Thursday, January 1, 2009

Braves Autograph Fest 2009


*heavy sigh* According to the Save The Date the club emailed out today, you'll need to buy tickets to Autograph Fest. (There's no word about whether tours of the stadium / field / clubhouse will be included.) Do you want to know how much these tickets will run?


I love Baby and all, but $100 for twenty seconds with him while he scribbles his name on a ball? No thank you. There's not even a guarantee you'd see him! If I had to venture a guess, the silver level would be guys like Greg Norton or Chino or Charlie. Gold level would be Bobby Cox or Yunie or Gonzo or KJ. The BMac level would be the headliners, if they show up: Baby, Chipper, Frenchy, Smoltzie, etc.

Would you buy a $100 ticket to meet Brian McCann, in this economy?

17 comments:

Jen said...

What's strange is that earlier this week, there were more individual players listed that one could buy tickets for. Frenchy, Chipper, Glav, and Huddy were listed, as well as Bobby. They ranged from $75-$100 each. I wonder where they went?

BTW, I love this blog, Lauren! I read it all the time...I just never got around to posting before. :)

Lauren T. said...

Welcome, Jen! :) I hadn't heard about individual tickets, but I'd think those would sell better than the "I don't know who I'm getting" idea the Braves have been running wild with in the last couple of years.

Leah said...

Yeah, Jen is right. They had other options available but those are no longer there. Chipper and Glavine's tickets were $125 each, Huddy's $75, and the rest were $100 each. Smoltzie was never listed at all. I'm not sure why the rest are no longer listed, maybe only had a limited number? I guessed roughly the same thing. Rookies are silver, non-rookies are Gold, but then again, I don't know.

I'm gonna call next week to find out more info when the front offices open back up. They should have had more info up on the site with the tickets, but at least they give you a number to call, but no one answers.

Allee said...

So, I've never actually been to "Autograph Fest" *coughFanFest*, but I'm kind of sad that they're doing this. I feel like it's my school, sucking us dry of our money. But, I'm still a little jealous of those who get to go...I've never met one of the boys =/

flbravesgirl said...

Would I pay $100 to meet Mac? Yeah... if I had the money to blow & lived in Atlanta. But I don't. I think they'll find that those prices will scare a lot of people off.

Unknown said...

I am a lifelong Braves fan, but I'll stick to the traditional (ahem...free) ways of getting an autograph. I'm old school like that.

Crista Michelle said...

well, there goes the idea for my next broadcasting project. i really don't wanna go now, it just seems weird.

Angeline said...

I had called the front office in December to ask what FanFest would be like this year. They told me without much detail that there would be the Diamond Gala at the Intercontenintal Hotel on the 23rd and an AutographFest on the 24th at Turner Field. I asked if photo opportunities would be available like last year and was told no, but you could buy individual autographs. I bought one from Chipper at $125 the day they became available (Dec 30). Most individual tickets were sold out by the next morning (only Brian McCann remained). I don't know what my Chipper ticket entitles me to (if anything) other than an autograph from Chipper. The website didn't give enough info. I am calling back on Monday to see if any more information has been released.

Leah said...

Angeline, that's kind of what I thought as well, that the rest were sold out. People would like to see the others more than Mac, I guess, as he's not always everyone's first choice. I'm calling on Monday to find out more as well.

I agree the way they did this was lousy and you can't even take a picture with them? Paying that much, you should be able to eat lunch with him or get a tour with him of the stadium, lol. Just a few thoughts off the top of my head, but I'm sure that you'll only get an autograph from that ticket. Some of the players themselves might take a picture with you if you ask because they're nice like that.

I just find it ludicrous that the tickets are so high. Last year, tickets were $12 if bought in advance ($15 if not), but that was not bad at all for everything you got to do (I only went on Saturday, but my friends said it was a lot better the following day). I didn't like most of last year, but nonetheless, it was definitely affordable. I don't see that many people coming this year because of the prices. But of course, I'll go because I'm having withdrawals and I want to meet some of the players.

flbravesgirl said...

Aww, poor Baby. Well, he'd be my first choice.

Leah said...

For anyone wondering about ticket prices and other stuff, there is going to be more posted on the official site either tomorrow or later week pertaining to each ticket thing.

My mom called for me since I had to be in class and a woman told her that the Gold and Silver levels would be A level people (I don't know if my mom misunderstood or what, but that's what she said she was told) and that the individual tickets were not necessarily sold out. She said that they would specify who was on what level (the woman said it would probably be best to wait until they post more about it to buy your ticket(s). She also told my mom that you must purchase a ticket for each level (individual level tickets are separate apparently) you wish to get an autograph from or you will not be allowed in that level. Hopefully they have this up quickly on the site so we actually can get a grasp on it better.

Anonymous said...

This is totally ridiculous - what are they thinking? In this economy to raise the prices so much that it is out of the everyday fan's grasp to enjoy something I know we all look forward to each winter to kick off the new season!
You can write Derek Schiller at derek.schiller@braves.com to voice your concern that the Braves seem to have forgotten that the real fan is the one who fills most of the seats each year, buys the jerseys, shirts and caps, and who is struggling in this economy - I am not married, nor have children to take, and I won't be paying that kind of money. I don't really want autographs - just the chance to see the new guys, say Hey to the old friends, and get jazzed for Spring Training!

Lauren T. said...

Since Derek Schiller is an EVP, I'd be willing to bet he doesn't read his own emails -- his assistant probably sifts through them all and flags the important ones. So if any of you go that route and don't get a response, don't be surprised. :/

This might suck more than last year did, and I didn't think that would be possible.

Anonymous said...

Me either. If all they're going to offer is overpriced tickets for individual players and then two levels of minor league players, I'll probably just end up going to a Spring Training game or something.

Anonymous said...

Also, the reason for them doing it this way was because "last year wasn't good" or something to that effect or that's what my mom was told this morning. I do have to agree that it wasn't that great, but it was affordable though.

Anonymous said...

Sorry but he does - my friend sent her email before I sent mine and he actually called her. She was on the phone and they have since left messages back and forth, but he phoned her almost right away

Lauren T. said...

No need to apologize. I'm glad he actually called your friend. It's surprising, but good to know.