FanHouse TacoBell

As I sit here at my desk pondering my lunch options, the question "WHY CAN"T I GET FREE TACOZ?" keeps running through my mind. I can't help it. All I want is a somewhat stale crescent of tortilla stuffed with "meat", brown lettuce, chopped tomatoes and some shredded cheese.

Okay, I'm lying. That would actually make me sick. But if it was free, I would totally eat it. And on October 28, all of America will feel the same way thanks to Jason Bartlett, unlikely playoff hero.

You see, as 'Duk notes in photo/screenshot form, Bartlett's steal of a base in the fifth inning last night got everyone in America a free taco on the 28th (*sadly only from 2 pm until 6 pm -- other restrictions may apply, including a maximum value of 12 cents and no more than 1,000 tacos handed out per state; see Terms of Contest and Official Taco Bell Rules for details).

This is the second year in a row that Taco Bell has done such a contest/promotional event in the World Series, and the second year they have lost. And by "lost", I do of course mean "made a ton of money because no one in their right mind will only eat one freaking crunchy taco when they make a run for the border".

There are a lot of things we can count on to annoy us during the World Series this season. First there will be the complaints about the fact that the Phillies and Rays just don't have large enough fanbases to bring in viewers, which I couldn't care less about because all that matters to me is the baseball being played. Then, of course, we're going to have to deal with listening to Joe Buck and Tim McCarver for a week and a half. Finally, there will be all those scripted conversations in the dugout about Taco Bell, and how Shane Victorino plans on getting free tacos for Americans everywhere.

So with all that annoyingness preparing to attack you in the coming nights, I bring you this warning: Do not tune in for the national anthem before game one. Unless you really hate your ears, anyway.

Move over, B.K. Jackson. The Backstreet Boys will be singing the national anthem of game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday night, according to team fan experience director Darcy Raymond. Throwing out the first pitch will be Pinellas County Commissioner Bob Stewart. Stewart was a St. Petersburg City Council member back on July 24, 1986, who voted with five others to build the stadium even when the area didn't have a team.

Yes, the Rays are pulling out all the stops for their first World Series appearance. Apparently the New Kids on the Block are too busy touring. Still, I suppose this makes sense when you think about it. Just about everybody on the Rays roster is 23 or 24 years old, and that would make them the perfect age to have been Backstreet Boys fans when the group was popular.

Maybe I should tune in just to see Evan Longoria screaming and then fainting in the dugout.

Pat Lackey already complained about all the Taco Bell cross promotion in last night's game, and I agree whole heartedly with every word he said. No quiero Taco Bell in my World Series. It's bad enough that every single facet of Fox's coverage is sponsored by something-this idiotic remark by Tim McCarver is brought to you by Budweiser! Budweiser! Get drunk and say stupid things!-but I really don't need an interview with the COO of Taco Bell while I have a well pitched game going on.

But if you're Taco Bell, it's the greatest thing ever. According to Joyce Julius & Associates Inc., Taco Bell got over $4.1 million worth of free advertising last night.

The World Series Game Two telecast on Fox once again provided a platform for in-broadcast brand exposure to Taco Bell, thanks to the restaurant's free tacos for a stolen base promotion. This time around, Boston's Jacoby Ellsbury successfully stole the first base of the Series, insuring free tacos and helping Taco Bell realize another $4.1 million of television exposure in the process. According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, which specializes in measuring the impact of sponsorships across all forms of media, Taco Bell amassed three minutes, 15 seconds (3:15) of clear, in-focus exposure time, while the restaurant chain was also mentioned 11 times.

So whether or not we like any of this, we better get used to it. There's nothing Fox has ever done in it's history to make me think they'd actually try and restore some dignity to the game. No, next year we'll probably have glowing red baseballs brought to us by Vince Vaughn's newest movie, Lester Bunny, and McDonalds will give out free Big Macs if somebody hits a grand slam.

We're just going to have to learn to deal with it. Oh, and this post was brought to you by Dick's Sporting Goods. Go buy something.
Sorry, No Photos

A month or so back, we told you about Taco Bell's latest promotion: proposing to your significant other during a nationally-televised game on FOX in July. Well, the restaurant is not stopping there. During the pre-game festivites at this year's All-Star Game in San Francisco, it's time to swing for the fences.

Taco Bell's "Swing for a Million" promotion will be shown during FOX's coverage of the All-Star Game's pre-game ceremonies with one contestant receiving three attempts to "swing for the fences" from a tee at home plate with a real chance at walking away with some cash. One power slug of 280 feet on the fly and our contestant becomes an instant millionaire. Swings falling short of 280 feet may still win a heavy payout as a 255 foot blast will reward $250,000 and a 230 foot drive will secure $100,000. Fans are encouraged to enter for a chance-to-"Swing for a Million" by logging onto www.mlb.com/tacobellallstar from now through Sunday, June 24, 2007.

"We love baseball and want to celebrate baseball's fans by giving them a unique 'inside the game' chance they won't soon forget," said Bob Fulmer, interim chief marketing officer, Taco Bell Corp. "This is a fantastic opportunity for a fan to take the field with some of baseball's biggest stars and get a shot at becoming a millionaire."

Off a tee, this seems like a particularly daunting task. But, I mean, they're not going to just hand you a million bucks. Also, I encourage you to apply. I'll only charge a 60 100 percent finders fee if you win.

HT: Baseball Primer Newsblog

Previously At FanHouse:
Taco Bell Wants You To Propose During An MLB Game

So, in honor of Taco Bell's new 7-layer crunchwrap, the restaurant is doing yet another zany promotion: it's offering you a chance to propose to your significant other during a nationally televised baseball game on July 7. It is 07/07/07, which apparently is being coined as "the luckiest day of the century."

Just tell us 7 reasons why they're lucky to marry you, and you could win Taco Bell's Ultimate Marriage Proposal. One lucky winner will get to propose on the virtual signage board behind home plate during a nationally televised Major League Baseball game on FOX. If you win, just make sure your soon-to-be significant other doesn't get up for a snack. Good luck.

This has the potential for disaster. I mean, I guess you could tell your significant other that she/he must stay in the room for that inning, but even still, something could run awry, and man, we wouldn't want that at all.

Although, I'm probably going to propose to my wife with a Cracker Jack box ring at an actual Taco Bell, so I'm probably not the best judge for this sort of thing.

(Hat tip: The lovely Awful Announcing)

Via True Hoop, a lesson on the perils of trying to be a fan favorite. The Cavs' floppy-haired Anderson Varejao is the very definition of one: goofy appearance, brimming with effort and energy, emerged from obscurity. So you'd it would make sense that, in the waning moments of Sunday's game, he tried to do a little something for the fans. From the Akron Beacon-Journal:

As the final seconds ran off in the Cavaliers' 99-88 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, Varejao decided to hoist up a 3-point attempt. It was Varejao's effort to appease the fans, who were vocally hoping for the Cavs to reach 100 points so they could get their free Taco Bell chalupa.

The shot was flat and so was the response.

Okay, so the fans are too dense to recognize a good thing. That's cool. What really threw Varejao off, though, was the response of his teammates.

The protocol in those situations is to dribble the ball out and then shake hands. The Cavs are trying to avoid a reputation as poor sports.

"We're not that type of team," LeBron James said. "He knows not to do that again; it is as simple as that. You never want to show off, and he definitely made a mistake and he learned from it."

Brian Windhorst's column also details Rick Carlisle (omnipresent) dirty look and some other Pacers staring. But first off, it's the Pacers. A thousand Troy Murphys couldn't make them into an authority on good behavior. And what's with LeBron calling out Varejao, when he has a commercial clowning Nate Robinson's 2006 Dunk Contest performance? I like LeBron as much as the next guy, but he seems awful opportunistic about showcasing what a well-rounded human being he is. Maybe because without those cues to feast on, he's not.