Baseball Winter Meetings Trade Show

Posted on 15. Dec, 2009 by Corey in All, General Baseball.

My favorite part about attending the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings is not rubbing shoulders with the greats of the game, but being able to go to the Baseball Trade Show.  The Trade Show is filled with booths of vendors and major companies showing off their products and how it can be used in baseball to better the teams or up attendance.  The newest cutting edge in baseball equipment is on display along with the most popular stadium giveaways to fans.  The top entertainment acts are on hand, and of course food samples.  Got to love the food samples!

This year the Trade Show was held in the Indianapolis Convention Center and a special pass is needed to attend.  Around 300 or so exhibitors are there pushing their products.  The majority of the show is geared towards Minor League Teams front offices, but there is something for every baseball executive in this show.

By far my favorite booth is the New Era Hat Company one.  They set up rows of shelves and have EVERY minor league teams batting practice hat, along with one game hat from each club.  I totally wish that collection was at home with me, but I want to let you know that I am working on it.  For my sake, I am glad that they are only display hats and not for sale.  I spend some time talking with a few of the New Era Reps about ideas and designs for different things.  One major topic were the new Major League Batting Practice Hats that will be out for the 2010 season. They were surprised that I had seen the Cincinnati Reds one, since most aren’t ready and shipped out yet.  I recently dedicated a whole blog to that new hat that you can find by clicking HERE.  The New Era Reps showed me the artwork of all 30 teams and their new hat designs, but also mentioned that four of the hats have not been approved by the clubs yet.  I asked what happens if they are not approved, and they all seemed puzzled and said they hope it did not come to that.  I did get a free sample of a stretch fit New Era Winter Meetings only hat, that I will show pictured below at the end of this entry.

I can say that I visited the Trade Show several times during the three days it was open, as a way to kill time, or catch up with colleagues in the business.  By the end, I had the locations and contents of each booth memorized, but still really enjoyed it. I think my buddy John B. and I had enough Dippin’ Dots samples to supply us for a year!

The opening night of the Trade Show was filled with great food that was mostly made fresh to order.  There was a pasta bar, loaded mashed potato station and even a nacho stand that you could load with toppings.  When it was my turn for the nacho stand, the cook asked me what kind of meat I would like on top.  He said my choices were chicken, steak or rabbit.  I said, “Wait. Did you just say rabbit?” The cook replied yes, and I said, “Likes Buggs Bunny rabbit?”  He laughed and I agreed to try it, which didn’t taste bad at all.

It was also enjoyable to visit all the bat company booths and chat with the staff about their products and see what new colors and models that had for the upcoming season.  Also companies like Wilson and Rawlings had numerous jersey samples for different teams in minor league baseball.  I was also lucky enough to walk away with a few samples to take home like souvenir cups.

It usually doesn’t take much to excite me, and being at the Baseball Winter Meetings Trade Show was great and enjoyable.