways, it makes the rule that much more damaging for baseball. How could MLB allow this in any of its contracts. MLB should be trying to bring people into the stadiums at all levels of the game. Restricting the use of tried and true advertising tools for teams that desperately need them isn’t just pointless, its bad for business.
June 12, 2009 at 10:19 AM
Just so I am clear on this, does the rule prevent any form of ad giveaways within 60 miles or just bobbleheads? I can’t imagine it is restricted to bobbleheads. “
I have not read the rule myself, but from what I understand it prevents ANY promotional advertising of any type including, but not limited to giving away bobbleheads.
What’s next? The Threshers won’t be able to do their Saturday night fireworks, or continue to advertise on the radio or television within the market?
June 12, 2009 at 10:22 AM
By the way. I sent an email this morning to TBO.com (the Tampa Tribune website) about this. Within an hour they had their own story up about the bobblehead hoopla.
June 12, 2009 at 10:22 AM
Seems that it would be any promotion, bobblehead, or otherwise that would bring one MLB ‘brand’ into the 60 mile radius of another MLB ‘brand’.
So in this specific Tampa Bay area that creates problems for 5 minor league teams and their major league affiliates.
Which mean the Marlins could conceivably do this on the East coast to the Palm Beach Cardinals if they wanted to.
It is just ridiculous in my opinion. Sour grapes.
June 12, 2009 at 10:30 AM
I think it has to do with the ‘brand’ if a promotion has ‘Phillies’ on it that is unacceptable. However if it just said Tampa Yankees or Clearwater Threshers that would be okay. The team could promote themselves but not their affiliate team.
June 12, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Boston Phan is jeff all poop out? What I would do is have the vendors outside the stadium redeem them with a game stud or coupon. If you attend the game get a coupon and some local store gives you the bobblehead, would that work?
June 12, 2009 at 11:29 AM
Ship the bobbleheads up north to Philly.
Give em away around 4th of July weekend.
June 12, 2009 at 11:44 AM
^I agree with CouchKing. Send them to Reading, Lehigh Valley or Philadelphia!
June 12, 2009 at 11:45 AM
I wonder if this means the Brooklyn Cyclones can’t give away anything with the Yankees logo on it because of being within 60 miles of the Mets?
See this is a major decision by MLB…
June 12, 2009 at 11:50 AM
I think if the team can get around this – promote a special sale of Pat The Bat Bobbleheads. 1 penny. I do not know the rules but it will not be a giveaway anymore.
June 12, 2009 at 11:55 AM
We need to send this to the St Pete Times too. The TBO is the Tampa Trib.
June 12, 2009 at 11:57 AM
“The Phillies organization recognized they were in violation of Major League Baseball’s territorial rights guidelines and canceled the promotion,” Rays Vice President of Communication Rick Vaughn said.
(because we are little snitching cry babies that never cared about these giveaways before this season, boo hoo)
June 12, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Something more is going on, though.
The Rays let Pat miss a game to go take part in a game time ceremony for the Phillies.
Anyway the whole territorial rights thing is a little out of hand
June 12, 2009 at 12:42 PM
If the Rays had won the WS or lost to anyone else in the WS other than the Phillies this would be a non-issue…it is all about sour grapes.
June 12, 2009 at 1:33 PM
From the tbo article which keeps updating:
However, the Toronto Blue Jays’ FSL affiliate in Dunedin has hosted bobblehead giveaways this season and has another planned this month featuring Toronto second baseman Aaron Hill, team account executive Kevin Schildt said.
“We haven’t heard anything from anyone,” Schildt said. “We’ve never had any resistance from any of the teams. We would obviously assess the situation after we hear something.”
Well there you go..the Rays only went after the Threshers/ Phillies.
June 12, 2009 at 3:11 PM
UPDATED AGAIN FROM TBO.COM:
Tampa Yankees general manager Vance Smith said his team felt “similar heat” from the Rays a couple of years ago and sympathizes with Clearwater’s situation. His team no longer plans giveaways featuring Major League Baseball merchandise.
Smith also said he hasn’t heard of this type of conflict in other major league markets with minor league teams, Smith added that he would welcome the opportunity to talk with the Rays to come up with a solution that would allow FSL teams in the Bay area to market their ties to their big-league clubs.
So it seems the Rays go after the teams they dont like…the Phillies and the Yankees…
June 12, 2009 at 3:14 PM
It looks like the Rays may be the only major league team to ever attempt to block promotions like this at a minor league level.
I understand it is their ‘right’ to do so…but that doesn’t make it ‘right’.
I think MLB needs to look deeper into this story. Again the Blue Jays have not been asked to stop their promotions in the area.
June 12, 2009 at 3:33 PM
Terribly low blow by the Rays….
June 12, 2009 at 5:58 PM
The Princeton Rays are only 45 miles from Philadelphia…
Just saying
June 13, 2009 at 12:10 AM
Oh for god’s sake people!
We’re talking about a bobblehead promotion here!
Who Cares?!
June 13, 2009 at 1:08 PM
Ship the whole Threshers team to Atlantic City.
The Wave stopped operating and there’s a brand new stadium.
June 13, 2009 at 9:41 PM
“Ship the whole Threshers team to Atlantic City.”
Ummmm… I vote NO on that!
June 13, 2009 at 9:46 PM
couch king, i wish. but its to cold. you need somewhere for the injured guys to rehab, at the least. stupid freakin’ rays. what jerks. I didn’t mind them last year, cause we beat them and they beat boston(my second most hated team after the mets) but this is just rediculus