Around the end of 2016 the White Sox did something amazing.  They capitalized on the bobblehead market (that works so well for SoxFest) and created a bobblehead gift if you signed up for the White Sox Pride Club.  Have no idea what I am talking about, here it is in all of it’s beauty –

It’s glorious I know.  It was deemed a hit by many bobblehead collectors and Fisk fans alike!  For the low price of $30 – $35 you got the card, certificate, bobblehead and a ticket presale. Add $10, if you wanted the bobblehead shipped to you.  It also included other perks, but you know me, I just wanted that bobblehead.  I signed up immediately and just waited.

I am fully involved in several White Sox and bobblehead groups on FB, a guy would post this link every so often so if you were interested in these types of things, it was made pretty clear that it was a limited promotion.  They didn’t release numbers, but we figured it was less than 3,000 produced, which could be way high.  I think right before the season started, they ran out of bobbleheads.  I know this because some self-entitled fanboy (is that one or two words Joe L.?) started complaining that the White Sox OWED HIM A BOBBLE, as he waited till they announced that they weren’t available to all of a sudden want one.  I get it, many things don’t sell out, but when I see limited availability of something that I want, I get a move on.  Well, me and the fanboy had a very long (and I am sure annoying) conversation on FB in which I defended the Sox to do whatever the fuck they want when running a club.  He debated that they had to let HIM know when they were almost out to get him to sign up. He said he was gonna email and ask for a bobblehead. And we complain about the younger generation……

This is the problem folks.  I am sure this guy was well taken care of by the White Sox, cause that is what they are best at. They MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR EVERYONE.  Sometimes they MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR EXCEPTIONS.  It’s insane.  I appreciate it, but it can create some crazy entitled fans.  I know some guys that have front office people on their speed dial and they ask for shit ALL THE FUCKING TIME. For myself, last year I complained that they sold an “exclusive” item at the park when they had sold people tickets at a much higher rate and marketed it as the only way to get the item. I got 4 free tickets, which was nice, but I’d just like that part of their business to be more transparent.  But that’s minor I suppose.

Fast forward to this week, 2017 White Sox Pride Club members were sent an email saying this –

Thank you for being a passionate and valued Sox Pride Club member! Your Sox Pride has made the SPC one of the best fan clubs in sports – and we couldn’t have done it without you. Because we appreciate your allegiance, we want to ensure that the SPC is the very best it can be. After careful consideration, a paid SPC membership will not be available for the 2018 season. Instead, we are going to dedicate this time to rebuild the club and make it even better for you going forward, with more perks that you and other White Sox fans will enjoy. We are excited to announce the details about the 2019 SPC once they are finalized – and you will be the first to know! Though the SPC will not be active in 2018, because of your loyalty and passion for the White Sox, we will still communicate with you and offer unique opportunities as they become available. For example, you are still eligible for a 2018 single-game tickets presale, just like in past years, and we will send those presale details next week leading up to the on-sale. We look forward to continuing and building upon our relationship with you. Thank you again for your Sox Pride!

This was shocking to no one that was a member last year.  It seemed to be very unorganized from the outsiders view.  While it would be easy to blame the people that ran it, which I am sure they take some blame, I blame the damn entitled fans.  1st off, many fans are cheap as fuck.  Many opted not to get the bobble shipped for the $10, but would rather pick it up.  I did this too as I live 4 blocks from the park and have LOADS of free time.  The White Sox had some times that people could come in and pick it up at the Sports Depot.  What seemed like EVERYONE, complained that didn’t work for them.  I mean, the excuses were great and some were very valid (like, I have to work). But what did you expect the White Sox to do? Hold hours all the time just so 3 or 4 people would be happy?  Nah, you make a time, if you can’t make it, pay that extra $10 and get the shit shipped to you.  Just my view, but seems like that is how EVERY business is run.

But that wasn’t good enough for a small VOCAL percentage of fans.  The complaints rained down like a Opening Day thunderstorm.  And this is why we have nothing nice.  People look at the White Sox like a overcompensating girlfriend.  Maybe she doesn’t look the best, but her willingness to do anything you ask really sells her. She thinks she needs to serve you. You treat her like shit, but you know you need her.  And by the time you figure out that you love her, she done left you.  Cause fuck your non-appreciating ass.

Same with the Sox. One day, much like the Pride Club, they gonna wake the fuck up and say “Why do we need this hassle?” Just trying to do something nice for us, like bringing us lasagna at work, but yet we complain that it wasn’t warm enough.  What dicks we are.  Well, not me, you are a dick.  I am a good guy.  I take my electronic ticket and shut the fuck up about it.  *Ahem* James.

I see, much to @dirrty862’s chagrin, that they have also cancelled the Hooters / Beggar’s Pizza #TicketTour.  What was the Ticket Tour?

On March 2 from 6-8 p.m., the White Sox Ticket Tour Street Teams will be at four Beggars Pizza locations and seven Hooters locations throughout the Chicagoland area! Joining them will be former White Sox stars Carlos May, Donn Pall, Mike Huff, Dan Pasqua, White Sox Organist Lori Moreland, the C.J. Wilson Mazda Pride Crew and Southpaw at select locations – giving away White Sox t-shirts to fans in White Sox gear as well as other giveaways including your chance to win tickets to Opening Day!

Don’t miss out on the fun – make your plans to show your Sox Pride LIVE as we kick off the 2017 White Sox Baseball season in style. Also, make sure to use the hashtag #SoxTixTour to post your photos and tweets from the night, or to follow along live if you can’t make it out to the events.

Note that was from 2017.  No one needs to go out to a Beggars looking for free tickets and get nothing but their fantastic “we lay it on thick” pizza.  Or Hooters for, well, you know, the wings.  The reason given was that they didn’t have a sponsor.  And with all the hype surrounding the White Sox, I can’t blame them for wanting a sponsor.  Us hard core fans have bought in, but there are still tons of folks that still want the free shit. Sponsors might not be seeing a return on their investment, YET. They / We are the ones who go in early on Bitcoin, cause this shit is gonna blow up.  And that brings me to my next point.

It’s gonna end.  It’s all gonna end.  If this team does what we think they will do in the next two years, be prepared to have to buy ALL your tickets. And the $7 / $5 seats might go the way of the dodo bird.  Prices will go even higher.  Shocking isn’t it?  Maybe it won’t, I could be wrong.  But with the elimination of the weekend ticket plan (which has been panned by even the non-fanboys), this team is poised to make some serious money from their fanbase.

Last year I had 37 tickets.  This year I got two 20 game plans to make a weekend plan.  40 total tickets.  Many went from 27 down to 20.  Looks like the Sox are losing ticket sales, but remember, the Sox sold MORE tickets last year than they did in 2016.  They now can sell 2 weekend packages, not just 1.  To the single buyer, yes, they lost money.  But to across the board, they have more weekend tickets to sell.  From what I was told, there was only 1000 or so weekend plan people, but those fuckers are vocal! I was also told they only used 20 of the 27 games anyways, which I can believe. Well, the Sox wanna sell that ticket, not let you do it.  They are gambling that the team will be better and they can dynamic price that ticket like a mofo and make some extra cheddar.  And if you are only gonna piss off 1,000 people to make more money, well, ya do it.  Almost 1/40th of your target number, do you cater to those people?  If you want to make money, fuck nah.  And most of those that are pissed off will buy tickets anyways cause they need this as much as you or I.

It’s a big bet, but I think it will work for them.  The ballsiest thing was doing it during a year that is sure to be a long rough year.  Hype don’t win games.  Non-procured talent doesn’t win games. We have the cards, but we gotta make it happen. But both those things, hype and talent, do sell some tickets.  But to see a G Rate filled to the roof, we still need the W’s.

Don’t like my take?  Wanna complain?  Get at me on Twitter @mysoxsummer. My complaint box is empty as fuck, fill it up fanboys.

-MSS