Free Agents Section: Date Night at Raimondi

Out of the (Comfort) Zone

By Roberto Santiago

WEST OAKLAND—“It’s something I saw in Japan. It was pretty popular there.”

That was Ballers team president Yeshayah Goldfarb when I asked him about the section of pink-painted bleachers in left field on opening day. Behind the seats hangs a big banner that reads, Free Agents Section. It’s the Ballers’ singles’ section, a place where baseball fans looking to meet new people can sit with a name tag and a pink wristband to show they are open to a conversation. Participation was sparse for most of the season until the first Friday of the recent home stand. On July 17th, the singles section was rocking thanks to a partnership with Singles Mingle, a dating event promotion that advertises low-key and authentic meet ups for single people. The Ballers and the event promoter worked together to advertise the special night over the dating company’s social media, mailing list and Meet Up groups.

This is not speed dating, the website proclaims, and it’s a point emphasized by Singles Mingle operator, Adeline. The events are loosely structured with some ice breaker games, but the goal is to simply get people in a room together. “Everyone’s tired of online dating,” said Adeline. “It’s a much better way to meet people. Get them out of the house, get them off the phone, interacting.” This is the first time Singles Mingle has done a ball game as an event, and the early returns looked promising as they intercepted a steady stream of people heading to left field. “Are you here for the singles?” the woman behind the table asked before handing out the pink wrist band and nametag and then explaining the format. The message is clear: anyone similarly kitted up over there is hoping to meet people.

I headed into the stands to see how thing were going. Like an event at a bar or ballroom, people were getting up and moving around to introduce themselves. Others were joining conversations in progress when they overheard something relevant. “You’re a teacher? So am I. What do you teach?” Alfonso and Michaela were hitting it off but were happy to pause and talk about their experience. This was the first singles event for both of them. Alfonso came out to support Oakland. “This is part of my home and I needed to come support my home as much as I can,” he said. Michaela was brought out by a double curiosity: meeting people and, “I heard about the Ballers on the NPR. So I just wanted to check them out and cheer them on.”

Kevin and Julia, who had just met, were chatting and taking pictures in front of the railing. Julia was emphatically, “here to mix and mingle” while Kevin was hoping to “make some new connections and enjoy the game.” Both regular Singles Mingle attendees thought it was an “excellent event,” citing different reasons for coming to this one specifically. Julia cited the season, “You know what? I'm a proud American and why not come to a baseball game in the summer?” Kevin was similarly drawn in by the chance to see the game. “I grew up playing baseball and going to Giants games. I used to go to A's games, but now it's great to come out here and go to Ballers games.”

As Adeline and the Ballers had hoped, the low-key atmosphere built around a shared activity was certainly a draw. “Okay, so I'm gonna be straight up with you,” said Julia,
“I haven't dated in three years and I was very nervous. I kind of like was trying to talk myself out of it. But, as I'm driving, I'm like, Julia, this is gonna be a fun event. It's low pressure. It's a baseball game. I think this is a really creative way to get people out of their comfort zone and put them in an environment where they can talk to people and not feel like, like they're over-thinking the situation and you can just enjoy your time.”

Kevin also came in with some trepidation. “I also came with a little bit of anxiety or nerves, but I had friends to help me out. So we're also just, no matter what, we had a good time, and it is a very, like, low pressure environment.” An added bonus of being in a venue like Raimondi is that if things go awry, one can always abscond to right field for the rest of the game…

Toward the end of the night, I was back in left field to watch in-game host Aubrie Tolliver present a prize to the Couple of the Game, a Ballers souvenir championship ring that the gentleman presented to the lady. How were they chosen? “It was all very scientific,” relayed Aubrey. “What I did is I walked over there and I asked my usher, has anybody been hitting it off? She pointed one couple out and said, that's our couple of the game. She watched them get up and go get a beer together. So that led us to believe that it was possibly more of a thing. 
So, and I'm glad that even if it wasn't a thing, they played along. She accepted the ring and it all went very well.”

I took the opportunity to check in on a couple from earlier, Alfonso and Michaela, who were still sitting nearby each other but with another person between them. They didn’t seem to be continuing their conversation, but who knows? “This has definitely been the most successful day we've had in the free agency section,” said Aubrie.

Whether or not anyone decided to retire to Prescott Market together after the game or not, the night was a success. The attendees registered for the event got to see a game and meet some new folks. I offered Alfonso and Michaela the observation that it looked like they got what they came for: meeting new people and having a good time.

“Yeah. 
So far, everything's been all right,” said Alfonso.

“100%, yep,” added Michaela.

Julia, who received the ring as one half of the couple of the game, summed up the night well: “This is a great environment. I think this was actually a really good idea and I'm glad to hear that they're doing this and I hope they do it again.”

There it is Ballers, your move. I’m sure Adeline won’t mind if you call soon without trying to play it cool.

Roberto Santiago is a third generation Berkeley boy currently raising the fourth generation. Roberto’s writing has appeared in Latina, Parents, and various online outlets. A lifelong baseball fan, Roberto worked briefly with the Boston Red Sox and once hit an RBI single off Spaceman Lee on a 2-2 changeup. It was his only at bat ever in a real baseball game. Find him on Instagram.