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Pro-Bobblehead Article - "Testament to bobblehead appeal "

On three 'faith nights,' Sounds plan giveaway of biblical proportions, sort of...

The ''Bible Bobbleheads'' are coming to Greer Stadium.

In a marketing ploy meant to get religious fans' fannies in the seats, the Nashville Sounds will offer Bible-themed bobblehead doll promotions this season.

Bobblehead dolls are usually caricatures of athletes. The doll's head is oversized, and a spring allows it to ''bob'' around. The team stumbled onto a Louisville, Ky.-based company that produces biblical character dolls and will incorporate the promotion into the stadium's ''faith nights.''

Faith nights have been such a success in attracting church groups that the Sounds are expanding them from five games to seven this season, said Brent High, the team's manager of church and youth programs.

They include a pregame concert by a Christian band and fireworks afterward. The bobbleheads will be given out at the June 4, July 30 and Aug. 27 games to the first 2,000 fans.

''We feel like we're the first team to do anything like this,'' High said.

The team has had bobblehead promotions in the past, but they've been limited to athletes, usually a former Sounds player who has gone on to the major leagues.

The biblical characters to be depicted are Moses, Samson and Noah. The team is avoiding Jesus as a figure because a caricatured version of the Son of God might be too controversial or offend some fans, High said.

At the bottom of each doll will be a placard listing the promotion's sponsor, Donelson Air Conditioning, High said.

He said the overall sponsor response to faith nights has been good.

The initial reaction to the bobbleheads from youth ministers and other church officials has been very positive, he said. If the promotion proves to be a success, the team hopes to expand the character selections next year, High said.

''The youth groups are going crazy over these things,'' he said. ''I think it's going to be a huge draw for us.''

The Sounds have searched for ways to increase attendance, which had been declining in recent years before the trend was reversed last year. High, a former youth minister, was hired in January 2003 to reach out to religious groups.

Last year the team had 350 religious groups attend games. High said the Sounds hope to increase that number to 550 or 600 this season. He said that after press reports of ''faith nights'' went out across the country last year, the team received calls from minor league clubs nationwide that wanted to understand the formula.

They shared information but haven't mentioned the bobblehead promotion so far to any of those clubs.

''We kept it very secret,'' High said. ''We wanted to be the first.''

Church groups interested in contacting High may call 566-6023.

Article by: B. Schrade at www.tennessean.com