Number #10

Noah Syndergaard as Thor

Team: New York Mets

Manufacturer: BD&A

Right off the bat you are probably thinking I’m fucking nuts. This was the most highly talked about bobblehead within the last 5 years of SGA’s. The hype with Marvel and the absolute mad house at Citi Field was insane. Was the hype real? Yes it was. But the bottom line is this bobblehead was poorly made. Syndergaard’s name on the base is barely visible and there’s glue drippings all over the place. The orange flashy cape is definitely cool, along with the overall Marvel theme, but I am very disappointed with the overall product.

I was highly considering this bobble being out of the top 10 but I snuck it in for two reasons and two reasons only. The end of the hammer looks like a squishy boner which brings a little chuckle to the bobble itself. And second, the box is dope as hell. With the colors being so vibrant and the flashes of lighting going in and out, it does make it a true collectors piece. 

And by the way, the box definitely brings value and likability to any bobblehead. 

Like I previously said, the hype for this giveaway was definitely cracked up to be something special, but at the end of the day, Thor was lucky to crack the top 10. 

So as the season of full blast SGA’s is coming to an end, it’s only right for me to rank the top 10 Stadium Giveaway Bobbleheads of 2017. I want to make one thing very clear to all of you. My top 10 rankings are ONLY ones that I own. There were HUNDREDS of bobbleheads given out this year between Major League Baseball and the Minor Leagues. Therefore, this is clearly my rankings based on what I have in my collection. There were many bobbleheads that I either didn’t want in my collection or I couldn’t get. That being said, I don’t wanna hear any bullshit from anyone that says that a certain bobble should have been in the top 10. I will also list honorable mention ones as well after #1 is revealed. 

So, here we go.

The top 10 bobblehead rankings are solely based on the following factors. 

1. Player Likability
2. Detail
3. Rarity-How hard was it to get
4. Value-What it’s worth on the open market
5. Uniqueness 
6. Design and creativity of the box
7. Sturdiness

Stayed tuned for #10 coming soon! 

What does Bobblesniper exactly mean? 

To this day, I still get a lot of interesting questions regarding the name Bobblesniper. What does is actually mean? Well, to straighten out your curiosity, I’ll explain. 

To me this whole bobblehead passion is a game. I always mention the “hunt” of collecting. I love the hunt of scoring bobbleheads. I love going to the games and waiting in line. I love the adrenaline rush when the security team is watching the fans and who is scoring extras. It’s a game to me. To this day, I still get super nervous and full of anxiety before the gates open. I also like getting a great deal on a bobble from Ebay whether it’s a “buy it now” or an “auction” style listing. 

According to Wikipedia a “Sniper” is the following:

A sniper is a marksman who operates alone, in a pair, or with a sniper team, to maintain close visual contact with the enemy and shoot them from concealed positions or distances exceeding their detection capabilities. They generally have specialized training and use high-precision rifles and optics, and often feed information back to their units or military bases.

In addition to marksmanship and long range shooting, military snipers are trained in a variety of techniques: detection, stalking, and target range estimation methods, camouflage, field craft, infiltration, special reconnaissance and observation, surveillance and target acquisition. 

I tend to mostly work alone and only on special occasions will I will bring someone else to a game. Prior to entering a game, I always have to keep visual contact with the enemy (The security team). I always detect the precise location (gate) to enter the stadium and what works best to score extra bobbleheads. I never had any training as I’ve trained myself. Also, a Sniper hides. He’s never seen. If I’m ever at a game, I will NEVER speak or say hello to ANYONE prior to going in. I choose to stay hidden while I plan out my Sniper attack. I’d rather talk to you when the dust settles and we can chat and have a beer when the game starts, but NEVER prior. 

Remember, I don’t necessarily do this for myself. The main reason I Snipe extra bobbles at games is for all you guys. Many of you cannot make a game over here on the East Coast if you live in Cali, so it’s excellent trade value to have extras. This also works both ways when I cannot attend a game that’s far away.

So that’s the history and meaning behind the “Bobblesniper” name. It’s all about the hunt and passion within the game.

Who decides the value of a bobblehead? The market and you!

I’ll make it simple here. You know who decides the value of any bobblehead? You do and the market! I receive tons of messages as Snipers ask me what a certain bobble they have is worth. There’s only a few factors to consider here. 

Ebay is your best source. If you obtain a bobble and you don’t know the value, then head over to Ebay and search that bobble. When there, you will find a general idea of what they are being listed at price wise. All you have to do is search your bobblehead. 

The next option you have is to find out how much a specific bobblehead already sold for. 

Step 1. Top right of the screen click on “Advanced”

Step 2. Enter the bobblehead that you want to see what it sold for in the search bar. 

Step 3. Scroll down and click on “Sold Listings”.

Step 4. Click on “Search”

Step 5. See what the market dictates and what your bobblehead has recently sold for. 

A lot of people don’t know this Ebay “Advanced” option as it really is a useful tool.

Lastly, you dictate the value of what your selling. This is a very touchy subject for me when I list a price of a bobblehead. 

There’s many factors that come into place here and I’ll make it as simple as possible. 

Take for example the Yoenis Cespedes SGA that was given out last month at Citi Field. I paid $24.00 per ticket to get into the stadium. I paid $17.50 in tolls to get there since I’m coming from Connecticut. I paid $22.00 to park my car in the parking lot. Take away the ticket price and gas, I’m already $39.50 in the whole. Now, I’m going to have a few beers and maybe some food at the game. I am not FACTORING that in. So take that away. 

Now, take for example a collector who lives in Queens, NY. He took the subway and paid $5.00 for his ticket. He didn’t pay to park a car or pay for tolls. He’s obviously at an advantage over me as far as saving money. It’s just the way it is. This applies vice versa if there’s a game in CT that I go to and the NY collector has to travel. That being said, I have the damn right to charge a little more for the bobblehead I am selling. If that Cespedes is going for $28.00 on Ebay I may charge $34.00. I have more money and costs into it. Now, I’d be a dick bag if I charged $45.00 for it and the fact that it wouldn’t sell at the price. 

The cost of traveling and going to a game gives you the right to charge a little extra to offset your expenses. It’s part of the game of selling bobbleheads. Plain and simple. 

In conclusion, Ebay meaning the “market” determines the value of the bobble your selling as well as you YOURSELF. 

So when you go to a bobblehead giveaway game, does the guy handing you a bobble at the gate get one for himself? I’ve always wondered that. Think about it. What if he or she is a big fan of the team? What if they collect bobbles as well?

I wonder if upper management holds a box or two for the employees at the ballpark? And what I’m specifically talking about is the security team, the ushers and the 20 year old kids handing them out at the gates, not all of the concession people and bathroom attendants. If every employee that works there got one, then the team would have to save a couple hundred bobbles which is not the case here. 

I also wonder if the employee at the gate that is giving them out to fans would steal one? Maybe put it in their backpack or purse if it’s a female? Maybe some employees ask their supervisor prior to the game if they can have one? I mean after all, aren’t they entitled to receive a bobble considering they work there? I’ve pondered this question for quite sometime as it intrigues me a lot. 

Gun to my head for a definitive answer, I would think the team holds a case or two and they do a raffle at the end of their shift. Who the fuck knows. If any of you Snipers know someone who works at a major stadium please ask them for me. I’m very curious. 

Any hard core bobblehead collector knows that once the end of August strolls around, the stadium giveaways start to come to a halt. Many people freak out because trades and the excitement of going to games to score a bobble starts to end. Granted, there are some basketball and football bobbles given out in the Autumn months, it’s nothing like the summer time. Most people tend to think, ” What’s there to talk about since bobblehead season is over?” And also, a ton of people pack it in and call it their “offseason”. I call bullshit on that. 

To me, their is no offseason for bobbleheads. I’m gonna pump out so much content it will make your eyes fucking bleed. There is no offseason. It’s a 12 month passion and it will continue to rise. Sit back and buckle up as the Fall and Winter months will only warm up.