Oakland A’s FanFest 2012 set for Sunday at Oracle Arena

The A’s will kickoff the 2012 baseball season Sunday, Jan. 29 as the team hosts Oakland A’s FanFest 2012 featuring photo, autograph and question-and-answer sessions with close to 30 members of the 2012 team, in addition to alumni and historical icons, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oracle Arena. Oakland A’s FanFest 2012, presented by Comcast SportsNet California, also serves as the first opportunity for fans to purchase individual game tickets for the upcoming season.

Admission tickets for Oakland A’s FanFest 2012 are priced at $8 for adults and $5 for children ages 14 and under. Admission to the event is free for current 2012 A’s season ticket holders and fans that place a deposit on a 2012 season ticket package. For more information on becoming a season ticket holder, fans should visit www.oaklandathletics.com/fanfest. Parking for the event is free to all fans, with parking gates scheduled to open at 8 a.m. Admission tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the A’s Ticket Services Office or online at www.oaklandathletics.com/fanfest. On the day of the event, admission tickets will be available beginning at 9 a.m. at the Gate D Kiosk.

Oakland A’s FanFest 2012 activities include free autograph, photo, and question-and-answer sessions, free photos with the team’s four World Series Trophies and former A’s legends, a memorabilia sale to benefit the A’s Community Fund, tour of the A’s clubhouse, Comcast SportsNet Sportscaster Experience booth, and A’s “Mathletics” program signup booth, sponsored by Ross Dress For Less and Comcast SportsNet California. In addition, 95.7 The GAME’s Chris Townsend Show will broadcast live from FanFest from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Close to 30 A’s players and coaches are expected to be in attendance for Oakland A’s FanFest 2012 including Manager Bob Melvin and his coaching staff, Coco Crisp, Dallas Braden, Jemile Weeks, Kurt Suzuki, Brett Anderson, Brandon McCarthy, Brandon Allen, Daric Barton, Jerry Blevins, Adrian Cardenas, Chris Carter, Joey Devine, Tommy Milone, Jermaine Mitchell, Jarrod Parker, Brad Peacock, Cliff Pennington, Anthony Recker, Josh Reddick, Adam Rosales, Tyson Ross, Scott Sizemore, Seth Smith, Eric Sogard, Michael Taylor and Neil Wagner among others.

With 2012 representing the 40-year anniversary of the 1972 World Series Championship and the 10-year anniversary of the 20-game winning streak, the A’s have announced in-season celebrations of those historic accomplishments. FanFest will feature some of those teams’ icons, including appearances by World Series MVP Gene Tenace, former MVP and Cy Young Award winner Vida Blue, and legendary left-fielder Joe Rudi from the 1972 champs, and 20-game winning streak hero Scott Hatteberg and teammate David Justice, who were recently portrayed in the acclaimed motion picture Moneyball, from the 2002 club.

Also, a limited number of fans will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with A’s Owner/Managing Partner Lew Wolff to discuss a variety of topics in an intimate setting. Fans are invited to sign up for this exclusive meeting at the Information Booth on the Plaza located between the Coliseum and the Arena from 9-10:30 a.m.

FanFest is the first opportunity for children ages 14 and younger to register for the A’s 2012 Kids Club. For $20, the child will receive an A's sweatshirt-style drawstring bag, water bottle, lanyard with membership card holder, coupon booklet with free and discounted offers on A's tickets and merchandise, and the opportunity to take part in unique experiences such as bringing water to the umpire or serving as a guest public address announcer. The A’s Kids Club is sponsored by The Oakland Zoo and Round Table Pizza.                       

Oakland A’s FanFest 2012 also serves as the first opportunity for fans to purchase individual game tickets for the upcoming season, including the A’s home opener against the Seattle Mariners April 6. Tickets for A’s home games can be purchased, beginning at 9 a.m. PST on Jan. 29, at all usual ticket outlets, including the O.co Coliseum Box Office, online at www.oaklandathletics.com/tickets, or over the phone by calling 877-493-BALL (2255). Season, group (including all fundraising options) and suite tickets can be purchased by calling 510-638-GoA’s (4627).

In addition, the club today announced that dynamic pricing will be used on all single-game tickets in 2012. Last season, the A’s dynamically priced nine premium home games. With the help of software analytics provided by Qcue, the A’s will be able to accurately set and adjust ticket prices in real-time, based on actual demand for a game, taking into account a variety of factors such as day of the week, weather, opponent, pitching matchups and team performance. Current pricing information for individual tickets will be available online at www.oaklandathletics.com/dynamic.

“By using dynamic pricing on all individual tickets this season, we are able to offer fans the best value possible, in addition to more ticket options at a variety of price points,” explained Steve Fanelli, Executive Director of Ticket Sales and Operations. “Fans are encouraged to purchase individual game tickets early, or guarantee savings with season packages, but will ultimately have the ability to track market value and make purchase decisions based on real-time demand.”

In addition, every Monday and throughout each homestand the A’s, will announce special “dynamic deals” for specific games and seating locations. Deals will be announced through the A’s Twitter account (@Athletics) and posted online at www.oaklandathletics.com/dynamicdeals. Dynamic deal ticket offers can change at any time. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets early to get the best deal.

Dynamic pricing has become an industry standard with more than one-third of Major League Baseball teams, including the San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox, implementing the practice. Numerous National Hockey League, Major League Soccer and National Basketball Association teams, including the Golden State Warriors, are also utilizing the dynamic pricing structure.

The A’s home slate features an attractive event and promotional schedule for 2012, highlighted by 1972 World Series Reunion Saturday, April 21 vs. Cleveland, with 10,000 fans receiving a Rollie Fingers bobblehead, sponsored by Comcast SportsNet California. The 10-year anniversary of the A’s 20-game winning streak will be commemorated in August against Cleveland, when 15,000 fans receive a Hatteberg bobblehead, sponsored by Pepsi, Aug. 18, and 10,000 fans receive a 20^th Consecutive Win Streak T-Shirt before the game Aug. 19.

Other promotions include a Swingin’ A’s Fleece Blanket, sponsored by Bay Area News Group (May 11), A’s Youth Knee High Striped Socks, courtesy of Ross Dress For Less (June 16), five fireworks nights, including a show before the 4th of July holiday (scheduled dates are May 25, June 15, July 3, Aug. 3, Sept.14) and 1955 Oakland Oaks Hat, sponsored by Cache Creek Casino Resort (July 8). For a complete up-to-date promotional schedule, please visit www.oaklandathletics.com/promotions.

The A’s will continue to offer several popular ongoing promotions from last year, most notably Chevy Free Parking Tuesdays, BART $2 Wednesdays and XFINITY Friday Family Pack. For most Tuesdays, fans will get to park free at the Coliseum. Also, for every Wednesday game throughout the 2012 season, A’s fans can purchase $2 tickets. The XFINITY Friday Family Pack offer includes four Plaza Level game tickets and four meals for a cost of only $50 to any Friday game. Each meal includes a hot dog, soda and bag of peanuts.

For more information, please visit www.oaklandathletics.com.