Giancarlo Stanton’s record-setting win in the Home Run Derby will mean savings for Miami Marlins ticket-buyers.
The Marlins announced Tuesday they will offer a discount of 61 percent off tickets for the July 29 game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Marlins Park to correspond with the number of homers Stanton launched at San Diego’s Petco Park in the Derby.
The offer will go live on the Marlins’ website Wednesday.
The team sent out a promotional offer Monday prior to the competition that caused confusion and led to an interpretation that the discount would apply to games for the remainder of the season.
The initial offer said “Each time G launches a home run out of Petco Park, we’ll knock a percentage point off future Marlins tickets.”
In examining the offer on the Marlins’ site, fine print reveals the offer was limited to 25 percent off regular pricing for select games and expires at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.
“The promotion was always for a 25-percent discount for certain games in certain areas,” Marlins president David Samson said Tueday morning. “Last night was so spectacular that we decided to do one game at 61 percent in select areas. That will be the game where we present Giancarlo with the trophy.”
An update added Tuesday, under Home Run Derby Offer, specifies that the 25-percent discount can be obtained for “the game of your choice and enter coupon code HRDERBY.” Available games are listed below the offer, with only five remaining dates blocked out.
Stanton put on an unprecedented show on the way to defeating defending champion Todd Frazier in the finals, 20-13. He equaled the previous Derby record of 41 homers in the first two rounds, including 24 in the opening round.
Stanton’s homers traveled a combined distance of 5.14 miles, with the two longest at 497 feet apiece. He hit 10 that were longer than the best shot of any of the other seven competitors.
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Asked if Stanton’s performance caught the team by surprise when the promotion was conceived, Samson said, “Not at all. We were definitely hoping he would be the defending champion at home next year.”
Marlins Park will be host to MLB’s Midsummer Classic next year, with the Home Run Derby on July 10, 2017 and the All-Star Game the following day.
That occasion could include Marlins ace Jose Fernandez swinging for the fences in a hitting competition among pitchers. Fernandez was among several All-Star pitchers expressing interest in participating in the Home Run Derby.
Although that didn’t happen this year, officials of MLB and the players’ union are reportedly discussing the possibility for next year in Miami. Could be another ticket promotion in the making.