There are just so many professional sports teams that it would be a full-time job to go over all of their promotional calendars. We have to sort of rely on the ones that really stand out against the crowd. And that’s not even mentioning the minor leagues, which are a treasure trove of creative promos and periodic rebrands for specific theme nights.
And while baseball season is (sadly) a few months away still, we’re starting to see teams announce their promos for the year. Over time, teams have realized that you can’t just do a magnet calendar, a bobblehead, and a fedora. The fedora trend seems to be dying out, in favor of other silly tropical looks meant for Father’s Day, like Hawaiian shirts.
But also, teams are doing just a little bit of extra work to unite the city as a whole under the team’s branding, and tell the story of the fans beyond what’s happening on the field.
This week, our story comes to us from Milwaukee, where the Brewers just announced some pretty fun promos that tie into another one of its franchises.
Some of the Brewers’ giveaways for this upcoming season look less like things you’d get for free, and more like what you’d pay top dollar for in the team store.
We’re talking throwback jerseys, matching drinkware that looks a bit like that ever-trendy Stanley cup, and even a Brewers basketball jersey for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
We love a cross-over piece of apparel over here, folks.
If you don’t have enough stuff in your house, the first batch of Brewers promotional dates was released this morning. https://t.co/sX36qG9ZvN pic.twitter.com/shr5zhdk0e
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) January 17, 2024
According to Radio Milwaukee, the Brewers are also giving away a Brewers soccer jersey—something we’ve seen the Baltimore Orioles do, too—a snow globe, a belt bag, and a puffy vest. Again, a far cry from something people forget to pick up from their seat or throw away when they’re just inside the gate. These really look like premium, high-end products that all use the Brewers’ brand extraordinarily well.
The 2024 giveaways lineup is LOADED
NOW: get early access to all 2024 giveaway game tickets. Grab yours through 1/21 at 11:59 pm.
➡️: https://t.co/ncofZga5F0 pic.twitter.com/t30AtLnXku
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) January 17, 2024
Personally, I am a helpless Philadelphia Phillies/76ers fan, and I would absolutely rock that Giannis jersey.
Speaking of the Bucks, they’ve been doing some really clever stuff with promos this year, too.
Beyond just apparel, there have been cool collectibles like a Giannis Russian nesting doll, a Damian Lillard timepiece, and a puzzle.
Each nesting doll represents a big moment of Giannis' career.
First 10K fans get one courtesy of @BallySportWI and @cousinssubs.
🎟: https://t.co/LsNOWpHvPC pic.twitter.com/6iXwBcJAZX
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 9, 2023
But what really stood out to us on the fun branding end is the “National Cheddar Day Antlers,” which are just a headband with antlers that look like they’re made of cheese, bringing in the Wisconsin cheese branding in with the Bucks’ logo. It’s the kind of thing where you just know everyone in the arena is going to want to wear it during the game, maybe doing something funny to end up on the big screen, and bring home to show their friends.
Get this, the cheese antlers are sponsored by Sargento cheese, too. That’s just too perfect, right? It’s a dignified cheesehead-alternative for the Wisconsin sports fan who wants something more low-profile for basketball season, and it shows off multiple brands at once.
As more franchises release their promo calendars, we’ll definitely showcase some of our favorites. And, as we said up top, the minor leagues are always a source of inspiration. But, for right now, Milwaukee is practically Title Town, USA, when it comes to promos.
