Everyone and their Beanie-Baby-loving mother knows that collectibles are having a moment. Maybe that’s because the economy feels like a casino, or because nostalgia has turned into a trend. Whether you’re digging through your parents’ basement for your old Pokemon cards or jumping in for the first time, one type of collectors item stands should be on everyone’s radar: the stadium giveaway.
Regardless of your sports affinity, you’ve likely noticed—or seen—the promotional item given away at a game you attended. For years, these items often came in the shape of a bobblehead or a t-shirt featuring the team’s star player. Back in the ‘60s, MLB teams began offering them to fans free of charge. Bobbleheads with the likeness of Roberto Clemente, Mickey Mantle, and other greats started a craze that the Beatles capitalized on in 1964. Then, just a decade later, bobbleheads went out of vogue. Fortunately for fans, the stadium freebie was just getting started.
Advertisement
But today, we are seeing something entirely different: the weaponization of the “pop-culture Venn diagram.” Teams aren’t just marketing to their own fans anymore; they are collaborating with global juggernauts to activate completely different fanbases. This creates a unique friction in the collectibles market. You might despise the Dodgers with every fiber of your being, you might be a die-hard Giants fan, but if you are a One Piece completionist, you absolutely need that Dodgers Monkey D. Luffy card.
These cross-pollinated giveaways birth a new asset class that draws demand from two massive, passionate, and usually unrelated audiences. It’s no longer just about baseball memorabilia; it’s about what happens when anime diehards, hip-hop heads, and sports fanatics all fight over the same limited-edition item. The result? A free promotional toy that often outperforms the price of the actual game ticket by 2x, 5x, or even 20x.
With these freebies seeing increasing demand in recent years, Mantel rounded up a few of the best promotional items given away at games in recent years.
-
Los Angeles Dodgers x ONE PIECE Card – $15,000: When “ONE PIECE Night” took place at Dodger Stadium last July, the game against the White Sox took a backseat to the collectible available to a fraction of the fans attending the game. While the first 40,000 entrants received a free ONE PIECE hat, those lucky enough to receive the coveted Monkey D. Luffy card, complete with a Dodgers hat, are cashing in—with one card earning a BGS 10 Pristine Black Label, and subsequently selling for $14,999.999. The mega popular anime series also collaborated with the Lakers, although those who received a Lakers x ONE PIECE shirt or collectible aren’t raking in quite as much dough. Still, a free $250 is a free $250!
-
BVB x ONE PIECE Card – $6,000: There’s clearly a theme here: anime sells. When German giants Borussia Dortmund offered a Monkey D. Luffy card, complete with the main character wearing the legendary Dortmund home kit, fans—and collectors—went wild. Plenty of the cards were soon shipped off to BGS, receiving 10 Black Label status, before sellers cashed in on eBay. Unfortunately, hype for the card didn’t translate into table-topping success for the club (sorry, Yellow Wall!), although BVB is having an admirable Champions League campaign so far this season.
-
Seattle Mariners x New Balance Hat – $400: This one’s too good not to include. Mariners’ catcher Cal Raleigh has one of the best nicknames in sports, hands down. Capitalizing on the popularity of their fan favorite player, the Mariners collaborated with New Balance on a snapback with the phrase “When it rains, it dumps.” I mean, c’mon. There aren’t many of these available on eBay, and those that are listed sell pretty quick, so unless you’re willing to wait, this is one you’ll have to snap up quick…get it?
-
San Francisco Giants x Star Wars Bomber Jacket – $340: 2025 was a good year for MLB fans looking to grab some free gear, and one of the many highlights is this Darth Vader jacket given away by the Giants. With Andor Season 2 debuting a few months prior, Star Wars hype remains high—not that it’s gone anywhere over the past 50+ years.
-
Los Angeles Dodgers x Demon Slayer – $100: Not to be confused with the animated K-Pop series Demon Hunter, Demon Slayer, collaborated with the Dodgers on teal and black hats to celebrate the release of Infinity Castle, the first movie in their ongoing trilogy series. They’re not as pricey as the team’s collab with famed artist Takashi Murakami, who created the Dodgers’ collectible Tokyo Series jerseys, but they’re certainly more exclusive.
-
Houston Rockets Travis Scott Bobblehead 2019 – ~$100: Before Mac Miller was honored by the Pirates, global superstar Travis Scott collaborated with his hometown Houston Rockets in 2019. The result was a “Cactus Jack” bobblehead that remains one of the most sought-after musical crossovers in sports history. Limited to those in attendance, these things sold for up to $800 at one point before falling to today’s prices. Travis Scott has gone on to have several additional bobbleheads with other Houston teams making this a must have for anyone collecting the set.
-
Milwaukee Brewers “Bob Uecker Magic 8-Ball – $25: Okay, this one isn’t going to fund your retirement, but it’s a perfect example of “if you build it, they will come.” The Brewers honored legendary broadcaster Bob Uecker not with a bobblehead, but with a custom Magic 8-Ball that answered questions with Uecker’s famous catchphrases (like “Get up, get up, get outta here!”). It’s a cult classic among memorabilia collectors for its uniqueness and ability to solve any problem you might have.
Advertisement
Got some giveaway goodies of your own? Share them on Mantel to farm some clout and see the greatest freebies your fellow fans have collected over the years.
Read the full article here
