From the Desk of the GM - April 19, 2010

2010 Promotional Schedule

As promised, here is the Goldeyes 2010 Promotional Schedule. It took a little longer to get this done, but I was waiting for confirmation on what I think will be one of our most unique and sought after giveaways yet. On August 15, we will be giving away 1,500 souvenir skateboard decks, compliments of Amp Energy Drink.

The quality of our theme nights and giveaways this year might just be the best yet. In everything we have planned, we have kept our new slogan “Fun for Everyone” in mind. Having said that, I’ll let the paying public be the judges. So here we go...

Thursday, May 20 – Opening Night!
- Free Magnet Schedules to everyone in attendance.
- Fireworks after the game!
- Donnie Smith throwing out the ceremonial opening pitch.

Wednesday, May 26 – Via Rail Train Game
- Be in attendance for a chance to win a train trip for two to Jasper - Sleeper Touring Class (formerly Silver & Blue) including two nights accommodation at the Jasper Inn.

Sunday, June 6 – Inflatamaniacs Entertainment Act



Wednesday, June 9 – Air Canada Vacations Jamaica trip giveaway
- One of my personal favourite theme night and trip giveaways. This will be our eighth year in a row doing the Jamaica trip giveaway. With “Buffalo Soldier” and “One Love” by Bob Marley playing on the speakers, a cold beverage in your hand, and the chance to win a trip to a Sandals Resort courtesy of Air Canada Vacations. What a great night!

Tuesday, June 22 – Hometown Heroes Night
- Sponsored by Manitoba Blue Cross, the Goldeyes will salute the men and women of the Winnipeg Police, Fire and Paramedic Services

Friday, June 25 – Manitoba Lotteries Batting Helmet giveaway
- The first 2,500 fans through the gates on June 25 will receive a navy Goldeyes souvenir batting helmet compliments of Manitoba Lotteries

Saturday, June 26 – Ballgame and a Movie
- Bring your blankets to the park this night, stick around after the game, go on-field and watch the “Alvin and the Chipmunks – The Squeakquel” movie on the video board.

Sunday, June 27 – First Half Team Photo giveaway, On-Field autograph session & Multicultural Day in Canada
- The Goldeyes pay tribute to our ethnic diversity in our province this night.

Thursday, July 8 – Serta Pajama Party
- Put on your PJ’s and come to the park on this early July evening. Everyone in attendance will have a chance to win a Serta Mattress.

Sunday, July 11 – Boston Pizza Jersey giveaway
- The first 1,500 fans at the game on July 11 will receive a red Goldeyes & Boston Pizza red jersey.

Tuesday, July 20 – Cambrian Credit Union Shirt off our Back Night
- Twelve fans will win the chance to go on field and take the jersey right off the back of a Goldeyes player or coach. Will you be one of the lucky dozen?

Thursday, July 22 – Turn Back the Clock Night

Tuesday, August 10 – Library Night
- The first 4,000 fans will receive a Goldeyes bookmark courtesy of Winnipeg Public Libraries.

Saturday, August 14 – Country Night

Sunday, August 15 – Amp Energy Drink Souvenir Skateboard Deck giveaway
- The first 1,500 fans will receive a very cool souvenir Goldeyes skateboard deck.

Sunday, August 29 – Fan Appreciation Day
- Free set of Goldeyes player cards to the first 5,000 compliments of Rogers
- Great giveaways throughout the game

Sunday, August 29 – Second Annual Goldeyes Fun Run
- What better way to start off the last day of the regular season than taking a walk, or run around the Forks area, starting and finishing at home plate at Canwest Park. Click here to register for this fun event!

Promotions that run throughout the Summer

Sunday afternoons – Dynasty Bathrooms & Caroma Toilet Plunger Pool
- At every Sunday afternoon home game, kiddie pool will be set up on the promenade with 100 numbered plungers. Fans may purchase the plungers for $2 with proceeds to the Goldeyes Field of Dreams Foundation. During the game a PA announcement will inform the fans of the lucky "plunger number" and that fan will win a Caroma Toilet courtesy of Caroma Toilets and Dynasty Bathrooms.

Friday nights – Allegiant Air Flyaway Fridays
- Where else can you go in Winnipeg on a Friday night in the summer and pay $5 to win airfare to Las Vegas or Mesa? Well, on eight occasions this summer at the ballpark, all you have to do is be in attendance and you could win airfare for two compliments of Allegiant Air. One lucky fan each at each Goldeyes Friday home game will win airfare for two from Grand Forks to their choice of Las Vegas or Mesa.

Friday nights – The Original Pancake House Pancake Batter
- This one’s a classic at Canwest Park. Hearing the entire ballpark chanting “Pan-cake, pan-cake” along with PA guy Ron Arnst when the pancake batter has two strikes, is a sound to behold. Each Friday home game one “lucky” opposing player is selected as The Original Pancake House Pancake Batter. If he strikes out during the game, everyone in the ballpark receives a coupon for three free pancakes at the end of the game.

Fireworks x 8!!
- When faced with the unenviable position of opening at home on May long weekend AND on a Thursday night, what does a team do? Shoot more fireworks!! We have always had a fireworks show on opening night, so this year we decided the best thing to do was to add another fireworks show on the second night of the weekend series. It should be a great start to the 2010 season and our opening eight-game stretch against the Lake County Fielders and Joliet JackHammers. Here is the complete list of fireworks nights:

- Thursday, May 20
- Friday, May 21
- Tuesday, June 8
- Friday, June 25
- Wednesday, July 21
- Wednesday, August 11
- Tuesday, August 24
- Saturday, August 28

Monday Nights – University of Winnipeg Student Night
- A new promotion this year, check out the details here

MARRC Play Station Portable giveaway
- On 12 occasions throughout the summer, MARRC, or as most people know them as, the Oil Recycling people, will be drawing for a Play Station Portable. All you have to do is grab a lucky lotto ticket as you come in the park and you will have a chance to win this great prize.

Sundays in July & August – Salisbury House promotion
- At the conclusion of every Sunday home game in July and August, fans will receive a voucher courtesy of Salisbury House to receive a free Mr. Big Nip – the official Nip of Manitoba Homecoming 2010.

Until next time...

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Apr. 5: Office Blog - JG's Top 10 Live MLB Experiences

For my money, nothing (and I mean nothing) beats live baseball. Turn your brain off and forget about life for three hours. How sweet is that?

Here they are in chronological order:

1. Milwaukee @ Toronto (Exhibition Stadium, July, 1979)
My first game. I don't recall (being 10 may have had something to do with it) the date or final score but I do remember Brewers centre fielder Gorman Thomas crashing into the wall.

2. Minnesota 7 Texas 5 (HHH Metrodome, August 10, 1992)
My first game indoors. As a Twins fan at the time, it was fun watching the defending World Series champs win before almost 36,000 people. And, it's true, beer really does taste better at a baseball game.

3. San Francisco 10 Cincinnati 7 (Candlestick Park, August 9, 1993)
Weekday matinee, 80-some degrees, not a cloud in the sky, cheapest seats in the outfield bleachers with fans just giving it to Reds outfielder/former Giants outfielder Kevin Mitchell, cold beer. Need I say any more?

4. San Francisco 6 Cincinnati 0 (Candlestick Park, August 11, 1993)
Weekday matinee. That's where any comparisons end to the game two days previous. With the wind blowing off the bay, I wish I had my winter jacket. John Burkett was brilliant, blanking the Reds on four hits.

5. Texas 6 Minnesota 4 (HHH Metrodome, April 22, 1999)
What a pleasure it was to see former Fish Jeff Zimmerman pitching for the visitors. It was an even greater pleasure to have lunch with him the following day and see he was the same guy just two years removed from playing here.

6. Milwaukee 13 Minnesota 1 (HHH Metrodome, June 27, 2003)
This one was over very early. But it was worth sticking around, if only to see a local boy named Koskie double and score the only run the hosts would get, not to mention a rookie named Morneau.

7. Milwaukee 8 Cincinnati 3 (Miller Park, August 14, 2005)
Sunday matinee, 80-some degrees, great seats (props to Fish starter David Manning) down the left field line, cold beer, free Ned Yost mini bobblehead giveaway. Life is good.

8. Kansas City 5 Cleveland 4 (Kauffman Stadium, September 25, 2005)
A ballpark I had wanted to visit ever since I knew what a ballpark was, even though my hopeless Royals were just that. Zack Greinke serves up a three-run shot to Victor Martinez in the first. Oh oh. Mid-game move (big props to Fish starter Shawn Sedlacek's lovely wife Joy) to a skysuite. Nice. Access to Bret Saberhagen figurine giveaway. Very nice. Paul Phillips doubles off Bob Howry to score Angel Berroa with one out in the ninth for the walk-off win. Very very nice.

9. Houston 3 St. Louis 1 (Busch Stadium, September 27, 2005)
In-and-out day trip from Kansas City to see Roy Oswalt and Matt Morris in an absolute dandy. Downtown St. Louis is cool. The Gateway Arch is even cooler. The trip back includes a stop at Waffle House. This is indeed America.

10. Seattle 10 Oakland 9 (Safeco Field, September 25, 2006)
Introduced my lovely future wife to former Fish George Sherrill over lunch. So nice (yet not at all surprising) to see he hadn't changed since leaving Winnipeg, despite how he was now making 20 times more money a month. Ballpark sushi was amazing. Played some Mario Superstar Baseball on the concourse before saying good-bye to Georgie in the bullpen. We were long gone by the time the hosts tied it in the ninth and won it in the tenth.

April 1: Taylor's Ticket Tour - Day 16

It’s been a tremendous run. We’ve hit the north end, the west end, the south end and even the east end. We’ve been to Sanford and Carman and Morden and Winkler. We’ve done downtown and down the street and met up with more than 200 Goldeyes fans and potential Goldeyes fans.

It would be inaccurate to suggest that the 2010 Ticket Tour has been an overwhelming success – at least, not yet – but I do believe that by meeting a whole slew of people we’ve never met, I learned one important lesson: The Goldeyes name is as good as gold in this community.

Day 16 was a clean up day for the 2010 Ticket Tour. We called some of the people we met along the way and we’ll be doing a lot more of that as April goes along. We spoke at length with folks from NCI Radio, Variety, Earl’s, monart, Metro Trailer Sales, ChangeMakers and Investors Group Winnipeg West. We answered some important questions and cleaned up some loose ends.

We also drew the winner of that spectacular Roman Swiderek print. With Goldeyes sales and marketing director Dan Chase as our witness, and with 211 business cards in our draw drum, we chose the business card belonging to (drum roll please)...

Rick Watts, president of The Fabris & Milano Group Ltd., the marble and tile guys, over at 1035 Erin St. We’ll see Rick next week when we deliver his framed “Winnipeg Goldeyes” print and recently-purchased 2010 ticket package.

It was a wonderful trip through Winnipeg and the southern part of the province and we want to thank everyone we met for the fabulous Friendly Manitoba hospitality. And, don’t worry, we’ll be calling all of you in the coming weeks to follow up on our initial meetings.

Now, let’s play ball...