Has anyone attended RedsFest?

[jimfalbo21]

I'm thinking about going this year, is there any advantage to purchasing a season tix holder pass? Any other advice for getting autographs?

 

[clarkzac]

If I were you, I'd talk to [MENTION=1866]muskiesfan[/MENTION]

 

[jimfalbo21]

If I were you, I'd talk to @muskiesfan

Thanks, message sent

 

[koal]

hot, crowded, and expect to wait in a line all day long. a line to get a ticket, a line to get an auto, a line to get something to eat, a line to take a piss.

 

[19braves77]

If you set your expecations correctly, you will enjoy any fanfest. Focus on quantity over quality. I usually focus on the top prospects and the retired players. I then intercept players as they walk in between events and will wait in one line for a good everyday player. Rule of thumb is bring cards of everyone and then people that have the potential to be there. If flying into Cincy wasnt so expensive, I would do this event. Might do Royals instead.

 

[jimfalbo21]

You're right on point, I do PirateFest every year, and I play it the same way. However, I always purchase season ticket holder tix, and those auto lines are always shorter

 

[clarkzac]

Are you attending spring training again this year as well?

 

[jimfalbo21]

Are you attending spring training again this year as well?

my my wife and I are hoping to go again, I'm excited to see Polanco get a lot of ABs in big league camp this year

 

[dbacksfan4life]

Anyone taking 50/50s? LMK.

 

[fordman]

Kids + Wife = No Fun.

If you have kids under 9, keep them home or have a sitter. No fun trying to push a stroller through 12,000 fat middle aged men seeking autographs, John Morrell Reds posters, State Farm hand fans, every real estate company's plastic bag with Reds logo on it, nail files, season schedules, pencils and Gold Star chili coupons for free cheese coney's.

Go by yourself or with a buddy that's as interested as you are. Skip all the advertisement stuff. Go to autograph lines, get number and be patient. Bring bottled water and a snack. Listen for when Topps gives away Redsfest only cards and browse the memorabilia section. Browse the vintage displays and maybe you'll run into Ron Oester or George Foster (both now work for remodeling companies) roaming the aisles. Former Bengals star Icky Woods might try to sell you a steak or hamburger from his truck outside of the building.

Actually it is fun if you let it be, but it is always crowded and if you want to ensure your autographs, then buy the tix for them vs taking a chance in the 250 count autograph line. Btw, the 250 autographs is the exact cutoff and no more plus the purchased auto tix count toward the 250.

If I go this year, it will be with my buddy, wife and kids will go see a movie or something like that!

Fordman

 

[jimfalbo21]

Thanks, I'm going w a friend to just get autographs...some good advice so far!

 

[Champion]

Stupid question here: Does every MLB team have a fanfest?

 

[subject to change]

I went to Redsfest last year, and was a little underwhelmed with the experience. I went Friday only and had a season ticket holder pass, and managed to come away with I believe 12 or 13 autos (most players were willing to sign multiples). The setup was frustrating for me after years of attending Piratefest. The signers are announced 30 mins before each session via twitter or text, and then its a mad dash to get in line before they cut off the line. The only problem is that the venue is huge, and the lines are in all four corners. Reasonably speaking, if you're on one end of the convention center when the next lineup is announced, it was pretty much impossible to get to any of the lines on the other side before they filled up. There were also a lot of people who would just get out of line and pick a random line for the next group before knowing who would actually be there. They have a separate area for Reds alumni to sign which was a nice touch, but those signers weren't announced via the tweet/text system, so I had to make rounds over there every so often to see who was signing.

Things weren't too crowded early in the day, but by 6 or 7 it was so packed that you could barely move without bumping in to people. I heard Saturday was even worse. They also limited the exposure of all the top names - I don't believe Joe Morgan signed at all during the weekend, and Votto and Bruce were only available through a lottery system. Chapman and Cueto were in the STH area, but I missed both.

It was a fun experience and I enjoyed adding some new autos to the collection. But the crowds were worse than I had expected, and the overall haul was lightyears from what I've been able to do at Piratefest. The one thing I did love was that they require all members of the roster to either attend the Caravan or Redsfest, and also bring in a wide array of alumni and prospects. It was a nice change from Piratefest, where it always seems to be the exact same players and alumni year after year.

 

[jimfalbo21]

Stupid question here: Does every MLB team have a fanfest?

Im not certain.

subject to change, thanks for the info...so you think the Season Tix passes were worth getting, or were you just as likely have the same level of success with general public tix?

 

[subject to change]

The sth passes definitely made it easier. But I traded with a guy I knew who had Reds season tickets, and he gave me a STH pass at Redsfest and then I got him into the STH area at Piratefest. The STH area is basically just two additional lines, with the same 250 cap as all the other lines. They do seem to bring some of the bigger name players to that area, but it's still a crap shoot. At one point Cueto was signing on one side of the STH area, and I ended up with two relief pitchers who didn't even have any cards on the other STH line. At another point Brandon Phillips was at a STH line, and Xavier Paul was the other STH. So it does increase your chances of getting some better names, but personally I wouldn't pay out of pocket for the passes. Between the Reds alumni section and the general admission lines, you can still score some nice autographs.

Also keep an eye out for the Reds Caravan stops. Unlike the Bucs, it's not always the same guys on the caravan and at Redsfest.