Bobbleheads and other give-aways?

[Stencils]

I've worn my Toronto FC toque on a number of occasions since I got it and I'd love to get things like that again. I kind of feel like it would be good to hold that stuff to important events though (home opener, home closer, playoff games, etc). Sorta gives the free swag a bit more oomph than just 'free give-away'. It then becomes a kind of 'I was there' thing.

Stuff I'd like to see as free swag:
Sport Headbands
Sport Wristbands
Mousepads
Bee-...Beverage cozies (gotta think of the kids)
TFC Branded USB Storage Keys! (Preloaded with a few high res TFC related pics)
Fridge Magnets

[Hitcho]

last year for the Raps, Garbajosa (sp?) was out like the day after his doll came out.


I think the best Candidates for 'bobble status' are Dichio (obvious), Brennan, Sutton and Wynne.

And Robbo, given he's just signed on for another 2 years and that could well be his last contract (Robbo and Dichio coaching at TFC in a few years time? I'd love it). So apart from Marshall, our lists are basically the same!

[Hitcho]

I've worn my Toronto FC toque on a number of occasions since I got it and I'd love to get things like that again. I kind of feel like it would be good to hold that stuff to important events though (home opener, home closer, playoff games, etc). Sorta gives the free swag a bit more oomph than just 'free give-away'. It then becomes a kind of 'I was there' thing.

Stuff I'd like to see as free swag:
Sport Headbands
Sport Wristbands
Mousepads
Bee-...Beverage cozies (gotta think of the kids)
TFC Branded USB Storage Keys! (Preloaded with a few high res TFC related pics)
Fridge Magnets

See, just my opinion (which is no more valid than yours is dude) but all this stuff makes me want to wretch! The toque thing worked well, people can wear them to games (absent the big headed freaks who cannot fit into them ) and they only did it once last season. That's enough. We don't want all kinds of tacky crap given out every game. One scarf a season for ssh, the odd toque or t-shirt once a season, and that's it.

Also, a lot of people seem to be unhappy with the Kia badge on the free toques. I have no problem with it. MLS needs sponsors badly if the league is going to survive. We're in a small and growing market and we need that support to keep expanding. It was tastefully done (TFC badge and Kia logo were on opposite sides of the toque) and not overly blatant, so it passed muster in my book. Plus it means Kia paid for it, not TFC, which is also fine with me. Spend the money on the stadium and let Kia give out the free toques.

[Parkdale]

Plus it means Kia paid for it, not TFC, which is also fine with me. Spend the money on the stadium and let Kia give out the free toques.

nothing would go out without sponsors

Sport Headbands - Adidas
Mousepads - Motorolla
Bee-...Beverage cozies - Carlsberg or Pepsi
Fridge Magnets - BMO like the schedule they did last year

there's always a way to tie a sponsor into the giveaways.

[Chevy]

How about a Dichio bobble head, and when you shake him he head-butts a Blanco bobblehead??

[AL-MO]

I'll be honest the kid in me comes out sometimes when it comes to bobbleheads. I have my Vernon Wells bobblehead right next to my Chuck Swirsky one!!!

[Stencils]

See, just my opinion (which is no more valid than yours is dude) but all this stuff makes me want to wretch! ...

I can see where you're coming from. I know that free stuff like this can be thought of as a waste of time/money if it's something you don't want. When I see people giving out stuff that is honestly more likely destined for landfill than desktops I get a little depressed.

That said, the suggestions I gave in terms of swag are things that I use and wouldn't mind having with TFC branding on them. Would I buy a headband with TFC on it? Sure, I use tons of them when I fence (they get incredibly sweaty inside the mask). Is it conceivably something they would produce? Sure an Adidas sponsored headband makes sense. So getting something I want for free is awesome.

But obviously there's no way to guarantee that the giveaways will be something we want, so keeping it limited to a very few, mostly wanted things (scarf, shirt), is probably better.

[Cashcleaner]

I love collecting sports memorabilia and have already bought and framed a first-run jersey and t-shirt, as well as a few photos, cards, and whatnot. Bobbleheads would be kinda neat, but I agree that the player turnover rate wouldn't make for great merchandise.

It's nice and kinda cool, but not really necessary and I think the money is best spent elsewhere.

[flatpicker]

agreed that the player turnover would make it difficult...

but nobody can argue that a Dichio bobblehead would be a safe choice.
he is forever a Toronto legend!

[MFG1]

nothing drives me more nuts than people hoarding around the free catelli whole wheat pasta or the frickin disposable razors after the game, like we are heading for armageddon. That being said, it also goes for the people that feel the need to grab 10 hats, 15 toques, 8 ticket holders ...... Save the money for a roof or lower the prices on things like water. I know the swag is usually paid for by the sponsor, but shit like this shouldnt come out of dollar one of TFC.

[egoodwin]

bobbleheads are meh, they are something people would get excited about if the year was 2000...

[mclaren]

I HATE giveaways at football games...that's not why we're there. It's awful to see people getting so excited over them. This over-commercialisation is awful.

[billyfly]

I liked the plastic megaphone from Samsung giveaway. I use it to yell at my kids to come in for dinner.

[Cashcleaner]

nothing drives me more nuts than people hoarding around the free catelli whole wheat pasta or the frickin disposable razors after the game, like we are heading for Armageddon. That being said, it also goes for the people that feel the need to grab 10 hats, 15 toques, 8 ticket holders ...... Save the money for a roof or lower the prices on things like water. I know the swag is usually paid for by the sponsor, but shit like this shouldnt come out of dollar one of TFC.

Man, I don't get the "t-shirt" people. Why is it that people who are on any other day, rather reserved and dignified, yet go completely bat-shit crazy when a 2 dollar cotton tee is suddenly up for grabs. I mean, is there some sort of primal fight-or-flight instinct taking affect here? These are ordinary reasonable people that would never act this way at any other time.

What. The. Fuck.

[TorCanSoc]

I've elbowed a few adam's apples to have at some of those razors. Free stauph!!!!! Free stauph I got too much mortgage to walk away from free stuff. No matter what it is. I look for it before or after the game. My vice. Oh no!! Am I not a fan?!!!

[Parkdale]

I got a toque at the pub night yesterday, and it kicks ass.
Sure it's reversible and it's blue on the inside, but it actually fits like a real toque!

I remember they gave them out WAYYY back when. We did a BBQ and were given Marlies tickets and the toque. I gave mine away though, but now I have a replacement!

[nascarguy]

that's a good point. Those Kia/TFC toques were nice,
but they just don't cut it for people with big heads (insert parkdale joke here).

One size fits all is really just a cruel lie.

big head == big ego...

[Parkdale]

big head == big ego...

big belly = more room for poutine!

[FluSH]

I voted maybe. I want a patch of free grass, so at least our boys and supporters know what the real thing feels like at BMO. =P

[C.Ronaldo]

that raptors started the season?

My God........i havent even seen ads for games.


Where have I been?

[Sonny Cheeba]

this is the only bobblehead i wish i got....


other than that. i have enough useless shit that i collected in the past.

[Oldtimer]

How about seat cushions?

[Parkdale]

How about seat cushions?

have you noticed that they have seat cushions for sale at BMO?
These ones are square, a few inches thick AND COST MONEY.

I haven't seen a single one of those get thrown

[Hitcho]

have you noticed that they have seat cushions for sale at BMO?
These ones are square, a few inches thick AND COST MONEY.

I haven't seen a single one of those get thrown

that's because A) they won't fly very well by the sounds of it, and B) only the pansies in the sit down sections would buy them and those people are unlikely to be throwing stuff.

EDIT - I know the whole stadium threw cushions against Chicago when DD scored, but that was a one off and you could smell the history in the air from about three seconds before Danny slid the ball home.

EDIT EDIT - last season a girl who sits in front of me (in the south end) turned up with one of those official BMO Field opening seat cushions we all threw on the pitch and promptly sat down on it. I very nearly fell off the seat I was standing on...

[AL-MO]

this is the only bobblehead i wish i got....


other than that. i have enough useless shit that i collected in the past.

A few of my friends have that one. Didn't get it myself. But I'll stick with my Vernon Wells one. I probably got one of the last ones they gave out. In fact the usher chased after me and my buddy as there were only two left, to give it to us.

[ComeonyouReds]

Yes to free stuff!!!!!

[nascarguy]

I want to know when do the nascarguy bobblehead come out...lol JK

[James Oliphant]

[Parkdale]

I want to know when do the nascarguy bobblehead come out...lol JK

haha... your head already bobbles around enough!

[boomcha]

Boo to bobbleheads! Extremely tacky, I'm all for free stuff but stuff like that just ends up getting tossed because it just sits around and collects dust.
I liked the touques and I really like the free touques and car flags that were given out at the TFC night a couple nights ago. I liked the magnets at the beginning of the season because it was really useful for my wife and family to know when I was busy or not.

The seat cushions were a decent idea and I'm glad it became part of our first goal but I don't think it will happen again.

USB storage keys are a good idea.
TFC soccer balls would be awesome.