JUNE 15 BASEBALL'S BEST GIVE-AWAY PROMOTIONS

JUNE 15  BASEBALL'S BEST GIVE-AWAY PROMOTIONS

It's summertime in America and that means Major League Baseball is in full swing. Attendance is down 6%, and teams are dreaming up new ways to sell tickets. So just about every game has a special theme: Giveaways, Special Promotions and Heritage Nights. All toll, there will be 1,800 such events this season. Our favorite is Vegan Night at Pittsburgh's PNC Park. Most involve free gifts handed to  the first 10,000 fans at the ticket gate. Here are seven notable examples from this season:

Aaron Judge Jedi Bobblehead. New York Yankees. The key to a successful giveaway is to tap into something that is already currently popular. Star Wars fits the bill, and almost every club has a promotion involving The Force. The Yanks took it a bit too far by turning their slugger into a Jedi knight.

Inflatable Prince Guitar, Minnesota Twins. Prince was not known as a sports fan, so it's doubtful he'd approve of this purple novelty item. (The reclusive artists wouldn't even let Weird Al spoof his hit songs!) Nonetheless, on the 60th anniversary of his birth last week, the Twins honored the coolest dude ever born in Minneapolis with this!

Mother's Day Tote Bag, Arizona Diamondbacks. Shopping for Mom is always difficult, so let the thoughtful folks at the ballpark take care of it for you! What mother wouldn't love a shiny polyester purse with a rattlesnake logo on it?

Boston Red Socks, Boston Red Sox. Baseball began in the 1800's, and players initially wore Victorian era clothes. Loose knickers were covered at knee level by long stockings. These leggings were so prominent, the whole team got named after them. Next month, you can get replica red socks at a Red Sox game. NOTE: Everyone already has white socks, so Chicago is not having this promotion.

Mets Cereal Bowl, New York Mets. It's always a safe bet to have a promotion aimed towards children. Backpacks, hoodies and caps are always sure bets to get kids' attention. But a cereal bowl? This is the exact type of thing that gets thrown out by mom when no one is looking.

Nelson Cruz Wine Stopper. Seattle Mariners. Some promotions are geared exclusively for adults. For example, last month in Seattle the first 10,000 folks (21 years and up) received this very classy item for your formal dining room ensemble. Watch out, mom's gonna toss this one out too!

Boogie Board, Tampa Bay Rays. If you want to surf, but aren't coordinated enough, head to Florida for a free boogie board. It's two feet of floating foam fun. Simply hug on tight and ride a wave...without having to try to stand up. This looks like the best of the giveaways this season!