When Sniping at a game you need the proper materials in order to walk away knowing you gained some leverage. This blog only pertains to a no re-entry rule, meaning you cannot go back into the stadium with another ticket. When Sniping, you have to have to bring multiple bags. Whether it be a large backpack or some Marshalls shopping bag. If you’re Sniping solo, you gotta bring more than one bag. The bag has to be very sturdy because if it’s a cheap plastic team store bag, the handles will eventually rip. TJ Maxx and Marshalls have excellent shopping bags that can fit a a bunch of standard SGA bobblehead boxes. These particular bags have a foot long handle and are crazy weather proof. The one I have has lasted me a good 8 years now and it’s been through a ton of games. I can fit a good 16 bobbles in that bag and I do have a huge backpack that I can fit a bunch more in. Now, before you ask, bobblehead boxes vary in size. For example, the Game of Thrones Syndergaard bobblehead boxes were very large. At best, with my large backpack and Marshalls bag all I could fit was about 14. I rarely and I mean rarely, go out of the stadium to empty my bags and re enter. It’s just not worth my time and I really don’t need 20-30 bobbles anymore. 

Below is some pictures of some good sniping bags. The large backpack can be found on Amazon for under $23.00 and is well worth it. Plus you don’t have to carry it because it’s a fucking backpack! The Marshalls or TJ Maxx bags have funky designs on them. Some have flowers or Christmas quotes and what not. Bottom line, who gives a shit what it says. It’s there to serve a purpose and don’t think twice about looking cool with what your bag looks like. I’ve seen some top notch Snipers use a Marshalls bag and there were bright colored flowers on it. Remember, it does’t fucking matter “what” it looks like. And better yet, when you go to Marshalls or TJ Maxx, these bags will cost you $1.00 to buy. Yes, one dollar!

Overall, you don’t want a flashy bag as security always has an eye on everyone. If you carry one of these Marshalls bags and it’s full to the top, bring an extra sweatshirt or t-shirt and cover the top. The last thing you need is someone looking down and they see a shit ton of bobbles that are popping out of the top of your bag. Remember, the less attention the better. I’ve seen some shit where some cranky middle aged lady went up to security to point out a Sniper for having a bag full of bobbles and she bitched and moaned that she arrived late and didn’t get one. I’ve seen it happen and all that hard work can go away fast. Yes, I’ve seen security make people open their bags and they confiscated all but a few from the bag. The lesson here, cover the top of your bag. 

Lastly, when entering the ballpark, fold the Marshall or TJ Maxx bag and put it in a side pocket of the large backpack. Don’t go through the gates holding 2 or 3 bags. Security will immediately question why you have so many bags on a bobblehead giveaway game. And now that the Mets are prohibiting backpacks as of today, I now have to go back to the drawing board and devise a new plan. If you’re a Sniper who attends Mets games I’ll have a solution for you in a few days. I need to think. 

When shipping a bobblehead, the last thing you want is to have a buyer tell you it arrived damaged. It’s the worse feeling in the world. I trust that all you Snipers package your bobbles very securely but often times the USPS worker throws and kicks the box you sent like a FIFA soccer player. There’s really nothing you can do to control it but unfortunately it happens. 

I recently shipped a bobblehead off of Ebay to a buyer in California. I packaged it super fucking tight and when he showed me the damage to the box I went ape shit. I knew god damn well the postal workers had a soccer game with the box as there was dents and rips all over it. So the next step to do is hold USPS accountable for their laziness. 

Go to USPS.com and click on the option to “File a Claim”. This is sort of a pain in the ass process and they do it on purpose because in the end they lose money which they don’t want. Next, there’s options to post pictures of the damage to both the bobblehead and the box. You need to have the pictures or you won’t get a refund! Describe what you sent, upload pictures of both the box and the damaged bobblehead. Next, you have to show the proof of the payment the buyer sent you. In my situation, the buyer paid through PayPal. I took a screen shot of the payment he sent ($115.00) and I uploaded that too. 

You eventually, click “Submit” and the claim is finished. I got a letter in the mail 4 days later stating that the value USPS determined was $100.00. The buyer paid me $115.00 so I’m assed out of $15.00. Oh well, it’s better than zero. I received a check from the United States Postal Services for $100.00 and end of story. 

Like I said, it really is a pain in the ass process but it’s worth it. Hold those fuckers accountable for treating your box you shipped like a rag doll. Here’s a picture of the letter I was sent after I filed the claim.

Many people have very different views on what they should pay for a brand new SGA bobblehead. I think there’s a big misconception that I have to address. I know the availability and rarity can factor into the price but there’s one thing MANY don’t realize. The person who goes to the game has to pay for the following 2 things. 

1. Ticket
2. Parking

I won’t even factor in food or drink because that’s on them on how they wanna spend their money. Also, calculating tolls that’s another thing on them. 

So if you take into a count that a ticket at least can cost $15.00 and parking varies but I’ll be generous and say $5.00, so that’s $20.00 bones right there. So, is it outrageous to think $25.00-$40.00 is fair? Yes, I know we all Snipe and get extras so a ticket and parking fee shouldn’t be accounted for. I am the first to say wait for a good price but if you factor in the ticket cost and parking, any bobble priced between $25.00 and $40.00 is reasonable. Now, for example, a CHEAP ticket for a Mets or Yankee game can run you $30.00 alone! And parking at Citi Field is $25.00 by itself. So now you have Joe Blow who went to a Mets game and spent $55.00 right off the bat and you expect to pay in the mid 20’s for a bobble? 

It’s a fucked up topic to discuss and there’s a shit ton of ways of looking at it. I’ll hit you with another one. The Tampa Bay Cy Zilla bobble of Blake Snell. A cheap ticket to that game at most can be $10.00 and I have no clue what parking is like. Let’s go and say they parked on the street and paid a meter $4.00 for 4 hours to park. So that’s $14.00 to get in the door and receive a bobble. That Cy Zilla is going for $23.00 on Ebay with free shipping. So if someone went to that game,  paid $14.00 for a ticket and a parking meter and is selling the bobble for $23.00 with free shipping and let’s say it ran them $8.00 to ship, that seller is profiting $1.00. 

Overall, the realization of what we think is a fair price to pay for a SGA is highly debatable. There’s your time and effort that factor’s into your selling price. But looking at it from a “buying” standpoint, prices are actually very accurate on Ebay right when an SGA comes out. The entire point of this blog is to basically show you that paying $25.00-$40.00 is not unrealistic. You have to factor in what the person had to do and what he or she paid. Always remember that. 

P.S.- I’ll save the theory of one who goes to a game and Snipes 18 bobbles and charges something totally different. That’s for another blog down the road as we all try and profit one way or another.