Women’s soccer team Bay FC and Trader Joe’s will give away a custom tote bag during a game Aug. 2 at PayPal Park in San Jose.
Trader Joe’s mini tote bags have (shockingly?) become cult favorites, regularly drawing big lines and selling out within the hour. Despite their humble provenance, the $2.99 canvas totes have become status symbols akin to “The New Yorker” bags and have even hit resale markets for as much as $100.
Trader Joe’s, which has acknowledged that the “rapturous reception” to its bags has been a surprise, started sponsoring Bay FC in its inaugural season last year. The promotional totes will have the grocer’s branding on one side and the team’s logo, with its signature “B” that evokes the Golden Gate Bridge, on the other.
Bay FC’s Instagram post about the promotion drew thousands of likes, with fans declaring it the “best giveaway” and “super cute.” Another described the tote as a “must-have” for “all Bay Area girlies.”
The response has been “incredible,” according to Bay FC spokesperson Jordan Wilson, who said ticket sales for the Aug. 2 game against the Houston Dash were “surging immediately after the announcement.”
Everyone with a ticket will receive a bag, Wilson added, and Trader Joe’s-themed pre-game activities will include a grocery-bagging competition, a scavenger hunt for themed plushies, and the opportunity to win snacks.
“Both our club and Trader Joe’s have dedicated followings, and we see this giveaway as a reflection of that,” Wilson said.
The Venn diagram between Trader Joe’s lovers and women’s soccer fans may not be a circle just yet: One commenter wrote that they’d consider buying tickets to the game just to score a bag.
As women’s sports have gained popularity, so too has the gear. When Bay FC made its long-awaited debut last year, the team’s letterman jacket became a coveted accessory. Merch from the Golden State Valkyries is super hot, too.
The bags won’t become a staple at the stadium after the giveaway game, though: Ironically, they don’t meet the venue’s bag policy and “will not be allowed at future matches.”