ST. PETERSBURG, FL. – The team roster on the Rays’ site has all the typical player information such as uniform number, height, weight, date of birth, and whether a player is right-handed, left-handed, or hits from both sides.
What is noticeably absent is the lack of player photos. That has been the case since the lockout commenced on December 1. During the lockout, which is ticking toward the start of spring training, teams cannot use a player’s likeness. Though player names can appear on a roster, they cannot be used for promotional purposes.
That is why a press release issued by the Rays on Monday announcing promotional dates simply states that a bobblehead to be given away April 23 when the Red Sox are in town, for example, is sponsored by DEX Imaging.
Whose bobblehead will it be? Such details will have to wait until the lockout has concluded, which we all hope will be sooner or later. The Rays’ first scheduled Grapefruit League game is against the Pirates in Bradenton on February 26.
A photo of a chain necklace giveaway scheduled for May 27 against the Yankees is clearly Wander Franco’s No. 5. However, his name at this time cannot be used as part of the promotion.
A prime example of a team doing away with an image is the Phillies’ removing a banner hung outside Citizens Bank Park that celebrated Bryce Harper winning the MVP. On December 1, the banner was gone.
As for the Rays, the team will have 16 promotional dates, including eight Sundays when fans 14 and under are treated to a giveaway. The other eight dates will have a giveaway for all fans coming through the gates at Tropicana Field.
Single-game tickets will be available to the general public effective February 10 at 10 a.m. They will be available in the MLB Ballpark app and at Raysbaseball.com.
Season members, spring training season ticket holders, corporate partners and group leaders will receive information about special single-game presale opportunities.
Fans signing up for the team’s email newsletter, Rays Insider, will have the opportunity to purchase tickets online February 9 at 10 a.m. The registration deadline for this presale is February 8 at noon.
The Rays are scheduled to open the regular season March 31 at Boston. The home opener is scheduled for April 8 against Baltimore.
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