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This coming school year the athletic department has decided to release a series of collectable bobbleheads to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Purdue Pete. They will feature the original design, as well as the 60's, 70's, 80's, and the current Pete. No, the New Coke Pete that lasted all of a week will not be included, as that has apparently been locked away as an athletic department boondoggle that can never be spoken of again.
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The bobbleheads will be available at the following events:
1956 Original Pete - October 15th Football homecoming vs. Iowa
1970's Pete - September 24 volleyball vs. Indiana at Mackey Arena
Current Pete - TBA men's basketball
1960's Pete - TBA softball and baseball
1980's Pete - TBA women's basketball
This all sounds good, right? Well, as usual, the athletic department has taken a good idea and screwed it up:
Bobbleheads will be included in ticket packages only and will not be sold individually to season-ticket holders or the general public. Bobbleheads will be distributed at each game included in the ticket package only. No bobbleheads will be mailed. A limited number of ticket packages will be available for each sport, so be sure to get yours early.
That's right. If you're a season ticket holder for football (meaning you have to be among the loyal people out there) your reward for loyalty is that you also have to spend another $25-40 on another game ticket to get the bobblehead. And yes, if all packages are not sold by June 23rd, then Iowa fan that purchase general public tickets to the homecoming game through Purdue will get a bobblehead instead of loyal season ticket holders because of this part:
The first Purdue Pete Bobblehead Series ticket package will be available for the Homecoming football game Oct. 15 vs. Iowa and will feature the original Pete from 1956. The football ticket packages will range from $25 in the End Zone sections to $40 in the Touchdown section. This package will be available at PurdueSports.com beginning June 3 when single-game tickets go on sale to John Purdue Club members, starting with Brees Leadership and Champion level donors. The Iowa ticket package will be available to the general public starting June 23 if bobbleheads remain.
I understand doing this for something like the volleyball game at Mackey or the baseball and softball games, but making your football and men's basketball season ticket holders pony up even more money is absurd. What is the plan if Men's basketball sells out its season ticket allotment, as is possible for a team projected in the top 15 for next season? Yeah, it is a good way to get a few extra people in for Directional State on a Wednesday in December, but the idea to have the football game giveaway available only to those who buy another ticket seems like very poor execution and a way to milk an already dwindling fanbase even further.