As an adult, there are few opportunities that give you the chance to do something that makes you feel like a kid again. There are less and less things that give you that giddy excitement that prevents you from being able to sit still, that give you nervous energy, and that leave you smiling and talking about it non-stop for days after. That is why I felt so lucky to have had the opportunity to spend last Friday at the MLB Fancave in NYC. I got to experience all those feelings, just like I did when I was a kid on Christmas eve.
For those of you who don’t know what the Fancave is… shame on you! But I will explain it so that you can follow along. The MLB describes The Fancave on the website as something that ‘allows fans to interact with the game in an entirely new way’. It “hosts fan events, concerts, MLB player and celebrity appearances, as well as the nine Cave Dwellers who are attempting to watch every game of the 2012 MLB season while chronicling their experiences online through videos, blogs and social media.”
When I first heard about the Fancave last year, it became something I dreamed about and thought of as way out of my reach. When I first mentioned the idea of applying to be a cave dweller for this season, I wasn’t really intending on following through with the application. However, my friends and family convince d me that The MLB Fancave seemed made for someone like me due to my love of baseball, and passion to work in sports down the road. So I applied, however much like other aspiring cave dwellers, I was surprised when I pressed ‘submit’ and then found out I needed to include a two minute video. I rushed to make one before the application deadline, however I didn’t have enough time to be as creative as I would like, and unfortunately didn’t win in 2012.
As the 2012 season unfolded, I became engrossed with following the happenings at the Cave as well as following and getting to know the nine cave dwellers. I talked to a bunch of friends about a ‘marketing’ approach for being in the Fancave in 2013 and decided that I would start my campaign on day 1. I made what is now a signature neon orange sign and started carrying it around, and taking pictures with it at every baseball related stop I made starting with Spring Training in March. The sign has met some stars of the MLB including Justin DeFratus of the Phillies, Larry Lucchino, Don Orisillo, and also been to a ton of games in a handful of different parks this season. It has become a Where’s Waldo on Twitter and maybe even an annoyance to the cave dwellers who I have tweeted a ridiculous amount of times.
Along with my campaign, I have got to know the cave dwellers by following them on social media, mostly twitter. Prior to getting to meet them last week, they had become almost reality stars in my world. Thus, you can only imagine my excitement when I bid on ‘The MLB Fancave Experience’ in The Jimmy V Auction and actually won. Yes, I was going to get to go to the MLB Fancave for the night and hang out. It has been hard to explain to others how excited I was about this opportunity. Other than being a great addition to my campaign, I couldn’t wait to meet the cave dwellers that I have followed all year, hear their stories, see all the awesome memorabilia in the cave, watch all 15 MLB games at once, and talk hours of baseball with people who love the game as much as I do. The five year old kid in me came out, and I was thrilled to be so lucky!!
So, you can only imagine the excited nervous energy I had last Friday as I made my way to NYC via car, then train. I about drove all my friends crazy in the meantime, but my two good friends who came with me to the cave were able to feel my excitement and lived in the excitement with me. Our night at the cave began shortly before the 7:05 starts and ended after the last west coast game was over around 2 am. The night was everything I had been excited about and more. I was jaw dropped for the first hour or so and in awe that we were actually there. The three remaining cave dwellers, Ashley, Ricardo and Kyle, were so awesome; everything I imagined them to be like after following them for 5 months online. They were engaging, passionate, funny, so welcoming and laid back. We just hung out in the cave like we were hanging out on our own couches, but we had the ‘Cave Monster’ with 15 big screen TVs, and other passionate baseball fans to watch games with. It was ‘Baseball heaven’ as one of the dwellers described it, with baseball everywhere all the time.
I can see why the three cave dwellers who are left are still there and I know that they will be successful in their futures. I can also see myself in the MLB Fancave next year, every single day of the 2013 season, enjoying every minute of it. And if I win next year, I will never miss a home run slide rally parade!-CL
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