May 2011
Dawg Days of Summer At Miller Park
It seems like summer has just arrived in Milwaukee, after a long winter and short (wait, did it even happen?) spring, those “Dog Days of Summer” are definitely right around the corner. The “Dawg Days of Summer,” however, have started at Miller Park. From now through June 11, the Brewers are inviting fans to bring in photos of their dogs dressed in Brewers gear to the Brewers Team Store by Majestic at Miller Park.
Over the past couple of years it seems that more and more people are wearing Brewers gear in and around town. The team is hot right now and so is Brewers gear. At the same time, you also see more and more people dressing up their dogs in team gear. This Brewers contest will combine the two of those elements in which fans will put up their pooches for some great Brewers prizes.
“We have seen the demand for dog products rise in the last year,” said Jill Aronoff, Brewers Senior Director Merchandise Branding. “The vendors are offering a better selection now as well. Sales have been up so far this year and the best-selling items are the leashes, ball/rope toys and the Brewers pet jersey.”
A large display board will be set up at the Brewers Team Store by Majestic and will show off all the submitted photos of dogs in Brewers gear. A panel of judges selected by the Brewers will select five of their favorite pictures on Saturday, June 11. On Sunday, June 12 as the Brewers take on the St. Louis Cardinals the five photos will be shown on the new Miller Park scoreboard and will be judged via fan applause.
The winning dog will be able to come to Miller Park on Friday, June 24 for an on field appearance prior to the Brewers game vs. the Minnesota Twins. That day also happens to be National Take Your Dog To Work Day. The winning dog’s owner will also receive a $250 shopping spree to the Brewers Team Store by Majestic; four tickets to the June 24 game and a collection of Brewers dog gear. Additionally, all pet products will be 10% off that day at Miller Park.
The first 100 fans who bring their photo to the Brewers Team Store by Majestic (the contest started today and as of 3 p.m. today there were only a couple up there, so there is still time to act!) will receive a coupon for $5 off their next purchase at the store. The top four runners-up in the promotion will receive a $50 shopping credit in the Brewers Team Store by Majestic, a Brewers leash set, and a Brewers rope toy.
Please keep in mind that the only way you can enter the contest is to drop off your pet photo at the Brewers Team Store by Majestic at Miller Park. You can drop off your photo through June 11, so you have plenty of time. If it is easier for you to get to Miller Park while the team is on the road, you can stop by while the team is on the current seven-game road trip that ends Monday, June 6.
If you are coming to a game during the Mets series, June 7- 9 or the first two games of the Cardinals series, June 10 – 11, you can drop off your photo at that time. Store hours are Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. The store is also open until one hour following Brewers home games. To contact the store, please call 414-902-4750.
A large selection of Brewers gear for both people and pets is available at the Brewers Team Store by Majestic. I have snapped a couple of shots of select items for sale. Leashes, t-shirts, bandanas, chew toys, dog bowls and ID badges are among the items available for your pups. John and Cait wish the best of luck to all the Brewers fans and their four-legged friends.
–JOHN
johnandcait@brewers.com
Brewers Blogroll Call!
If you’re reading this post, we know you must read Brewers blogs…but do you write one as well?
Post a link to your Brewers or baseball-related blog in the comments section and, over the next few weeks, John and I will take a look at them and highlight a couple of our favorites!
Happy blogging!
-Cait
Johnandcait@brewers.com
We Found Bernie
Looks like Cait and I found Bernie! I can’t believe at how many people are here at Veterans Park!
#WHERESBERNIE? Bring Back, Bring Back, Bring Back My Bernie to Me…
John and Cait have compiled all of the clues & tips to help you find Bernie Brewer tomorrow!
Bernie Brewer has been missing since last Monday and if you were at the games against the Colorado Rockies at Miller Park this weekend, or if you watched on TV or listened on the radio, you know that this is getting serious. We had sellout crowds on both Saturday and Sunday, but one Brewers fan–the biggest Brewers fan on the planet–was noticeably absent.
Bernie Brewer was not at his usual post over the weekend and it wasn't the same without him. Brewers fans, help bring Bernie back!
#WHERESBERNIE Tips
- Each clue is for a different location where I will be hiding the lawn ornaments next Tuesday, 5/24!
- There will be more than one lawn ornament hidden at each location!
- There will be multiple mini-mes at each location, but you should be nice and share with other Brewers fans!
- You may want to familiarize yourself with the @CountyParks website!
- If there is no city or county mentioned in the actual clue, assume it is a @CountyParks park!
- All of the clues to the locations of the 400 “stach”ues have been given-there are 27!
- Mini-mes are in parks in the 5-county metro MKE area, Kenosha, Madison, Appleton, and Green Bay!
- 5-county metro MKE area includes Ozaukee, Washington, Waukesha, Racine, and Milwaukee.
- Don’t forget, the scavenger hunt begins tomorrow morning at 5am!
- There is an average of 10-15 “stach”-ues per location!
- I have not given any clues to the place where 1000 “stach”ues will be! Check out brewers.com/wheresbernie tomorrow!
#WHERESBERNIE Clues
Below are all of the clues that Bernie has given over the last week. As Bernie noted in his tips, there is one clue per location and if the specific county is not alluded to in the clue, fans can assume it is a Milwaukee County Park.
- #WHERESBERNIE CLUE #1 I followed the team to the airport, then checked out this park in the area known as the “Gateway to MKE.”
- #WHERESBERNIE CLUE #2 I’m checking out the home of this park’s Reds, a franchise of the Polish-American Semiprofessional Baseball League from 1909-1919!
- #WHERESBERNIE CLUE #3 I’m looking for a park with a @CountyParks park with a spacious pavilion and a waterfront view…
- #WHERESBERNIE CLUE #4 1 of MKE’s 1st parks, it honors Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander Freiherr von ___. Try to fit that on a jersey!
- #WHERESBERNIE CLUE #5 School’s out so I might see some @UWMadison students playing Ultimate Frisbee at this park close to campus. Hmm.. This must be a Madison Park!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #6 In the ‘40s, this park hosted ski jumps on its 77’ long ski slide! Might try to take in a @TimberRattlers game tonight… The Timber Rattlers play in Appleton, this must be an Appleton Park!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #7 I wonder if @AaronRodgers12 ever went to this park where you’re on your way to “Going Big in the Bay!” Aaron Rodgers? Must be in Green Bay!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #8 I am getting back to nature in this Ozaukee Park!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #9 This @CountyParks tournament course really challenges my golf game!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #10 This @CountyParks course on the north side of MKE is a great place to get in a quick 9 on an off day!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #11 Celebrate a #Brewers victory on the newest & tallest waterslide tower in the @CountyParks!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #12 This park on the northwest side of the city was the site of one of our Block Parties in ’08!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #13 For just $18, you can buy our Brew Crew & the Zoo pkg, but this park was the first home of the MKE County Zoo!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #14 Work off all those brats you had at the game last weekend at this urban community center.
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #15 This “offic”ial location is listed on the National Register of Historic Places!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #16 I go here to “cool” off—with so many slides, it makes me feel at home!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #17 At first I thought I was on the beach, but then realized I was just caught in the bunkers near the #17 green!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #18 These places remind me of being at Miller Park when the roof is closed!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #19 This park was named in honor of the President who shares his number with Prince Fielder!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #20 This park is a central part of a charming Milwaukee neighborhood created in the 1950s.
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #21 This West Bend park held its 75th Anniversary Party last year!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #22 Many couples stop at this Waukesha park after “Tying the Knot!”
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #23 This Kenosha park was named for a car manufacturer!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #24 Bullpen catcher Marcus Hanel has probably visited this site of the first Blue Wave Beach in the state! Marcus is from one of the counties in the 5-county area, do you know which one?
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #25 Today I’m going to take a “ride” to this park, named in honor of this Civil War hero.
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #26 All of those April showers are bringing May flowers here. I think I’ll also check out Bird Fest!
- #WHERESBERNIE Clue #27 No Par 5’s on this regulation course-good news since I only have four fingers to count on!
Even though Bernie insists there is one clue per location, John and I think clues 10 & 11 are related, as well as 16 & 17; they might be separate locations but we think they might be pretty close to one another.
For continued updates as the scavenger hunt nears, make sure you follow @Bernie_Brewer and use the hashtag #WheresBernie! Also, if you’re not able to join in the fun tomorrow, you’ll still want to follow him–he recently tweeted that when he gets to 10,000 followers, he’s going to give away one of the lawn ornaments to a lucky fan. He’s getting close, so spread the word!
So…let’s start a discussion in the comments field below…where are you going to look for Bernie tomorrow?
-CAIT
FANS ACROSS THE STATE ARE WONDERING…WHERE’S BERNIE?!?
The biggest Brewers fan on the planet–the loveable, mustachioed, home run & victory sliding Bernie Brewer–has gone missing and only Brewers fans can help find him!
News of the team mascot’s disappearance spread over the Twitterverse early Monday morning as it appears that Bernie is using his Twitter account, @Bernie_Brewer, to send messages and clues as to his whereabouts–all while planning a fun scavenger hunt for Brewers fans.
Here’s how it all went down.
After last Sunday’s sweep over the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bernie sent out the following tweet at 10:07pm:
"Just finished packing. Headed to bed. Tomorrow is a big day for me! Sweep dreams, Brewers fans!"
With the team headed to Los Angeles, we all kind of wondered what his big day would entail, but then Bernie’s next tweet came at 5:30am.
"#WheresBernie? I'm planning a scavenger hunt for you, Brewers fans! http://www.brewers.com/wheresbernie"
A visit to the link, brewers.com/wheresbernie, provided details of the event that Bernie is brewing this week.
It seems that with the assistance of the award-winning Milwaukee County Parks and other Wisconsin-based parks, Bernie is planning a statewide “Where’s Bernie?” scavenger hunt and Brewers fans across Wisconsin will have an opportunity to win unique and valuable prizes by participating.
In preparation for Spring Madness, Bernie Brewer has been hard at work. Not only has Bernie gone missing from Miller Park, but he’ll also be planting over 1,400 Bernie Brewer lawn ornaments across the state.
Four hundred of the lawn ornaments will have special prizes attached, and will be placed in parks throughout the 5-county metro Milwaukee area as well as in parks in Madison, Appleton, and Green Bay on the morning of Tuesday, May 24.
These 400 Bernie Brewer lawn ornaments will have pouches attached. Each pouch will contain Brewers game tickets, and many will also include additional prizes such as certificates for a night in a Miller Park Suite and game-used memorabilia; and Milwaukee County Parks passes for golf, water parks, and the Mitchell Park Domes. In addition, 100 of the lawn ornaments will be autographed by Brewers players and personnel. The scavenger hunt for fans will begin at 5 am the morning of Tuesday, May 24.
There will also be over 1,000 additional lawn ornaments, without prizes, placed in a single, undisclosed location. This location will be unveiled to fans through media outlets and on brewers.com on the morning of Tuesday, May 24. Beginning at 7 a.m., fans may come to the site to pick up their very own Bernie Brewer ornament.
In an email, one of the Famous Racing Sausages, who refused to be identified, told me:
“Bernie was just saying to me that he thought that the Wisconsin baseball fans have been ‘going mad’ with the un-spring-like weather this year. Watching them come in with coats and hats this weekend he commented,: ‘Look at them! They’ve got cabin fever and they’re ready to get out of their houses and spend some time at their local parks, including, of course, their favorite: Miller Park. I need to give them an excuse to do just that.’ Well, I’ll be doggoned!I guess that explains why he’s cooked up this promotion!”
Indeed. “Where’s Bernie?” comes in advance of our annual Spring Madness celebration from May 27-29 at Miller Park. The Crew hosts the World Series Champion San Francisco Giants during the Spring Madness weekend, and Brewers fans can save 50% on all tickets $30 or less. In addition, Klement’s hot dogs and small Pepsi products are just $1 each for all three games.
From now through May 23, Bernie will be using his Twitter account, @Bernie_Brewer, to give clues to fans about the location of where the 400 lawn ornaments with prizes will be placed. All of Bernie’s “Where’s Bernie?” related tweets will use the #wheresbernie hashtag to provide up-to-the-minute news on the promotion as well as clues to his whereabouts. Fans are invited to join in the conversation and share their guesses as to where the ornaments will be placed.
As of today, Bernie has already given clues to seven locations.
When I replied to ask if he knew of Bernie’s specific plans and hiding places, the unidentified Sausage wrote back, “No. I grilled him about it, but they’re more top-secret than the recipe for Secret Stadium Sauce. And even if I did know something, I really can’t talk about it. I do know he’s been giving out clues on Twitter. I really need to get on there and ketchup.”
-Cait
Join in the fun! Visit brewers.com/wheresbernie for details and you could win great prizes!
Brewers Group Sales: Giving Your Event a Little Zing, Boom, Tararrel!
Birthdays. Retirements. Bachelor/bachelorette parties. Company outings. Family reunions. Youth organizations, day camp and school field trips. Sorority/fraternity outings. Team celebrations. Church group outings. Club gatherings.
Whatever the occasion, Miller Park is the perfect place for your group outing and Brewers Director of Group Sales, Chris Barlow, and his staff are there to ensure that all of the details are handled. Your group just has to show up, enjoy the game and have fun!
Far Right: Chris Barlow, Director of Group Sales, with the Today's TMJ Storm Team 4 Meteorologists on Weather Day, 2009.
As a Wisconsin native who grew up in Oconomowoc and Wauwatosa, Chris has always been a Brewers fan.
“When I was a little kid, if you had told me that when I was a grownup, I would be working for the Brewers for a really good chunk of my life, I would have said I will take it, I wouldn’t have even asked how much it paid,” Chris said.
In fact, Chris remembers his first Brewers game in 1972 when the Crew faced the Red Sox with Luis Tiant on the mound, and his first time at Opening Day in 1980 when Chris’ favorite player at the time, Sixto Lezcano, hit a walk-off grand slam in the ninth to win the game.
Those cherished times spent at County Stadium made Chris realize that he wanted to work in sports in some capacity. A UW-Eau Claire graduate with a degree in broadcast journalism, Chris spent his college years working at WKOW in La Crosse, producing a nightly sports cable TV show, writing for the Eau Claire Leader Telegram and the Spectator.
After graduation and a brief stint working as a reporter for Community Newspapers, Chris took a job with the Brewers as a Telephone Sales Representative (TSR).
Then, when Chris’ boss at the time left to take a position in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres, he brought Chris along with him. There, Chris was responsible for helping create a sales force. While Chris enjoyed his time with the Sabres, he still felt that pull to return to his hometown team.
“When they put the shovel in the ground for Miller Park, I called [now VP-Consumer Marketing] Jim Bathey and said,’ Jim I want to come home!”
Jim offered Chris a job and he came back to the Crew in 1997. He’s been working here ever since.
“My original thought, way back when I was a TSR, was that I would get my foot in the door and then move into broadcasting or media relations, but all these years later, here I am, in Group Sales,” Chris said.
But Chris is definitely not unhappy with how his career has panned out. “I found out I was pretty good at it and that I enjoyed it,” he said.
“I love working at Miller Park and it still gives me goose bumps some days when I drive up,” he said.
While Chris’ career has evolved over the years, his current responsibilities include overseeing all of Group Sales, which includes group outings, the All-Inclusive Areas, the party suites and the tailgate facilities.
Chris’ staff includes Maggie Aliota, Group Event Coordinator and Jake Mentch, Group Account Executive, and the three of them are there to assist fans with planning their group outings every step of the way.
“Any group, any size, any event, any budget, and, with our retractable roof, any weather—we’ve got you covered,” Chris said.
And they are always coming up with new ideas to enhance the fan experience.
New for 2011, along with our Bonus Games, Chris and his staff have added Value Games and Super Bonus games, so fans have additional opportunities to save even more. This means that we now offer groups up to 83% savings to over half of our home games. Plus, your group can catch some of the hottest games against the rival Cubs, Cardinals and Twins at non-Marquee prices, exclusively for groups, saving up to 40% off individual ticket prices for select games.
Also new this season, fans have opportunity to purchase individual tickets in some of Miller Park’s All-Inclusive Areas for select dates at a special savings. As the name suggests, these areas are just that—all-inclusive. You get your game ticket, plus premium food and beverage options from your choice of several unique vantage points around the ballpark, such as the AirTran Airways Landing Zone, Gehl Club, Harley-Davidson Deck and Dew Deck. In the past, access to these areas has been limited to those purchasing in large groups, but now, the Group Sales Department is giving fans the chance to bring out smaller groups to sample the area.
Of the All-Inclusive Areas, Chris’ favorite is the Gehl Club, an upscale venue located on the PNC Club Level, down the left-field line.
The Gehl Club at Miller Park.
“It is a great place to view a game from. You might not think that if you just looked at a stadium map, but when you go stand in there, it is stunning. I am a little biased but I think it is one of the best places to watch a game from anywhere in baseball and the food is excellent, too,” Chris said.
Group Cap Days are another new initiative that has added value to the group experience in the last two years. Groups that purchase 25 or more group tickets in select areas on certain dates throughout the season will receive a unique Brewers adjustable cap for everyone in the group. The 2011 Cap Days are May 20, July 8, July 29, August 12, September 9 and September 23.
I think these caps are pretty sweet!
Another Group Sales offering that fans may not be aware of is the Corporate Savings Program (CSP). Personally, I think it is the best kept secret around here…well, next to the recipe for Secret Stadium Sauce! Basically, all it takes is one main contact at a company or organization to sign up for the program. The Group Sales staff will then send that individual a link to special ticket offers, exclusive to CSP members. The contact only has to post and promote the information and then it allows others within the organization to buy the tickets directly online; there is no money to collect, there are no minimums to meet, and the Group Sales staff handles the rest! It’s a great, no-cost perk for companies to be able to offer to employees.
Chris’ staff does such a great job day in and day out that they have countless repeat customers who always plan on hosting their annual Brewers outing at Miller Park. Although 25 is the magic number to be considered as a group here, many of those repeat customers are very large groups, like sometimes in excess of 10,000 people large!
For example, we have Little League Night each year and there is a pre-game parade of over 10,000 Little Leaguers. This year’s event falls on Monday, June 20.
“That whole night is very special to me because of the kids involved and being able to see their faces light up as the walk around the warning track with their coaches. It is an incredible feeling. The folks that organize that event are people who truly only care about organizing a fun baseball activity for kids. It is very refreshing,” Chris said.
Other large group nights include Weather Day (April 7), Singles Night (April 25)), Military Appreciation Day (this Sunday, May 15), Racine Day (May 22), Stitch N’ Pitch Night (June 21) , La Crosse Day (June 22) and many more!
Like I said before, whatever the occasion, if you want to give your event a little zing, boom, tararrel, you’ll want to make sure your gang’s all here!
For more information on Group Outings at Miller Park, vist brewers.com/grouptickets or call (414) 902-GRPS (4777).
John and Cait
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