Pope Hats, Bloody Shirts and so Many Bobbleheads: The Creative Ways MLB Teams Lure Fans to the Park
The sold-out game gave away black-and-gold pope hats to 40,000 fans and included a stadium-wide sign of peace.
- On Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, the Chicago White Sox distributed 40,000 mitre-style 'pope hats' to fans at Rate Field during their game against the Cincinnati Reds, marking the team's largest promotional giveaway in history.
- The event honored Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native and lifelong White Sox fan elected in May 2025, who has been photographed wearing the team's cap at the Vatican since his election.
- Ceremonies included a fifth-inning 'sign of peace' led by Father Tom Hurley of the Chicago Archdiocese, a first pitch by Dominican Sister Mary Jo Sobieck, and a $14,000 donation to the Midwest Province of the Order of St. Augustine.
- The White Sox lost 5-4 to the Cincinnati Reds in the 10th inning; the limited-edition hats quickly became collectibles, with online sellers pricing them between $50 and $100 within days.
- White Sox executive vice president Brooks Boyer said the team will not commit to an annual event, stating they want to remain 'super respectful' to the pope and the Vatican going forward.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Muscatine Journal
Herald & ReviewColumn: Fiery brouhaha and series loss send Chicago White Sox staggering into Detroit for showdown
After a 3-3 homestand that featured Ozzie Guillén’s number retirement ceremony and a pope hat giveaway, the Chicago White Sox headed out for their biggest trip in five years.
The 2026 Chicago White Sox May Accomplish Something No MLB Team Has Ever Done Before
In the past 150 years since the 1876 founding of the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs kicked off the existence of Major League Baseball, some 120 different franchises past and present have taken to the field in pursuit of championship glory. Together, those 120 teams of varying eras have played an estimated total of around 3,000 individual seasons. Which is to say, on 3,000 separate occasions in the last century and a half, the mar…
Catholic Review
The Catholic SunPope Leo night at White Sox baseball park maxes out stadium capacity
CHICAGO (OSV News) — White Sox baseball fans sporting custom-designed, black-and-gold, mitre-style hats celebrated Pope Leo XIV, a fellow diehard Sox fan, at a pope-themed game in Chicago Aug. 11. A White Sox fan cheers wearing a “pope hat” at an Aug. 11, 2026, baseball game at Rate Field in Chicago. The White Sox game paid tribute to Pope Leo XIV, a native of Dolton, Ill., with a first pitch thrown by a nun, a performance by the ChiTown Popes,…
Pope hats, bloody shirts and so many bobbleheads: The creative ways MLB teams lure fans to the park
CHICAGO — It started as a limited promotion for a specialty theme night. Then the Chicago White Sox heard from their fans. Everyone wanted a pope-themed hat. “When things go bananas … that’s when it gets really fun,” said Brooks Boyer, Chicago’s chief revenue and marketing officer. Fun is the overarching theme when it comes to stadium giveaways, and business has been good at major league ballparks this year. An array of creative promotions — eve…
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