ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A fan-favorite Tampa Bay Rays bobblehead is missing in action ahead of a busy weekend at Tropicana Field.
Tropicana Field giveaway delayed
What we know:
The Flappy Boi bobblehead was slated to be handed out to the first 10,000 fans in attendance before Saturday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. Nevertheless, a weather-related shipping delay pushed back the highly anticipated giveaway a week before the game.
Season ticket holder Diana Lichtenwalter has collected over 150 Rays bobbleheads. She grew concerned when the giveaway disappeared from the team’s website.
"They had taken it off their schedule, so that’s when I thought they’re not going to give it away," Lichtenwalter said.
Tampa Bay Rays mascot
The backstory:
The bobblehead features Flappy Boi, a smiling stingray inspired by the viral "local stingray in a great mood" meme. The character became a Rays fan favorite in 2016 and has since evolved into a team mascot.
Lichtenwalter says the distinct design immediately caught her eye.
"It looks like a Devil Ray," she said. "I thought it would be pretty cool to go with all my other bobbleheads."
Walking into the stadium, season ticket holder Glenn Mangold described Flappy Boi as a fan favorite.
"Flappy Boi is really popular," he said. "I always bet on Flappy Boi during the mascot races," he said.
Social media fan response
What they're saying:
Eric Weisberg, the vice president of fan experience for the Tampa Bay Rays, says his team only had a week to come up with a creative solution to the shipping delay.
"It's incredibly sad, and we really had to come together with a plan," Weisberg said. "We knew we needed to do something for the fans."
What's the replacement?
Why you should care:
On Saturday, the first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a Flappy Boi T-shirt and a voucher. Fans can redeem the voucher for a complimentary ticket to one of the Rays’ September 15-17 games against the Athletics, where they can pick up their bobblehead.
"We wanted to make sure that people had this in their hands," Weisberg said. "We were going over the top, to make sure they have a wonderful experience here at Tropicana Field."
The Rays also had some fun with the shipping delay by posting a playful video online about the whereabouts of Flappy Boi.
"I saw it on social media first," Mangold said. "The Rays always do everything first class, everything's just spectacular with them."
Rays fan Paul Mullins believes the entire organization handled the unexpected change well.
"The Rays have done right by fans," he said. "Because they listen to fans."
Weekend game schedule set
What's next:
On Saturday afternoon, the front gates at Tropicana Field will open at 4:10 p.m. The Rays will take on the Baltimore Orioles at 6:10 p.m. Following the game, country music star Jordan Davis will perform 30 minutes after the final out.
The Source: Information for this story came from statements from the Tampa Bay Rays, interviews with baseball fans and previous reporting on FOX 13.