{"id":677932,"date":"2026-04-17T22:18:48","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T22:18:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/677932\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T22:18:48","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T22:18:48","slug":"white-sox-expanded-pope-hat-giveaway-due-to-demand-this-is-going-a-little-bit-too-crazy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/677932\/","title":{"rendered":"White Sox expanded \u2018Pope Hat\u2019 giveaway due to demand: \u2018This is going a little bit too crazy\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

For a Major League Baseball team, the best way to draw big crowds on a consistent basis is to either play in an iconic ballpark like Wrigley Field or have a consistently successful team. If you can do both, even better.<\/p>\n

For the Chicago White Sox, the former isn\u2019t an option and the latter has been an annual problem.<\/p>\n

Instead, the White Sox often excel off the field with giveaways<\/a>, promotional nights and, lately, a viral milkshake<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This season, they might\u2019ve outdone themselves.<\/p>\n

On April 8, the White Sox announced they are honoring their most-famous fan, Pope Leo XIV \u2014 no offense, former President Barack Obama \u2014 with a \u201cPope Hat\u201d giveaway on Aug. 11 against the Cincinnati Reds.<\/p>\n

The toboggan-style hat resembles a mitre, a tall, pointed ceremonial hat often worn by religious leaders, including the first American-born Pope. But this one has a White Sox logo amid the ornamentation. It\u2019s unique, to say the least.<\/p>\n

Initially, it was supposed to be a theme-night giveaway, capped at around 1,500 people who bought tickets in specific sections.<\/p>\n

The promo quickly went viral, and two days later the Sox decided to upgrade and make it a gate giveaway for everyone who comes through the park.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt basically got to the level that we thought it was going to within minutes,\u201d White Sox chief revenue and marketing officer Brooks Boyer said.<\/p>\n

you wanted them, you’re ALL getting one pic.twitter.com\/kayk67cEid<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 10, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Initially, the Sox figured they\u2019d just order more hats to fill the uptick in demand, but the next morning, Gareth Breunlin, the VP of marketing and advertising, and Mike Downey, the senior director of marketing and promotions, came into Boyer\u2019s office to suggest a change of plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were like, all right, this is going a little bit too crazy,\u201d Boyer said. \u201cNow we\u2019re a little worried about how we\u2019re going to be able to redeem this because we haven\u2019t shut it off and said it was sold out. Their recommendation was let\u2019s go to a full gate giveaway.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the fans who bought tickets for the promotion, the team is giving them a second Pope-themed item.<\/p>\n

The \u201cPope hats for the masses\u201d decree fits with the charitable spirit of Pope Leo, who was born Robert Prevost and grew up in the south suburbs, where he learned to root for the South Side team.<\/p>\n

His surprise election to the papacy last year turned into a White Sox moment once everyone figured out he was a fan. The ballpark held a mass in his honor and the team put up a mural honoring Pope Leo<\/a> near where the future leader of the Catholic Church watched a World Series game in 2005. Chicagoans of all faiths have gone nutty for the \u201cChicago Pope.\u201d Bulls broadcaster Chuck Swirsky delivered a jersey to him<\/a> in November and future White Sox majority owner Justin Ishbia invited him to throw out a first pitch at a future ballpark<\/a>. The Pope has joined Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and President Obama as famous White Sox hat<\/a> endorsers.<\/p>\n

Bootleg merch quickly popped up in Chicago<\/a>, as did Pope Leo jerseys and Halloween-style vestments.<\/p>\n

So when the Sox\u2019s marketing department started the promotion planning process at the end of last year, Downey, a graduate of Fenwick, a Catholic high school in Oak Park, was sure this one would connect with the fanbase.<\/p>\n

\u201cMike Downey leads our promotions committee and they literally throw everything against the wall,\u201d Boyer said. \u201cAny oddity, they research it, and he was convicted on this one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n The Pope Leo mural has become a popular picture spot at Rate Field. (Jon Greenberg \/ The Athletic)<\/p>\n

The team has tried to be respectful in terms of celebrating their ties to the Pope. They haven\u2019t tried to sell anything with his likeness and they have an open dialogue with the local archdiocese. (Boyer is Catholic and played basketball at Notre Dame.)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had that conversation before we decided to do it,\u201d Boyer said. \u201cWe said, \u2018Is this going to ruffle any feathers? Is this something that we should consider?\u2019 And obviously, overwhelmingly, it was received positively.\u201d<\/p>\n

Boyer said local churches and Catholic groups have already rented suites and purchased group tickets for the game.<\/p>\n

The giveaway comes just three days after the team will retire former World Series-winning manager, shortstop and current broadcaster Ozzie Guill\u00e9n\u2019s jersey<\/a>. While that is expected to draw a packed house, \u201cPope Hat Night\u201d is looking like it will attract a bigger crowd.<\/p>\n

\u201cOzzie believes he\u2019s the Pope of the 400 level, because that\u2019s where his studio is,\u201d Boyer said. \u201cBut yes, the real Pope is outselling him.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you look on the team\u2019s ticket page for the Aug. 11 game, the outfield is almost completely sold out and there isn\u2019t much inventory left on the 100 level. On the secondary market, the get-in price is around $50 for upper-deck seats.<\/p>\n

Typically, a Tuesday night game in August on the South Side will draw around 20,000 fans, a little more if it\u2019s a marquee opponent like the New York Yankees. Because the team can track who comes into the park, Boyer said he\u2019ll be interested to see how many first-time ticket buyers will be on hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the four days after we announced it, we sold like 12,000 tickets for the game,\u201d Boyer said. \u201cIt\u2019s a Tuesday night game in August against Cincinnati. So the reaction has been incredible and people seem to like the item. And we\u2019re gonna have a lot of fun on a Tuesday night in August.\u201d<\/p>\n

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