Five hours before the first pitch their are queues around the block at Yankee Stadium for the Superman-themed Aaron Judge bobblehead with 18,000 up for grabs.
The first Bobblehead night was at Candlestick Park, the Giants produced 20,000 Willie Mays Bobbleheads in May 1999 but the craze really caught fire in the early 2000’s
At first, teams gave out bobbleheads highlighting star players in generic athletic poses, but throughout the past decade, they’ve adapted, today’s figurines are more complex, with more detailed likenesses and special collaborations. The Brooklyn Cyclones “Seinfeld Night” is a personal favourite.
If you are a sports team in New Zealand check these stats:
– Cyclones attract 30% bigger crowds than normal games when it’s a bobblehead night, while Major League clubs keep breaking attendance records during these giveaways
– When the Dodgers held a Shohei Ohtani bobblehead giveaway in April (the first of five Ohtani-themed promotions this year), fans showed up seven hours before first pitch, causing massive traffic jams around Chavez Ravine.
– The Pirates earned a rare sellout on Paul Skenes Bobblehead Day, eventually handing out vouchers to any ticketed fan who missed taking one home.
– The Reds drew their highest attendance in ballpark history for Elly De La Cruz Bobblehead Night.