The DHC Podcast
Ever wondered what it’s like to be truly involved in sports? Wonder no more!
On this podcast, I’ll sit down with players, GMs, owners, and passionate fans like you to uncover how they fell in love with sports. We’ll dive into their unique journeys, explore the business side of the game, and discuss the endless possibilities that the sport offers.
From behind-the-scenes stories to deep conversations about the sport, I’m here to explore it all—while having a ton of fun along the way!
The Dad Hat:
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The DHC Podcast
Thrills and Challenges of the Arizona Fall League: A Recap and Dreaming of Spring Training
Experience the Home Run Derby through our eyes as we capture the energy of the vibrant crowd, a congregation of diehard fans savoring every last swing of the season. The atmosphere was electric, but the limited merchandise offerings left much to be desired, especially for those hunting for collectible treasures. Our journey doesn't end here, though, as we dream of diving deeper into the baseball world with a trip to spring training in Phoenix or Florida.
The Dad Hat:
Twitter: https://x.com/thedadhat216
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thedadhat216.bsky.social
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Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thedadhat216
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPk7lmGqgfNZNS4IM-M8XVw
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedadhat216?lang=en
Stadium Food Girl:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stadiumfoodgirl
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stadiumfoodgirl/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@stadiumfoodgirl
Curved Brim Media: https://curvedbrimmedia.com/
Make sure to follow the Dad Hat Chronicles: https://linktr.ee/TheDadHatChronicles
Is anybody there? What's up, DadHacku, and welcome to another episode of the DadHack.
Speaker 1:Chronicles podcast this week. It's just me kinda. So I'm going to start it off giving you guys my thoughts on the Arizona Fall League, what I thought of the whole event, and then also give you a little bit of thoughts on some things that I noticed as far as merchandise and marketing and things like that, my opinion on these things. Okay, I mean, again, I'm just one person, I'm a fan, I've been watching a lot of baseball, but again, I'm just one person, I'm a fan, I've been watching a lot of baseball, but again, I'm just one person. Overall, when I went there for the Fall Star game, it was great. The Home Run Derby was amazing. The best part about all of that was the kids right, going back and forth from left field to right field. The kids were loving it and I think, in my opinion, that was the best part about the whole thing. Okay, the kids were loving it and I think, in my opinion, that was the best part about the whole thing. Okay, it was funny because and if you listened to last week's episode, you got to hear Paul and I talking about the fact that we were putting time out. It's not really time out. All right, it was there, was they fenced it off, so that way the kids were able to get access to the home runs rather than the adults getting in the way, which to me, honestly, I'm fine with it. If the ball would have gotten to me, I would have kept the ball Not going to lie. I would have kept the ball. Kids have more opportunities to get them, so why not keep it? I know I'm going to get a lot of hate for that, but that's, it is what it is. Overall, though, it was great. A lot of hate for that, but that's, it is what it is. Uh, overall, though, it was great. Uh, it was great seeing, um, how they for kind of formatted it to major league standards, but not really. They made some changes. It was pretty cool to see. Uh, the event. Um, the all-star game overall was actually pretty cool. Uh, it was cool to see them wearing the parent club uniforms. Right, by the way, the best, the highlight of that one was the kid from the Tampa Bay Rays, actually one of the coaches. They were wearing the old school Tampa Bay Devil Rays uniforms and it was absolutely beautiful. But it was cool to see the parent club uniforms being worn as well as the All-Star game. Well, actually the Arizona Fall League had for each of the teams that they were playing for, right. So American League, national League, american League won, but it was. It was a cool event, you know. For a second I thought the American League was actually going to give up the the lead and then lose, but they didn't. They held on at the end. It was a cool experience.
Speaker 1:Now let's talk about some of the things that I wish that Major League Baseball would do a little bit better. Right, and again, I get it, guys, I get it. You know, this is baseball. Right, this is, you know, some of the top prospects coming in, getting some working and things like that. Right, you're working in the spring facilities for a lot of these players, a lot of these parent clubs. So I get that. All right. I just wish they would do a little bit of a better job marketing the league. Right, if you are a diehard baseball fan, like I am, you know about the Arizona Fall League. Right, but to be honest with you, I really only found out about the Arizona Fall League a couple of years ago, so it hasn't been that long for me, as a fan, to really know about the Arizona Fall League Now. I love it, I think it's great and I think it's just an opportunity for fans like myself to see more games.
Speaker 1:All right, then the and this is my sticking point so, merchandising, merchandising. There were some cool things, right, there were some cool hoodies, some cool t-shirts, some hats. I'm still a little confused as to why this year's hat, being a mesh style hat, was 50 dollars, um, compared to some of the hats that from you know, the polyester one, uh, they were 35 dollars. Um, and again, it just doesn't make any sense to me, um, why you're using less material and charging more. Uh, as far as and those were the fitteds, right, there was no dad hats available at all, and to all of you that say it was like, well, there was some with the Velcro, yeah, it was a structured front, and the best way that I can tell you about those hats is that that's a giveaway hat that they were trying to sell me as a dad hat, which is not even close to being a dad hat.
Speaker 1:Okay, uh, as you, if you listened to last week's episode, uh, one of the managers was trying to convince Paul, uh, that that was a dad hat, which was actually kind of hilarious. Uh, cause, I have no idea that what conversation was going on until I listened to the episode, which was pretty cool, uh, and then finally, um, the uh, the, the team shop for the ballpark was was closed. Um, there was no access to that at all. And when I'm talking about this was the skeleton crew um operation. It really was a skeleton crew operation. I believe there was two, uh, concession stands open and they were I mean, I'm talking, just like you know, chicken tenders, hot dogs, very few selections when it comes to beverages. Again, I get that, I get it. I mean, but there was like around 2000 people there and there was really not a lot of options, right.
Speaker 1:And then my good friend, paul of Baseball by Design, he put it this way and I think it's a great way of putting it is this is early on spring training, right, like you know, when the early stages of spring training, when not a lot of people knew about it, where, you know, because right now spring training, it's a whole event, right, you started in February and it's already. You know, so many people, you know, flock to Arizona, they flock to Florida, and it was a lot of people that go there. This is not it. I just want to put that out there. This is not it, this is a. If you want to put it in in Paul's words, this is early version of that.
Speaker 1:Do? I hope that they make some changes? Yes, um, I just also wish they do a better job with marketing and, uh merchandising, because there's a lot to be desired when it comes to uh merchandising. Did I buy a hat? Yes, I did. I bought a fitted hat because that was the only option I had and I really wanted to get a uh, something, uh for me to remember this, uh, this whole experience, which was overall a great experience.
Speaker 1:Right, if you want to go out there, if you want to take a little break from, uh, from the what it is, the fall and right after the World Series, the playoffs and all that, this is a great place to go. Take your family, go to Arizona. Arizona is beautiful this time of year. I mean, for God's sakes. I went hiking and it was in the 60s. I thought I was going to need a hoodie, which was not the case because it was so hot and it was beautiful. The case because it was so hot and it was beautiful.
Speaker 1:So now that I give you guys my thoughts. I'm also going to give you now my conversation with John Southey. I hope you guys enjoy it. This was a lot of fun as well. We had some jokes going on. Make sure you guys are following him on all socials. Sign up for his newsletter that he puts out there. All right, guys? So now, without further ado, I'll give you the episode. I am sitting right now with my good friend, john southey, of my hobby fan club. My friend, how was the experience where you've been so far?
Speaker 2:besides this cold, I this is so fun. I love this. I can't believe that we get to watch baseball in november. Nove been doing it since March before the season started, and now it's November. I think this is great, awesome.
Speaker 1:How has the experience so far for the Arizona Fall League the All-Star Series has been for you?
Speaker 2:It's fun because it's a. What is it? We're talking in the top of the seventh. Now it's 5-5. So got to see a three-run home run. We got to see a couple of speedy runners, Some of these guys are fast.
Speaker 1:They're fast Kids. Like the last inning, these guys stole the base. What? Two or three times.
Speaker 2:Yes, and nobody's been caught throwing out yet, so that's, I love it.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, absolutely. I asked Paul this question. I want to get your opinion on this. The all-star home run derby yesterday. What was like the best part for you regarding the home run derby?
Speaker 2:Oh, that's easy, the kids.
Speaker 1:OK, see, we all said the same thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, watching those kids just chasing the ball, it was kind of like a swarm of bees and they would go. And the only thing I was just like, just like, please, none of these kids get hurt, because they were all reaching for the same ball and is like one could have missed and just yes yeah, it was pretty cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love that part going from left field to right field and back and forth. You know, when there was like a lefty or righty batter, it was hilarious like they were really playing a game.
Speaker 2:that was pretty funny, right, right.
Speaker 1:Exactly. So I get to experience that Now. I estimate right now the all-star game right here, Bob, we had close to 2000 people. I would say, yeah, it's like between 1500 and 2000.
Speaker 2:This ballpark is triple a size. It looks like to me, so I mean, of course it's gotta be. Cubs are here. It's probably pretty packed, but I was looking at the games before I came and I noticed that the games aren't. You know, it looks like what it is right now. So you know, I think a lot of these people are diehards like you and me, so we're getting those ones that just want to watch the last little bit of baseball before we get to again.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that is oh, here we go.
Speaker 2:Yes, we get to sing.
Speaker 1:Take me out with the crowd, buy me some peanuts and.
Speaker 2:Cracker Jacks. I don't care if I ever get back to the roof, roof, roof for the fall scars. No, women's a shame. It's one, two, three strikes. You're out at the old. No win, it's a shame. It's one, two, three strikes. You're out at the old ball game and fans heads up. We've got t-shirts coming your way from the Arizona Fall League, from the lawyer and the broads brand of you sure I know right yeah well, they were on them from the top okay, okay.
Speaker 1:So let's talk merchandise, because that's something that has that, in my opinion, to me, like I mean to me, not anybody I've been a little underwhelmed yeah, I mean they had a tent with merch, and what I was most disappointed about is they they made a new on-field mesh, new era yep.
Speaker 2:And then they had the old, regular 100 polyester ones yep. But the price difference in the current one versus the old one doesn't even make sense. Why did they have to do that? But they did exact same hat, just one was mesh. Usually the mesh one is but yeah, underwhelming is a good word for it. The merch is just very basic, but I guess, if you keep getting the same people coming to the same games. You don't expect to sell too much, so I guess I kind of get it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but the one thing that I was disappointed in you collect the 50 and 50s, new eras. I'm a deadhead collector and there was not a single deadhead to be collected in this.
Speaker 2:Uh, yeah, that that doesn't really make sense at all, there was nothing.
Speaker 1:They had those, uh, velcro back a couple of snapbacks, but there were definitely nothing as far as the data was concerned. And I'm like I mean, I get it, you don't want to put a lot, but like those would have been the easy one to make.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I don't know why they wouldn't make some of those. I don't know. I didn't check online, Of course I wouldn't have checked for a dad hat anyways.
Speaker 1:No, you wouldn't, because you would collect it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I don't know if they have some online.
Speaker 1:Did you get to buy some merchandise?
Speaker 2:I bought two hats. I bought the Salt River Rafters and then the Tucson Sagueros, and that was the one I wanted the most, and had I not had to buy the mesh one, I may have bought three or four.
Speaker 1:That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:And I say that quietly as my wife sits in front of me- she is not listening to this interview at all, don't you worry. She will not be listening.
Speaker 1:I had to ask permission as well for my wife, don't you worry, to make sure that I bought a hat or two.
Speaker 2:But I didn't buy much stuff. Well, I think it's funny that I was telling you guys yesterday that we walked in and then we bumped into each other, but prior to that we were taking a picture at the sign over here that looks like the little Wrigley sign. But then the very next thing out of my wife's mouth is like hey, let's go check out the merch.
Speaker 1:I didn't say that she did. You know what she set you up. So she knew it was gonna go, how it was gonna go down of course right so something was gonna be purchased it wasn't me money was gonna be, was gonna be spent it was definitely at that little table there, of course and uh, unfortunately yeah, and unfortunately I did not win the spin the wheel um I didn't either so I was hoping I guess you could have won a couple of.
Speaker 2:I saw a guy today actually just walked down here and he had a uh, arizona fall league, uh batting helmet and it was autographed, I think he won it. Yeah, I think he won it and he was wearing it.
Speaker 1:He's wearing the batting helmet. I've been wearing it too. So, yeah, that's pretty cool. Um, last couple of questions here, my friend, and then you know, so would you, will you do this again?
Speaker 2:I want to come for spring training uh, you've never been to for spring I have not been to any spring training at all, so, whether that's in florida or here, I would love to come back to phoenix. Um, I'm enjoying my time here. We went hiking this morning and that was really nice, did a lot of you know, it's very easy to drive around here and you know a lot of major cities. You know, you hear about them, but you don't realize how close they really are and there's a lot to do, yeah, so we barely scratched the surface, so I'd love to come back to phoenix but.
Speaker 2:I also would love to do the florida circuit. I've I've driven it in the summertime, but I have not done spring training yet see I want to do.
Speaker 1:I've done for spring training here in phoenix a good year for the cleveland, for the guardians and cincinnati red, so that was a cool wonder to go experience. I really want to go hit up florida now that that's going to be on the bucket list for next one yeah, there's some good stadiums over there.
Speaker 2:Of course I would love to see my yankees at um in tampa. I visited it. I visited the stadium before, but that was about it. No games were going on, um, I stayed for an inning, maybe in clearwater, but yeah, that's about it all right.
Speaker 1:So now that you know, obviously your podcast, right? Yes, I'll let you know a little, asking about it here in a minute, but we're here in uh, mesa, arizona. What are your recommendations for people when they come down here? As far as food or, like you said, hiking, what do you recommend people to do?
Speaker 2:so I think the hiking would be great, but I don't know how it actually feels in here and uh, summertime so I am from san antonio, I probably could take it, but, um, I don't know if I recommend anybody else outside of you know desert areas like myself to come, but yeah, hiking seems to be fun. Um, we've eaten a lot of delicious places already, like we went to a place called honey and butter or something like that. I had the best, uh, chicken fried steak this morning.
Speaker 1:Oh, so good with eggs, and they fried the potatoes oh my gosh, it was so good I'm not hungry now anymore, don't you worry, I'm not hungry at all.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then Stadium Food Girl. She had kept recommending the pretzel. I just had a pretzel, delicious Of course it was so soft.
Speaker 1:So good, oh, so good.
Speaker 2:But we went to I want to say it's called Old Scottsdale and it's kind of like a old western kind of town and Baseballism was there. The first Baseballism store is there. Okay, yes, so we walked in there. Everything is 20% off right now.
Speaker 1:Oh, so I want to get a couple other hats, so don't say that to me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it's a really cool little town that you can go visit and we didn't buy anything at that store, right. I was able to escape, but I don't know if I regret it or not, but I was able to escape without buying anything today, are you looking? For custom apparel. That speaks volumes. Wow, my current energy comfort offerings.
Speaker 1:The wife approves, I'm sure that you're not spending any money there?
Speaker 2:Of course yes, because she's not listening to this episode right now. The wife approves. I'm sure that you're not spending any money there.
Speaker 2:of course, yes because she's not listening to this episode no she's not in front of us at all we did uh visit a couple of coffee places too and uh movie, bueno, one was called the sale and the other was called eso and I. They came highly recommended on tiktok, so we we made our trek over to those two, so those are very highly recommended by me as well okay, all right, all right tell us about your podcast uh, your newsletter uh, where people can find you on social media for sure.
Speaker 2:So my podcast is called minor Fan Club. I try to keep it pretty succinct with the names Minor League Fan Club podcast. Basically, what we do there is we talk to a staff member, we talk to a fan and we talk to a local person. The staff member kind of walks you around the stadium and what to expect at the ballpark. A fan will tell you everything that happens at the ballpark from a fan perspective what to eat, what to buy, what to where to sit, secrets of the ballpark. But they're also going to talk to you about their city. So when I talk to a fan they'll tell you where to go, where to eat, where to stay, where to hang out. And then, lastly, I do like to talk to a business so that when you visit, you might feel compelled to go visit that business.
Speaker 2:I have a weekly newsletter. It just have. The news that I share is minor league news that you may have missed from a week or two probably, and it's every single monday. All you have to do is go to minorleaguecom minorleaguefanclubcom and enter your email. I don't ever send spam, usually it's just the newsletter.
Speaker 2:Um and then you can find me at minor league fan club. Uh, for pretty much anything. If you just type in minor league fan club, you'll find me on Twitter, tiktok X whatever they call it now, I have no idea. Instagram. I'm all over there.
Speaker 1:Love it. I appreciate you, my friend. Yes, thanks for having me Keep up the great work, and then we'll see you around in another ball game.
Speaker 2:Awesome. I can't wait for it All Awesome.
Speaker 1:I can't wait for it. Thank you, sir.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 1:I hope you guys enjoyed this episode. Now, make sure you guys are following John on all of the socials. Sign up for his newsletter. He gives you a lot of good information, some of the news that you may have missed throughout the day, the week, the month. If you haven't paid attention to Miami League Baseball all year, I don't know why he gives you information there All right. Now, as far as the Dad Hack Chronicles podcast, make sure you guys are following me. Make sure I am on all socials. Just started on also on Blue Sky, as well as Threads.
Speaker 1:So we're, we're there giving you guys some good, positive vibes. Okay, uh, no negativity, please. Let's, let's keep it positive. Uh, and then, and let's uh enjoy uh, some uh good baseball banter, as well as all the kinds of sports, right? Uh, that high chronicle sports show, 9. Pm Eastern time on Tuesdays and Thursdays Uh, donnie and I, that show is where we talk all sports. That's it, all sports. If you want to talk hockey, we'll talk hockey. If you want to talk basketball, we'll talk basketball, college football, the NFL, nba and even, of course, some baseball, as you guys already know. So, like I said, make sure you guys are following. Give it five stars. Make sure you guys are also just telling one more person that also. Um, just telling one more person, that's it. Just tell one more person about the, the podcast, so that way they are able to enjoy it as much as you do. And then, until then, keep grinding and always support the minor lakes, see ya?
Speaker 1:Hey this has been a Curvebred Media production.
