New Revenue Stream

[absintheofmalaise]

I just received an email from the Braves that seems like a good, if pricey, way to generate more revenue. They are going to start selling tickets for on-field access to BP at select games. Tickets are $50 a head.

I think this is a very good, and innovative, way to generate revenue without raising ticket or concession prices. They are marketing it as a way to reward employees or give a good client something no one else is giving them.

[luvdembravos]

That's something I wouldn't mind doing but I have to imagine there would have to be some tight controls regarding on field movement. Just think of the legal implications for the Braves if some fan caught a line drive upside their head.

[Andy G.]

That sounds pretty cool. They will probably have people meet on the Hank Aaron ramp and come out of that gate in the right field corner, then rope off a section in that corner that the fans have to stay in. I wonder what the players will think of that? I don't think they'd like it very much, especially if all of those people are screaming for attention and autographs the entire time.

Diaz will probably be the most willing to sign autographs for them.

[Lauren T.]

I got the same email, and when reading the FAQs, the fans are behind a fence. You're allowed to take pictures but you're not allowed to ask for autographs or interrupt BP in any way. It...doesn't seem worth $50 to me, but if I had a Daddy Warbucks, you'd better believe I'd give it a try!

[sdp]

I can't imagine players being too thrilled about this, but it's money going towards their wallets. From my observations, players tend to avoid/ignore fans during BP, especially screaming kids who only know their last names.

[Andy G.]

I can't imagine players being too thrilled about this, but it's money going towards their wallets. From my observations, players tend to avoid/ignore fans during BP, especially screaming kids who only know their last names.
They don't always ignore the fans, but they do hate it when people just scream their last name over and over. I've gotten two autographs during BP this year. One time my brother and I were in the right field corner, and we were the only ones in the entire section, so Gonzo didn't mind signing a ball for us. The other time there was a man and his small kid doing what you mentioned to O'Flaherty, but I got his attention when I asked him what Seattle was thinking when they let him go. Later Jurrjens threw me ball, and O'Flaherty signed it while ignoring the obnoxious father who was standing five feet from me.

[hoosjon]

I just attended 2 outa the 3 games in Baltimore and was again reminded at what OTHER clubs do to try to get butts in seats. You could give blood for some tickets, you could bring in 5 losing lottery tickets, they were gonna play Field of Dreams after a game on the Diamond vision. I got free Crab Mallets and a free MASN cinch sack .... they had Ravens players giving autographs on Eutaw Street before the game ...

Heck, I have more Pirates bobble-heads than Braves. Admittedly, I live in Virginia, but I go to Atlanta 10 times more than I go to Steel-town.

I LOVE that they're doing this, success or not. Anything that we can do to try to get people back to the ballpark. We certainly aren't hitting enough to do it on our own, right now.