SF Giants 2009 - Promotions & Community Activities

Plenty of free giveaways, fireworks, community activities that touch thousands of people across the Bay Area, and more of the Giants players are some of the hallmarks of the 2009 season of the San Francisco Giants.

Batting practice, described as 'one of the unknown jewels' of the Giants' sporting life by Tom McDonald, Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing, is going to be open to the public.

At the AT & T ballpark in China Basin, the gates will open an extra hour early for fans to observe and learn from their heroes on Friday and Saturday nights.

And over a hundred years of dynamic pics from 1883 to today of Giants in action, pitching, batting, catching, hang on a new banner.

Fans will also have a special day to go on the pitch to capture personal photos of their players, and in the summer sleep on the turf at the annual Slumber Party.

Around the streets, scouts clutching free tickets will be on the look out to reward fans for wearing Giants gear.

Promotions start with the traditional Opening Day calendar for the first 40,000 fans to enter the gates on Tuesday, April 7. The next day, marking the presentation of the Cy Young award to Tim Lincecum - pictured above on the cover of the 2009 handbook - a commemorative pin will be offered and at the end of the game against the Milwaukee Brewers the starry skies near McCovey Cove will be lit by the first of the dazzling fireworks displays.

Dotted throughout the season will be the opportunity to collect three popular bobbleheads featuring Tim, Brian Wilson and veteran broadcaster Jon Miller, a Lincecum-style, grey knitted hat, a black cap, an orange tie, and for kids, a bat and ball set, a cuddly orange and black Giants Build-A-Bear, a backpack, and T-shirts for both kids and adults. Prizes will be given away, too, at the games.

In keeping with their green spirit, the Giants will be celebrating a sponsored Esurance Earth Day on April 22 with messages from the players encouraging care for the environment, the showing of a film from the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park, and the gift of a fabric grocery bag - pic above. Representatives of the CAS and PG & E will be there to meet people in the Giants Community Clubhouse and with an opportunity for a stainless steel water bottle.

Special ticket events and fundraisers include Filipino and Latino Heritage Nights, and an Autism Awareness Night with Will Clark. Will is a homegrown San Francisco Giants player from 1986 - 1993, who in January joined the Giants front office as special assistant.

Giving by the Giants is not only to fans. In turn they and their fans will be giving generously to the community. Associations to benefit this year will be the SF Food Bank, Project Open Hand, a city organization providing 'meals with love' to those with serious illness and seniors, Junior Giants who will receive gloves and donations, and Until There's A Cure for Aids.

The Junior Giants are just one of their community programs, an outreach venture that provides more than 15,000 children in underserved communities the chance of a free baseball league and opportunity for character development and literacy programs.

Young people engaged in charity will be honoured at the matches in partnership with Jefferson Awards, co-founded by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to encourage voluntary work.

A day will also be devoted to sports organizations for girls and women that seek to promote health and sports opportunities for all. In the stadium for a question and answer session will be members of the Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative (BAWSI), founded in 2005 by World Cup soccer stars Brandi Chastain and Julie Foudy, and Team-Up for Youth.

Education is another priority. To encourage studies in math and science the Giants are partnering with the Exploratorium at the Palace of Fine Arts in programs where baseball is used to help explain these subjects. At the ballpark itself, 'Giants Geometry' is part of their educational interactive videoconference tours for schoolchildren using shapes in the ballpark building.

Hundreds of other community groups around the Bay Area will also benefit from some involvement by the Giants.

Commerical events using the ballpark as a venue will see the Kenny Chesney Sun City Carnival Tour on July 18, that with supporting acts will make it the largest country music show ever to be staged in Northern California, and two free SF Opera nights. The operas, Puccini's Tosca on June 5 and Verdi's 11 Trovatore on September 19 will feature live performances from the War Memorial Opera House in the city relayed onto the HD scoreboard.

And once again the Giants are promoting and ticket-selling for the AVP Crocs Tours, the beach volleyball tournament that features the world's top players and which last summer saw Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh exhibiting their skills on Piers 30/32.

This season's tour includes the men's Olympic gold medallists Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, but Misty and Kerri's many fans will be disappointed to learn that neither of the girls, Olympic gold medallists in 2004 and 2008, are competing - www.avp.com

Misty ruptured an Achyilles tendon while practicing a routine for Dancing with the Stars in October and is now having therapy, although she has also been reported as saying she wanted to take time off this year - http://tvwatch.people.com/2008/10/06/misty-may-treanor-officially-quits-dwts/ - and Misty's own blog, http://www.mistymay.com/may/blogDetail/1473

Kerri is due to have her first baby mid-May.

'We believe we conceived (on) our last days in Beijing, so I think a day or two after we won the gold medal,' she is quoted as saying on the AVP website - http://www.avp.com/News/2008/12/Kerri-Pregnant.aspx

The tournament will take place on the end of the piers in a specially-built 3,000-seat venue, Bayside Court, on August 14 - 16.

***full details of all the Giants' activities and promotions are on their very informative website - sfgiants.com

San Francisco Giants 2009 - Orange and Black Attack

The Giants now have ambassadors - young people who will be making sure fans enjoy their time at the ballpark and who go out and about in the community spreading the good word about the Giants.

Named the Orange and Black Attack, they are a mild-mannered team who's goal is to spread cheer and encourage support for the Giants, one of the innovations that mark the start of the 2009 season - see previous blogs

Kedar said, 'We try to make the game more friendly - 'and personalized' - contributed Brooke.

'It's important for us to make the game itself a unique experience,' said Kedar. 'If we can create a fan base with young kids we're going to have fans for many years to come.'

Mandi said that as ambassadors they would be visiting community festivities, like the St Patrick's Day Parade that they have already been to, and non-profit organizations.

On Tuesday they played balloon volleyball and had an ice cream social at the Stepping Stones senior centre in Berry Street, near the ballpark, she said.

As they go round the community they will be giving out free T-shirts and other items, and discounted ticket offers. When the games are underway, they will be handing out Giants Eye Black Strips.

pic shows: Kedar, Brooke, Mandi, Schep

San Francisco Giants 2009 - New Food

For thousands of Giants fans a trip to the baseball park is not only about sport, but food.

As the 2009 season opens - see previous blogs - fans will not only be getting their teeth into some new items on the menu but will leave the food stands with more change in their pockets.
For the Giants are pitching all out to help with pricing during the credit crunch.

A Value Meal has been created at the Doggie Diners with a hot dog, peanuts and soft drink for $6.25, a saving of $2, and a Value Platter at McGraw's Grill with a hamburger, french fries and soft drink for $8.75, a saving of $4.50.

Children are specially taken care of. For $5 they can have a hot dog, juice box, snack and prize/toy at four different locations.

Prices have also been cut on the following individual items, hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn, soft drink and ice cream novelties.


As Tom McDonald, Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing, said at yesterday's press conference, the aim of this season is to make the ballpark 'the giant escape that many people will be looking for.'

There are also new offerings among other food vendors. At Joe Garcia's will be a San Fran style Taqueria, Thai style curry, chicken and beef skewers at Edsel Ford Fong's, Dungeness crab sandwiches at the Panini Wine Bar, blue cheese fries at Murph's Clubhouse Pub, and at the Batter's Up Ice Cream Sundae, a fun-sounding vanilla bean gelato with hot fudge, whipped cream and chocolate shortbread baseball cookie.

And a new vendor also joins the ranks, Tres Agaves, selling a bacon-wrapped hot dog, nachos, tacos and vegetarian tamales.

Plus regular food items will be there. I sampled a beef sandwich at The Carvery, and it was great.

pics show: Christina with Kid's Meals; Marlene, Alfredo, Gema at The Carvery; enthusiastic samplers in the food hall; Asian cusines at Edsel Ford Fong's

San Francisco Giants 2009 - On Way to Green Award

The Giants' AT & T Park is on its way to the accolade of the greenest existing ballpark in the country, it was announced today at the press preview for the 2009 season that opens on Tuesday - see previous blogs

That does not include the purpose-built stadium for the Washington Nationals, which opened last year.

Within the year, the Giants expect to be the first Major League ballpark in the country to have the US Green Building Council certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Existing Buildings, Operations and Maintenance (EBO & M).

So how is it achieving this?

Working particularly in partnership with Pacific Gas and Electricity (PG & E), it has installed 590 solar panels. These, since they were fitted in 2007, have provided enough power for over 5,200 homes and saved over 360,000 pounds of greenhouse gases.

Energy-efficient lights have been retrofitted, eg compact fluorescent lights in place of several hundred incandescent lights, and a more efficient HD scoreboard, overall the equivalent of powering 25 homes a year.

And water conservation. The proportion of clay to sand in the pitch has been increased so that watering has been reduced by 33 per cent. A new irrigation clock that receives weather details has honed control over zone watering times, the result being that a saving of 33 to 50 per cent water use is expected.

Another focus is recycling, with 42 per cent of their trash being recycled. This season a Green Team has been formed to help guests direct their trash to an increased number of recycling and composting bins.

New high-tech office equipment has also cut down on energy and paper use and printing costs.

Travel is a major green success. The location of the ballpark at China Basin means that fewer than half of its fans use cars to get to and from games. Near the hub of public transport with Caltrain and Muni trains and buses, fans travel from around the Bay Area by bus, train or ferry, and many walk or cycle.

Smoking has also now been totally banner in the ballpark. Smokers need to be aware that there are no longer any smoking-designated areas.

San Francisco Giants 2009 - Go Green

The Giants are going green. Forget the orange and black colours of the baseball team, think green.

Their signature garlic fries are green as well as the baseball park.

Up on the Promenade Level, the Gilroy Garlic Fries stand has been retrofitted with new fryers and lights replaced. The result? Enough energy saved to fry another 110 tons of the signature garlic fries.

Can you tell the difference working with the new fryers, I asked Sergio, before he led me into the kitchen to show off the row of gleaming fryers filled with sliced potatoes ready for cooking?

Yes, he said.

The new fryers are Henny Penny Open Fryers that reduce gas consumption by 32 percent, cut utility costs by over half and reduce the use of cooking oil by 12 per cent.

A new cooler system saves up to 35 per cent more energy and the new lights save 36.5 per cent electricity.

The 550-square foot stand uses biodegradable and recyclable materials for its signage, drink cups are recyclable and paper boats and carry trays are compostable. It has been painted with environmentally friendly paint.

Rosa, who's been working there 'a very long time, going on 15 years,' said of her new green work place, 'I've been looking forward to it.'

She handed me a carton of freshly made garlic fries with plenty of garlic and liberally sprinkled with fresh, green, finely chopped parsley.

They were delicious. She is used to seeing about 800 pounds of garlic fries served per game. Maybe this season, it will be more!

San Francisco Giants - 2009 Season Preview

'It's been the worst-kept secret in town!' said Larry Baer, Giants President, today as the San Francisco Giants unveiled a sparkling array of events and activities for their 2009 season at the baseball park in China Basin.

The 'worst-kept secret' is the appearance of hero Captain Chesley B. 'Sully' Sullenberger 111 who will throw out the ceremonial first pitch next Tuesday, April 7.

'In a game know for its on field heroes and their ability to provide fans with magical moments and memories, the Giants will pay tribute to a national hero whose instincts and talents resulted in the saving of 155 lives and countless more when he miraculously landed Flight 1549 in New York's Hudson River earlier this year,' said the Giants in their news release handed out to the media today.

But the Giants are also looking forward to success with their new 2009 team and are proud of the number of 'homegrown' players in it.

'We're very excited about the newness of the team as well,' said Larry Baer, announcing that four homegrown players will be in the first line-up.

As journalists, photographers and camera crews assembled on the edge of the newly-prepared pitch this morning for a news briefing, there was plenty of news.

The Opening National Anthem will be sung by Taylor Hicks, American Idol winner; National League Cy-Young Award Winner Tim Lincecum will be presented with his award on the second of the Opening Nights on Wednesday; there will be a reunion of the 1989 National League Champions; the ballpark is on its way to achieving the distinction of being the greenest ballpark in the country with initiatives including the first green garlic fries stand; and a young team of ambassadors, called Orange and Black Attack, have been assembled to promote the Giants in the community.

The Giants new adverts for the season were shown on the large screen, a humorous and zany collection, among them a scene of Barry Zito playing guitar in Union Square behind a costumed character. The players, who take acting roles, had great fun making them, it was said.

Plus there will be plenty of other social events and promotions at the ballpark and in the community, with the usual magnificent firework displays thrown in. One promotion will be a Genentech Father's Day Giants Necktie, a bright orange tie that was being sported by Mario Alioto, Senior Vice President, Corporate Marketing.

Food, of course, is a major part of the game for fans and new menus were there to be sampled. Mindful of the economic downturn, however, a Value Menu has been introduced and the Giants have made an enormous effort to provide financial support with promotions and ticketing so that the ballpark is accessible to as many as possible.

Almost half of the seating capacity will cost $20 - $25 a ticket and season and single game ticket prices remain the same as last season with reductions on several types of tickets.

In this 2009 season what they especially want to do is to 'bring a fun message in difficult times' to emphasize fun, family, friends, and to provide 'the giant escape that many people will be looking for,' said Tom McDonald, Senior Vice President, Consumer Marketing.

McDonald, like Baer, also said they were excited about the many new young players they had to feature, whom he called a 'young unpredictable Giants team.'

This season is the Giants 51st in the city, 126th campaign in Major League Baseball and their 10th season at the China Basin park.

As the news briefing proceeded, Bill Neukom, the Giants Managing General Partner and CEO, arrived. Afterwards, Bill Neukom said,

'We're encouraged by the players that we see in Spring Training and we're bringing a 25-player roster to start the season on Tuesday.

'We are expecting to play very energetic baseball and to play winning baseball.'

pics show: Mario Alioto with his orange tie and Bill Neukom; press briefing by Larry Baer, Tom McDonald, Mario Alioto, Staci Slaughter, Senior Vice President, Communications; Barry Zito strumming his guitar in Union Square; and the assembled media on the pitch

100ft Surfing Barrier Broken

Surfer Magazine 13 hours ago produced this stunning pic online - the breaking news of two surfers breaking the 100ft wave barrier off the Chilean coastline on April 1!

Surfers are Rusty Long and Grant 'Twiggy' Baker, a former Mavericks Champion in 2006.

'Details are still a bit blurry, but according to eye-witness accounts, big-wave hellions Rusty Long and Grant “Twiggy” Baker have broken the 100-foot barrier, catching and surfing a sky-scraper-size wave off the coast of Chile’s Isla Alejandra Selkirk, several hundred miles off the coast of mainland Chile,' writes Jason Vasquez.

'SURFER received the breaking news via satellite phone from staff photographer, Todd Glaser, who accompanied the big-wave duo deep into the Pacific in hopes of scoring waves on what Glaser called “Chile’s Cortes Bank.” The photographer was shell-shocked but managed to upload the accompanying photo of Baker and Long dropping in on the monster cold-water right-hander before stormy conditions terminated his sat-phone connection.'

A video of the event promised by Surfer Magazine over the next few hours...has now been posted!

It couldn't have happened on a better day!!!

Links to the Surfer Magazine - http://surfermag.com/features/onlineexclusives/100-foot-wave-surfed-chile/ are also on the maverickssurf.com site......showing that they are not only linked by surfing, but by a sense of humour!