Apparently they need winter gloves in Phoenix
- Southeast Division Championship 3′x5′ banner replica
- 2008-09 Schedule magnet
- Bruce Boudreau bobblehead holding the Jack Adams award
- Alex Ovechkin bobblehead holding all four trophies won in the 2007-08 season
- Capitals alumni bobblehead
- Hard koozie
- Capitals Umbrella
- Playing cards with four Capitals players as different suits
- Action poster of Capitals celebrating with schedule at the bottom
- Capitals Beach Towel
- Light-up rally towel
- Young Guns magnet set (1” player magnets including Green, Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom and a 2” Young Gun magnet)
- Circular puzzle of an action shot of the team
- “Rock the Red” bumper sticker
- Capitals car window cling
There are some innovative ideas on that list- the Boudreau and Ovechkin bobbleheads, playing cards, and the puzzle, among others. The bobbleheads, in particular, would incite a frenzy not seen since- well, since the Ovechkin bobblehead promotion last season. I’m not sure about the “light-up rally towel,” but that would likely be ideal for the playoff atmosphere.
The Caps didn’t forget about kids, either. There was a question geared towards their desires as well:
- Inflatable hockey gloves
- Capitals lunch box
- 3” rubber made Slapshot mascot figurine
- “Grow With Me” poster with Slapshot or player to measure height
- 8 x 10 autograph picture of a single player
- Youth jersey (similar to a Capitals practice jersey)
Again, some different ideas. I’d be interested in seeing the inflatable hockey gloves. Just what my daughter needs!
How about noisemakers?
- Cowbell
- Clapper
- Thunder sticks
- Ping pong paddle-style noise maker
Well, everyone needs more cowbell.
Overall, it’s nice to see some new ideas out there, something besides the ever-popular bobbleheads. If done right, these giveaways could generate even more interest. Creativity is a great thing, but let’s hope the Caps stay away from some of the promotional busts of the past, though (such as the Ovechkin banner and the cheaply made replica jersey).
30 Comments
One of the great all-time giveaways that I remember was a life-sized Milk poster of Scott Stevens to use as a growth chart. Although I never did quite measure up the him on skates, I think that would be an awesome thing to bring back.
I think the schedule poster would be really cool.
Maybe they could make it an annual thing, like UK?
I had the Scott Stevens poster Steve mentions on my wall too! I like window clings and noisemakers, for sure. To me, if you go withe posters, they should be handed out after the game so you don’t have to figure out what to do with it during the game.
I like the umbrella, the schedule/poster, beach towel and any car magnets are welcome. My favorite last year was the Mr. Potatohead, though ours didn’t come with the mullet that you can get on NHL.com.
I need an additional room just for all the Caps paraphernalia that I’ve picked up over the years.
And I’m all for all this ‘flare’. Just make sure if they ever do the Alumni bobblehead night, that Bondra’s missing a tooth.
And I doubt they’ll bring out those ‘clappers’ again. I can’t remember when exactly it was (maybe ’92 or 93) when the Caps tied the islanders (I think) with ~2.4 seconds left to send it to OT. Those clappers were tossed EVERYWHERE; they were all over the ice and not to mention injuring a lot of fans sitting in the lower level.
But I love the fact that they still do give aways.
They should give away all those things, and give them away at the games I’m going to.
How about little Sidney dolls that when you push a button they whine. Wouldn’t that be a gas? 18,000 little cheap “Made in Taiwan” dolls that cried when you squeezed their belly buttons going off at one time…?
I would LOVE the umbrella and the towel — I prefer the more usable giveaways to the stickers/magnets/clings/noisemakers. The exception for me is bobbleheads; yeah, they’re completely impractical and just sit around collecting dust, but both the Boudreau & Ovie ones listed here sound excellent.
Im a Blackhawks season ticket holder, and they have had some great giveaways in the past few years. They did a Mr. Potato Head a few years back, and also a Khabibulin weeble wobble (very cool).
One of my favs though, was an ice scraper. And not just an ordinary one. The scraper handle is inside a big mitt, so your hand stays warm while scraping.
Of course, they do magnet skeds, hats, umbrellas, shirts, etc….
The AHL Chicago Wolves did a stuffed Zamboni for all fans, and I still have that (in my closet).
Another thought…..
The Cubs do a lot of “high end” promos, but not for all fans. What they do is give scratch cards to all fans, of which usually 500 or 1,000 win. They give away auto’d jerseys, balls, etc. I think last year they gave away cubs ipods this way.
How about a lifesize poster of Christopher Walken in a Caps jersey holding a cowbell.
I vote for the BB bobblehead, don’t know why I need it but I do!!! Also the Mr. Potato heads were awesome but should be given to everyone not just kids, or start selling them in the store (which they may, I haven’t been over there in a while). What about mini referee voodo dolls? perhaps some cheese to throw on the ice when the Pens play…you know to go with crosby’s wine? LOL
Whatever they give out, I really wish they went back to all fans in attendance receiving the item instead of first 5000 in the door (and whether you get the item may depend on which entrance you use). They even limited the bobblehead giveaway on Fan Appreciation Day to 15,000.
My gf has a boatload of giveaways from all her years as a Caps fan. Mugs, pucks…and my favorite was an oven-mitt shaped like a goalie’s glove.
OK, they had some weird things, but the glove is cool!
Whatever happened to simple hockey related giveaways like Puck Night. Or how about the lapel pin giveaways? Giving away Caps hockey card team sets would be nice.
In the end, while I love swag, it’s not what I go to games for.
I’ve got a Kevin Hatcher growth poster. Those were great. I have a friend who taught middle school for many years, and put the Hatcher poster in her classroom, creating a few young Caps fans in the process.
apparently I need to move to the kids table – I want a Caps lunchbox!!!
I go to the games, but who doesn’t love some good Caps freebies? My Ovechkin bobblehead is nodding in agreement as I type this
I love the goofy bobbleheads. I have a display case with Ovechkin from this season, Chris Simon from like 6 years ago, and some random Orioles as well. I would love to see a BB or Ovechkin bobblehead with their trophies.
My other favorite Caps giveaways of all time were the posters they gave out in honor of Langway’s hall of fame, Hunter’s retired jersey and the Caps all time 30. I have all three framed on my office wall. Those posters were printed on thicker than normal poster paper, almost card stock, so it was easier to keep them in good shape.
I missed out on the mullet wig, fleece helmet and others because Its hard to get down there in time to be one of the first 5,000. I’d like to see them bump it up to 10,000 at least, but I know that will be more expensive for the sponsors….
Well, Sombrero Guy, if you’d leave the bar a little earlier… :~)
One thing I noticed this past season: There were few sponsor names on most of the giveaways. The fleece towel is the only one I remember with a sponsor name on it (until the postseason, anyway). I kinda liked not advertising Chevy Chase Bank on my hat, for once.
I would have assumed they would send the survey out to all STH, but since they did not…my thoughts on each above
* Southeast Division Championship 3‚Äôx5‚Äô banner replica — this would be pretty cool
* 2008-09 Schedule magnet — got one on my fridge. Not the coolest thing in the world, but does come in handy
* Bruce Boudreau bobblehead holding the Jack Adams award —- would be the coolest non player giveaway since my Chuck Thompson talking bobble head I got at an O’s game. Big time yes
* Alex Ovechkin bobblehead holding all four trophies won in the 2007-08 season — My favorite option on the list
* Capitals alumni bobblehead — My girlfriend and I went to the blood drive to get the Langway last season. I’d love to add to the collection
* Hard koozie — Would come in handy while watching away games at home
* Capitals Umbrella — I’d use it, but don’t giveaway umbrellas tend to hyper exend at the first gust of wind?
* Playing cards with four Capitals players as different suits — would be fun to have
* Action poster of Capitals celebrating with schedule at the bottom — would be cool but I liked the classier painted portrait style posters they gave away in the past.
* Capitals Beach Towel — as long as it is an actual beach towel and not a glorified hand towel
* Light-up rally towel— is this a combination of a glow stick and a rally towell? Interesting….might make a cool visual but would get tossed aside after the game
* Young Guns magnet set (1‚Äô‚Äô player magnets including Green, Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom and a 2‚Äô‚Äô Young Gun magnet)—I could replace some of those old “Save the dates” on my fridge with Caps swag. I’d be cool with that.
* Circular puzzle of an action shot of the team —- It would give us all something to do suring the summer….right?
* ‚ÄúRock the Red‚Äù bumper sticker —- I don’t believe in putting bumper stickers on cars but it would be fun to keep handy in case I ever saw a parked car with a Pens or Flyers bumper sticker….
* Capitals car window cling —- eh
@Victor – haha I do my bar hopping AFTER the games. I’m either leaving from Baltimore and get held up by work/traffic, or I am leaving from my girlfriend’s in NOVA and get held up by her. We always make it before game time but not as one of the first 5,000 fans. A shame too. That mullet wig would really look good under the Sombrero.
I’ve got a fevah…and the only perSCRIPtion is more COWBELL!
But no “Thunder” Sticks, please. (We call them g@y sticks…”not that there’s anything WRONG with that”…in our circle of friends. Were very happy when the ACC banned them, before they became a mainstay at Terps games).
Agreed. I can get down with some cow bell, but all that other noise making nonsense is embarrassing.
They should have a cowbell give away for the adults too and not just the kids. I know fans use cowbells in European hockey games (especially in Sweden) so it would be a nice reminder of home for the Caps that are from across the pond.
Also, the scarf given out last year was great but it needed to be bigger. I hope the Caps give out a new one this year.
Anybody else notice the howling wolf is on the palm of the gloves? Seems like a weird location if you’re trying to promote the team.
‘course, betcha the sponsor is on the back of the glove. Money talks, after all.
Ha Ha Ha!!! Cowbell! The cowbell is awesome! Could you imagine the noise? A hell of a lot better than stupid thunder sticks!
I’d want more than four players in a set of playing cards. The Caps have fifty players under contract and four coaches. There are fifty-four cards in a deck. I don’t know who you can put for jokers, but I see something approaching a match.
No, not everybody is excited about Andrew Joudrey yet, but what a good way to start to build that excitement. What a great chance to keep likely callups like Laing, Bourque and Lepisto on fans’ minds until they crack the lineup.
I think that’s how you make it totally about the hockey team and not just a deck of cards with a tie-in.
Also, since nobody’s said, it, I’d love to see Jeff Schultz on skates on a growth-chart poster. That’ll give kids something to really strive for. “Mommy! When will I be six foot eight?”
“Some day, kiddo. Some day.”
Brilliant idea Eli! And the Jokers could be Ted Leonsis and GMGM, or maybe GMGM and Gabby.
Hmm. I think this article might have upset Ted just a bit. He made some remark about OFB wanting to “run the Caps marketing…”
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