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Popping the question for all to see
Normally a very private moment, marriage proposals are sometimes taken public in a big way at Kauffman Stadium.
Maybe you’ve seen it: Camera hones in on a guy with a ring, kneeling before his girl for everybody in the stadium to see on the large video board. He pops the question, she looks stunned, nods yes, probably cries, and the crowd applauds.
A couple of things I’ve always wondered: What does it cost to propose on the video board and do women really like sharing this memorable moment with 20,000 people? I have some answers.
Guys, prepare to spend $500 to have your proposal announced and shown on the scoreboard. That may seem like a lot, but you get a souvenir video of the proposal, a gift bag of Royals’ memorabilia, a honeymoon suite at a four-star hotel and four dugout plaza seats at the game worth $108. Not bad for $500, which is nothing compared to what the wedding will probably cost.
But the more important question is whether it’s a good idea in the first place.
In a random sampling of 10 young women at Tuesday’s game, seven told me they would rather be proposed to somewhere other than on a baseball scoreboard.
“It’s very cliché,” one woman said. “Too many strangers,” said another. “I don’t like that much attention,” said a third. Others said they were too shy or just didn’t think a baseball game was a very romantic setting.
Of course, there is always the chance the woman will say “no” to the proposal, which happened one night two or three years ago, said Randy Sims, a long-time security officer for the Royals who attends most games. The camera cut quickly away, he said.
Three women at Tuesday’s game said they would have no problem having everybody at a baseball stadium looking in on the marriage proposal.
“I love the game of baseball, so I would love that,” said one woman still at the game in the 9th inning Tuesday.
Indeed, some women appear absolutely thrilled when they hear the marriage proposal at Kauffman while others look taken aback.
Think it through, men. If you know her well enough to want to marry her, you should know her well enough to decide if the ballpark is the place to ask.