On this chilly Friday in November, join me in ignoring the looming lockout as we pretend that baseball is proceeding as scheduled next season. (Alex Anthopoulos certainly is with the offseason’s first big splash with the signing of reliever Evan Phillips). Here, life is beautiful because Opening Day is in 131 days.
The Braves have announced that single game tickets are now on sale for the 2027 season, which (for now) kicks off on the road at Dodger Stadium. But we care about what’s going on at the home
ballpark. And if you’re anything like me, what’s being given away at the gate may be a factor in when you plan to visit Truist Park.
More giveaways, ticket packages, and theme nights are to be confirmed as plans for the season finalize, but here’s what you can look forward to based on the current slate and schedule. More info is available on the Braves promotion page.
Friday Fireworks, Saturday Block Parties, Alumni Sundays
Nothing like a weekend series at home.
If the fireworks during the anthem/seventh inning stretch, after every strikeout (thanks, Gas South) and home runs aren’t enough, you can stick around after every Friday night home game for a Georgia Lottery-sponsored spectacular. It’s worth seeing for whatever baffling unique theme or playlist they choose to accompany the show.
The Braves Block Party returns to the Battery before every Saturday contest. Partake in live music and other entertainment before finding your seats. There’s a significant chance he Home Depot tools and Blooper and his ever-increasing horde of mascot security for roaming around for photo opps as well.
Sunday matinees are preceded by a pair of alumni showing up to sign autographs, which are TBD for now. Kids can also run the bases after the game concludes.
Gate Giveaways
The promotional gate giveaways are for the first 15,000 fans that enter the stadium. (Items in ticket packages are an entirely separate thing, more below). Depending on the item, sometimes you can rock up at closer to 7 pm and still get one. Others require some logistical magic and being in a line before most have even clocked out of work.
There will absolutely be more of these announced as we get closer to baseball being played. But for now… please enjoy the merchandising team’s best attempt at the brief: safe, apparel-forward choices that are fun enough to hopefully distract from the conspicuous absence of current player-themed items.
Magnetic Schedule (April 2 vs. HOU)
Everyone in attendance at the home opener gets one of these to slap on your fridge. Thanks, Georgia Power.
Truist Park “10th Anniversary” T-Shirt (April 3 vs. HOU)
Not sure a ton of people will be gunning for this one, but a concert-style tee celebrating your very favorite Cobb County ballpark’s 10th birthday can be yours.
BravesVision Bobblehead (April 16 vs. MIA)
Wiley erasure, unfortunately, but Brandon Gaudin and C.J. Nitkowski are getting their seventh-inning cracker jack toss immortalized in bobblehead form. How do the broadcasters get a bobblehead that looks more like them than some players? A mystery.
Phil Niekro Replica Jersey (April 20 vs. WAS)
The Braves love to do things in alumni-honoring ways, and this is the first of several giveaways featuring a Braves legend. Instead of Dale Murphy like last year, Phil Niekro gets the nod here for a replica jersey.
Mystery Hot Dog Hat (May 28 vs. PIT)
Yes, baseball and hot dogs are inextricably linked. We saw the first steps of the Braves embracing the hot dog mania that’s overtaken some other ballparks last year with the introduction of the “Build-A-Dog” challenge as mid-inning entertainment. Multiple teams have glizzys that race. Sometimes they rain from the sky in Seattle. But maybe the Braves saw their division rival Nationals have immense success with a “Bad Day to be a Hot Dog” hat giveaway and wanted to copy their homework, so here’s our version. The “mystery” is if your design will feature a hot dog with ketchup or mustard.
Tom Glavine Hockey Jersey (June 1 vs. COL)
Drake Baldwin’s hockey jersey last year was one of the most coveted giveaway items. Folks lined up as early as 3 pm (and I would know, because I was among them). Merrimack Valley’s Most Valuable Player Tom Glavine gets an hockey jersey of his own in an Atlanta City Connect flavor.
Hawaiian Shirt (August 20 vs. NYM)
Vintage baseball cards of Braves HOFers and tropical flowers intermingle in this year’s version of the Braves Hawaiian shirt. This is probably going to be up there in terms of popularity.
90’s Windbreaker (September 24 vs. MIA)
If you’re in need of a paper-thin windbreaker, this might be the giveaway for you. If I had to guess this will only really be available in L and XL sizes.
Ticket Packages/Theme Nights
These specialty items are a separate ticket and you’re guaranteed the item, unlike in a gate giveaway. These are usually accompanied by other festivities at the ballpark to make it a full theme night.
- Science Education Day (April 22 vs. WAS) meant for elementary school groups
- Girls Night Out (April 29 vs. NYM) gets the ladies a mock neck sweatshirt
- Star Wars (May 6 vs. SD) is a Braves/Star Wars jersey shirt
- Military Appreciation (May 31 vs. COL) features a Braves military appreciation t-shirt
- Braves Country 5K (June 5 vs. MIN) will have info available at a later date, but usually includes a t-shirt
- Father’s Day (June 20 vs. NYY) offers a 200minute session of catch on the field following the afternoon game
- Pride Night (June 23 vs. PHI) will have more info on the item/festivities coming soon
- Summer Camp Day (July 21 vs. PHI) is for, you guessed it, summer camps
- Deaf Awareness (August 1 vs. STL) gets you a City Connect-style jersey shirt with “Braves” spelled out in ASL across the chest
- HBCU (August 25 vs. MIL) features a jersey shirt with HBCU across the chest and 48 on the back
- Los Bravos (September 23 vs. WAS) is another jersey shirt with Latin American country flags patterned on the sleeves and jersey number
Anything in this initial batch speaking to you? What’s a must-have or a pass? What are you hoping to see announced in the future, and is that Alan Jackson bobblehead commercial still stuck in your head? Let us know.
