Skyrocketing Signatures

[cjw]

I enjoyed reading about the best player autograph spots in the various stadiums and thought this would be a great post to leave in the "educational" section...so that fans could check in for updates before haeding out to new cities for vacation ball games.

To that end, let me provide you with some feedback on the best places to obtain player sigs in Toronto's Rogers centre - home of the Blue Jays. I worked in the Hotel in the stadium for 10 years and missed out on many amazing player autographs as it was Hotel policy to give the guests their space (only fair..but I missed out on Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, the Mick, Ali...etc!). For a non-employee, the Hotel lobby and front doors are a great place to hang out. Better if you are a guest...but book early, especially for Yankee, Indians and ChiSox games (book the day the MLB sked comes out). If you have a room, you can hang out in the lobby or in the bar and you will get several Jays sigs and have shot at many others. Only the White Sox stay at the Hotel in the stadium thus far (this could change, but since 1977 the city has had ball and the visiting teams have had other hotel affliations...the stadium hotel was opened in 1989). When the Sox visit thay stay at the Hotel and the guests can get everyone's autograph. Non guests hand out just outside the lobby doors and aren't shooed far away by the doormen, so this works too.

For other teams, try the lobby too.....even thought the other teams don't stay there, many players use the hotel lobby as a meeting place to link up with friends, family and former teamates, now on the jays roster. If you aren't a guest, but are quiet and polite you should have no problem hanging out here...escpecially if you go into the lobby bar and have a drink. There is an elevator that comes from the field to the kitchen area of this bar/restaurant, and many players and media come up this way. This is more comfortable than hanging out in a parking lot. Get-away days are different...the visitors and Jays will board buses and cars in the lot under the stadium and one will have little chance to catch them. Soem of the visitors also exit from gate 7...so this can be a good spot as well. gates open 1 1/2 hours before the game, so most of BP is over or ending and autos here are not easy.

visit Toronto if you get a chance...great city...clean, friendly, exciting and interesting...enjoy!

[godwulf]

Thats funny that crossed my mind

Beyond the fact that one of the "hippies" was reportedly the father of the other, I've been unable to find out any information about their identities. It's got to be out there on the web somewhere...

[radtke]

Most of this discussion is regarding baseball player signing fees. I collect signed NFL memorabilia, and you MLB guys need to consider yourselves lucky. Fees for football players are SIGNIFICANTLY higher.

I just paid to have a LaDainian Tomlinson game issued throwback helmet signed and the total freight was about $200. Yes, he's hot right now, but a number of other former and current NFL'ers charge in that vicinity.

Funny part was I live just north of San Diego and the private signing was with Radtke Sports in Georgia. They required I ship the helmet to GA, they then shipped it to SD for the undisclosed signing with LT, shipped it back to GA, and now it's on its way home. Crazy.

Hey Mike,

Why don't you start complaining about the source of the high prices the players and agents. Do you think LT is going to sign your helmet for $10.00? It is hard enough to get them to sign at the price we offer them considering they are getting 7-15 million a year to play. Trust me the margin of profits we make aren't as great as you think. Yeah, LT is hot but if he breaks his neck tomorrow, we get stuck with all his memorabilia. What about if he gets traded? What if he ends up like Mike Vick? Your talking about serious lossess my man. Most collectors do not understand all the costs associated with getting these guys to sit down (signature price, shipping, airfare, hotels, holograms, pictures). It adds up pretty fast The prices we pay them to sign signatures is chump change compared to their contracts and endorsements. Second, if you would like to address why the shipping was the way it is maybe you should deal with the crazy collectors we deal with on a daily basis. Numerous times we have had collectors try and show up at signings because they find out where the location is at. It is a security measure. You may not like it, but that is the way it goes. Remember, this is a business and we are not here to dole out free autographs and this isn't 1970 where players would charge $3.00 a signature.