Baseball Team Marketers

BASEBALL TEAM MARKETERS spend hours developing promotions to entice fans to the stadium. Bat day, bobble-head doll prizes, and team hat giveaways often help attendance soar. But the Toronto Blue Jays’ “Hot Dog Blaster” promotion proved not to be such a great idea.

The Anaheim Angels visited the Toronto SkyDome early in the 2000 season. In the second game of the series, the club planned to shoot cooked, wrapped franks into the crowd.

However, the apparatus was never properly tested. Instead of producing wieners in a bun, it caused the hot dogs to explode into tiny bits while airborne. Cries echoed throughout the stands from frustrated fans, who were being assaulted by scraps of meat descending from the sky. Despite the protests, operators continually fired franks into the crowd throughout the game.

The action on the field did little to improve the disgruntled disposition of those watching. With the bases loaded and the Angels leading 1–0 in the fourth, Adam Kennedy drove Frank Castillo’s pitch over the right-field fence for a grand slam.

One inning later, the 24-year-old second baseman tripled to right center, plating another three runs. He capped off his night with an RBI-single in the ninth and tied an Anaheim single-game RBI record with eight. Although the Angels gave up six runs in the bottom of the ninth, they held on to win 16–10.

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POINT What a night for Toronto fans! They surely spelled attendance at that game F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-O-N and D-I-S-A-P-P-O-I-N-T-M-E-N-T. Imagine driving to the ballpark expecting free supper and a decent game, but leaving with food-stained clothes and an embarrassing loss. Sometimes in sports and in life, expectations far exceed reality.

Surely God often feels the same about the humans he created. He desires obedience and effort. We offer sin and avoidance. But because of our heavenly Father’s compassion, we aren’t destroyed by our mistakes. God’s love saves us again and again.

GOAL! Prepare hot dogs for your family. As you eat them, recall the disappointed Toronto fans. Ask God’s forgiveness when you disappoint him.