NewsMarlins to hold TV auction on Tuesday
Numerous packages available in benefit for club charities
By David Villavicencio / MLB.com
06/17/09 10:51 AM ET
MIAMI -- Watch a game and have a chance to win prizes.On Tuesday, Marlins fans will have a chance to do both. During the telecast, viewers will be able to bid on nine unique packages and help a good cause.
FOX Sports Florida and the Florida Marlins Community Foundation will host the 2009 FOX Sports Florida Fantasy Auction Presented by Tommy Bahama during the live telecast of the Marlins-Orioles game at Land Shark Stadium.
For the fourth consecutive year, FOX Sports Florida and Sun Sports will host a special on-air auction giving viewers at home and at the ballpark the opportunity to bid on nine once-in-a-lifetime packages beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET with FOX Sports Floridas Marlins LIVE pregame show. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Florida Marlins Community Foundation, and all donations are tax deductible.
Tickets to the event are available online at Marlins.com or by calling (305) 623-6497. The event includes an all-you-can-eat buffet, an official T-shirt and goody bag. All experiences will have a $500 starting bid and $100 bid increments. A limited amount of Fantasy Auction Pledge Packs, consisting of 11 unique items, are also available for a donation of $100.
The auction will add a twist to the broadcast as the broadcast booth will be renamed the Tommy Bahama Tiki Hut and move to Bud Beach beyond the Marlins' bullpen. Fans at the ballpark will have the opportunity to join television announcers Rich Waltz, Tommy Hutton, Craig Minervini and Frank Forte during the telecast and participate in the excitement of the live charity auction.
The items up for bid include vacations to New York to watch the Marlins take on the Mets. Other trips up for auction include a seven-day Carnival cruise for two to go with a dozen Tommy Bahama shirts and a three-night stay for two at the luxurious Treasure Cay Hotel Resort and Marina in Abaco, Bahamas, and a case of Tommy Bahama Rum.
The Marlins are also offering a VIP package that includes throwing the ceremonial first pitch at a 2009 Florida Marlins regular-season game, a Meet & Greet with former Marlins outfielder Jeff Conine, four Batters Box seats, a VIP Tour of Land Shark Stadium and a special gift bag delivery by Billy The Marlin and the Marlins Mermaids.
Fans can also bid on a private suite for 12 at Land Shark Stadium on July 17 when Florida hosts the Phillies. The winner will also get a visit by Hall of Famer Tony Perez and an exclusive press box and broadcast booth tour for four guests.
Other items include a ride in the Goodyear Blimp with Marlins play-by-play announcer Rich Waltz, a round of golf with Marlins analyst Tommy Hutton, a 52-inch television and a catered watch party featuring Billy the Marlin and the Marlins Mermaids, and an office party for 50 to go along with a state-of-the-art Frontier Series MX C311 Multi Functional Copier/Printer/Scanner.
To date, the FOX Sports Florida Fantasy Auction has raised almost $140,000 for the Florida Marlins Community Foundations "Cornerstones for Kids" programs, which helps build brighter futures through education, the arts and baseball.
David Villavicencio is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
