News and Notes About the A’s Upcoming Homestand A’s Host Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox Thursday, April 14 Detroit Tigers 7:05 p.m. CSN Plus “Free Hot Dog Thursday” (10,000 fans receive free hot dog vouchers) Pre-game check presentation – Wells Fargo Educator Fund Program Green Stampede Homework Club
Friday, April15 Detroit Tigers 7:05 p.m. CSNCA Gio Gonzalez school visit at Manzanita SEED Elementary School in Oakland (1:00 p.m.) Giveaway – A’s fleece blanket, courtesy of Bay Area News Group (10,000 fans) XFINITY Friday Family Pack CSNCA Authentic Fan Friday Jackie Robinson Day Ceremonial first pitch/pre-game presentation – Jackie Robinson Scholar Pre-game check presentation – Wells Fargo Educator Fund Program Live National Anthem – Cisco Singers Green Stampede Homework Club Wells Fargo School Supply Drive (behind Section 120) Kids Club member brings water to the umpires (third inning)
Saturday, April 16 Detroit Tigers 6:05 p.m. NO TV Giveaway – A’s home cap, sponsored by Cache Creek Casino Resort (10,000 fans) Cache Creek Saturday Live National Anthem – Casey Rico Little A’s, sponsored by Bank of America Kids Club member “steals” third base (third inning) A’s Community Fund Silent Auction (behind Section 120)
Sunday, April 17 Detroit Tigers 1:05 p.m. CSNCA Giveaway – A’s kids wristbands, sponsored by Chevy (7,500 kids) Little League Day, presented by Chevy Live National Anthem – Jessica Johnson Take the Field with the A’s, presented by Washington Hospital Kids Club Guest PA Announcer, third inning A’s Community Fund Silent Auction (behind Section 120) Post-Game Race Around the Bases, sponsored by Chevy
Monday, April 18 Off Day
Tuesday, April 19 Boston Red Sox 7:05 p.m. CSN Plus Stomper BART station appearance in Oakland (10:00 a.m.) Home Run Readers program school visit at California School for the Deaf in Fremont (1:00 p.m.) Live National Anthem – Anthony Smith Color guard – UC Berkeley ROTC Pre-game check presentation – Wells Fargo Educator Fund Program MLBPAA Silent Auction (behind Section 120)
Wednesday, April 20 Boston Red Sox 12:35 p.m. CSNCA BART $2 Wednesday Live National Anthem – Nicky DePaola MLBPAA Silent Auction (behind Section 120) All A’s games will be carried on 95.7 The Wolf ( KBWF-FM ) and on the A’s Radio Network, with Ken Korach and Vince Cotroneo calling the action. The A’s post-game radio show is hosted by Chris Townsend. For additional information about the promotions or events listed above, please visit http://www.oaklandathletics.com/.
Promotions and Special Events A’s Promotions: This homestand features a number of promotional giveaway items including April 15, when 10,000 fans will receive an A’s fleece blanket, courtesy of the Bay Area News Group; April 16, when 10,000 fans will receive an A’s home cap, courtesy of Cache Creek Casino Resort and April 17, when 7,500 kids will receive A’s kids wristbands, sponsored by Chevy. A’s Little League Day: On Sunday, April 17, members of organized youth baseball and softball programs are invited to the ballpark for a day with the A’s. Little Leaguers will gather for a pre-game festival, be greeted by A’s players as they parade around the field and receive A’s kids wristbands, courtesy of Chevy. In addition, prior to the event, groups that purchased 100 or more tickets to A’s Little League Day are invited for a special “Chalk Talk” with A’s pitcher Gio Gonzalez and A’s pitching coach Ron Romanick from 9:30-10:15 a.m.. There is an additional A’s Little League Day scheduled for Sunday, May 15, and tickets are available by calling (510) 638-GoA’s and are priced at $25 (Lower Box), $20 (Field Level), $16 (Plaza Level), $7 (Plaza Reserved). For more information visit www.oaklandathletics.com/littleleague.
A’s Steal The Base Twitter Promotion: In honor of Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson and his single-season record of 130 stolen bases, the A’s will be hiding 130 mini bases throughout the East Bay for fans to “steal.” The giveaway will lead up to Rickey Henderson Bobblehead Day on Saturday, April 30. For 13 days, from April 18-30, @OaklandAs will tweet clues to its followers each day regarding the 10 bases hidden throughout the East Bay. For more information visit www.oaklandathletics.com/stealthebase.
Verizon TXT2WIN: Fans who text the word TRAIN to 35773 during A's games will have the chance to win a trip for two to 2012 A's Spring Training in Phoenix including airfare from Oakland to Phoenix, hotel accommodations, A’s game tickets, and an A’s merchandise package, courtesy of Verizon. For complete rules visit www.textrules.com/oaklanda.
A's Fans Vote to Decide New ARAMARK Signature Sandwich: The A’s and ARAMARK, the team’s exclusive food and beverage partner, are asking fans to decide what new sandwich will be added to the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum menu this season. The two sandwich options are a Bacon Jalapeno Meatloaf Sandwich, which is a handmade bacon and jalapeno meatloaf, sharp cheddar cheese and crispy fried onions on a brioche bun, and the Mamacitas Carnitas Sandwich, which includes seasoned carnitas, queso fresco, pico de gallo, sweet pickled jalapeno, and shredded lettuce on a ciabatta roll. The sandwiches are available for purchase at Sections 113 and 121 until July 6. Fans can cast their vote online at www.oaklandathletics.com/sandwich until July 10. The winning sandwich, which will be determined by total sandwiches sold and online voting, will be announced after the All-Star Break and remain on the menu throughout the 2011 season.
Community Relations
Gio Gonzalez School Visit: A’s pitcher Gio Gonzalez and team mascot Stomper will visit Manzanita SEED Elementary School in Oakland on Friday, April 15, as a reward for the students’ hard work and academic achievement. SEED was one of two California public schools to be named the 2010 National Title I Distinguished Schools by the National Title I Association in November, 2010. Gonzalez will participate in a school assembly which features a Q&A session, trivia contest and raffle of various A’s prizes and autographed items. He will also invite the students to participate in the A’s “Mathletics” Program, in order to promote continued education. SEED, a small, Spanish-English immersion elementary school in the Fruitvale neighborhood, was nominated as the California Title I Distinguished School with the most success in closing the achievement gap between its student groups.
Jackie Robinson Day: Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig and Major League Baseball have celebrated Jackie Robinson’s longstanding legacy as the first African-American to break the color barrier by retiring Robinson’s number throughout the League in 1997 and, since 2004, dedicating April 15 as Jackie Robinson Day in his memory. Prior to the game on Friday, April 15, two local Jackie Robinson Foundation alumnus scholars will throw out the ceremonial first pitches. The Jackie Robinson Foundation is a public, not-for-profit national organization founded by Rachel Robinson in 1973 as a vehicle to perpetuate the memory of Jackie Robinson and his achievements.
Wells Fargo School Supply Donation and Educator Fund Program: This program collects school supplies at every A’s Friday home game behind Section 120 to benefit local schools in need. Fans who donate a new school supply, worth $5 or more, receive a two-for-one Field Level ticket voucher for a future A’s game. At the end of the season, collected supplies will be donated to various schools in the East Bay and the children may receive a visit by the A’s mascot Stomper. In addition, throughout the season the A’s will honor local teachers for their dedication to education in a special on-field pre-game ceremony and Wells Fargo will provide additional funding to those schools.
A’s Home Run Reader Visit: An A’s player will visit with approximately 90 students at the California School for the Deaf in Fremont on behalf of the A’s Home Run Readers Program on Tuesday, April 19. The player will congratulate students who reached their reading goals, host a Q/A session, sign autographs for correct trivia answers and invite the students to the Coliseum for Home Run Readers Day. For the 2010-11 school year, over 16,000 students from 73 Bay Area schools reached their goals and four of those schools will receive a visit from an A’s player or coach, courtesy of the A’s and California Police Youth Charities.
Stomper BART Station Appearance: On Tuesday, April 19 at 10:00 a.m., the A’s team mascot Stomper will be awarding riders with A’s tickets to the April 20 game vs. Boston at the Rockridge BART station in Oakland. Stomper will also be handing out BART passes to lucky riders to further encourage A's fans to take BART to the Oakland Coliseum.
Green Stampede Homework Club: Before select A’s home games, teachers and volunteers from Oakland public schools offer tutoring for at-risk students at the Coliseum. Students who attend the study group are rewarded with tickets to that night’s game. If a student shows up to all eight of the study groups, they will be rewarded with a visit from an A’s player for a Q&A session and autographs. The first session will meet until June 8 and the second session will meet between Aug. 12 and Sept. 21. Little A’s: Throughout the season, the A’s treat children from Bay Area youth groups from low to moderate-income families to a ballgame. In addition to a game ticket, each child will receive a Bank of America keychain and family passes to the Oakland Zoo. The Little A’s program is sponsored by Bank of America and supported by Clorox and the Oakland Zoo. A’s Community Fund Silent Auction: The A’s will host silent auctions of various sports memorabilia behind section 120 at all A’s Saturday and Sunday home dates during the season. Proceeds benefit the A’s Community Fund and other local charities. Take the Field With The A’s: Prior to select weekend games during the season, selected Little Leaguers will accompany A’s players as they take the field, stand with the players during the National Anthem, and receive an autographed ball from an A’s player. Take the Field with the A’s is presented by Washington Hospital.
Race Around the Bases: Following most Sunday afternoon games, children 14 and under will have a chance to race around the bases. Race Around the Bases is sponsored by Chevy. A’s Kids Club: A Kids Club member will help the grounds crew prepare the field before select Wednesday games, a Kids Club member will bring Aquafina water to the umpires during the third inning of designated Friday games, one child will “steal” third base during select Saturday games and a Kids Club member will be a guest public address announcer during select Sunday games. Children can join the A’s Kids Club online at www.oaklandathletics.com/kidsclub. For $20, the child will receive an A's drawstring backpack, A's Kids Club hat, and an A's coupon passport booklet with free and discounted offers on A's tickets and merchandise. The A’s Kids Club is sponsored by the Oakland Zoo and Round Table Pizza.
Ticket Offers
“Free Hot Dog Thursdays”: New this season, is the “Free Hot Dog Thursdays” promotion, when every Thursday game, 10,000 fans will receive a voucher upon entry, redeemable for a free hot dog from concession stands for that day’s game. Free Hot Dog Thursdays will replace the $1 hot dog promotion that previously ran on Wednesdays.
XFINITY Friday Family Pack: Every Friday during the regular season, fans can purchase four Plaza Level tickets and four meals (Coliseum hot dog, medium drink, bag of peanuts) for only $50 ($150 value).
CSNCA Authentic Fan Friday: Every Friday home game during the regular season, Comcast SportsNet California will host Authentic Fan Friday in the Value Deck of the Coliseum. Located in Sections 316-318, Comcast SportsNet California Value Deck tickets start at just $12 for most Friday games, and each ticket includes a Jumbo Ticket added-value of $6 within the ticket barcode redeemable throughout the ballpark for merchandise or concessions. Fans sitting in this Authentic Fan Friday section will receive a CSNCA prize pack, which includes an "Authentic Fan" t-shirt, cheer card, and other special prizes. For more information please visit www.oaklandathletics.com/csn.
Cache Creek Saturday: Saturdays this season, 5,000 adult fans will receive an instant scratcher card sponsored by Cache Creek Casino Resort. Prizes will include merchandise, discounts on merchandise, tickets, discounts on tickets, autograph baseballs and more. BART $2 Wednesdays: Fans may purchase Plaza Level, Plaza Outfield and Plaza Reserved tickets for $2 every Wednesday home game during the season. Tickets subject to availability. College Students and Active Military Discount: Upon presentation of an ID, college students and military members are eligible for $10 Plaza Outfield tickets (excluding Premium Games). Discount available day of game only.
Kids and Seniors Discount: Kids (14 and under) and seniors (60 and over) can purchase $10 Plaza Outfield tickets for all non-premium games during the season.
Jumbo Tickets: The A’s will continue to offer the recently launched Value Deck and Plaza Club seating, where the price of each ticket includes, within the barcode, a set dollar amount redeemable for merchandise and concessions. Value Deck tickets start at just $12 and include $6 of Jumbo Ticket added-value for food or merchandise, for seats that provide a view from the section above home plate. Plaza Club seats, on the second deck in front of the Westside Club, feature $10 of Jumbo Ticket added-value.
A’s Mini Suites: Mini suites allow fans to experience a Premium Suite with an attractive meal package designed for smaller groups, offered at an affordable price. For as little as $99 per person, minimum six people, A’s fans can experience a game from the Suites while enjoying a food package that includes hot dogs, sliders, wings, popcorn, and beverages.
Ticket Information: Tickets for A’s home games can be purchased at all usual ticket outlets, including the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Box Office, online at www.oaklandathletics.com/tickets, or over the phone by calling (877) 493-BALL. Season, group (including all fundraising options) and suite tickets can be purchased by calling (510) 638-GoA’s (4627). Individual game tickets are priced at $48 (MVP), $35 (Field Infield), $32 (Plaza Club), $30 (Lower Box), $26 (Field Level), $26 (Plaza Infield), $24 (Plaza Level), $18 (Plaza Outfield), $13 (Bleachers), $12 (Value Deck) and $9 (Plaza Reserved). All 2011 Premium games are dynamically priced; prices will vary. Base ticket pricing for 2011 Premium Games are set at $55 (MVP), $42 (Plaza Club), $40 (Field Infield), $40 (Lower Box), $32 (Plaza Infield), $30 (Field Level), $26 (Plaza Level), $20 (Plaza Outfield), $15 (Value Deck), $15 (Bleachers) and $9 (Plaza Reserved).
