BP C'mon Back Club

by stigmo on Feb 13, 2012 2:12 PM CST

As was mentioned in today's Frosty Mug, the BP C'mon Back Club free ticket promotion has returned so seven fill-ups of eight gallons of gas yields you one free ticket to see the Brewers through the middle of August.

Now I was underemployed and poor for much of the 2009 and 2010 seasons so I fancy myself to be a bit of an expert on scoring free or reduced seats to see the Crew. Of the last two dozen games I've attended, I've probably only paid face value for one, maybe two. There's no seat too cheap--no view too obstructed that I won't go there as long as I go there for free.

High on experience and low on class, here are my tested and true techniques for making the most of the BP C'mon Back Club program:

You should buy your gas in increments of eight gallons. Never, ever, under any circumstance is it acceptable to fill your tank up at 14 gallons. My wife, too, knows that if she does this, she should expect complaining.

2. Find the pump that has a receipt dangling off of it. If you do this successfully, you've just doubled or tripled your investment in free tickets. I had one gas station attendant tell me that it's not allowed, but I've never seen anything on the official rules. I've also heard rumors that the ticket office is supposed to disqualify cards that have receipts bearing more than two credit card numbers. I've never been denied by this clause, however.

3. Trash cans are your friends. One of the happiest days of my life was the day I went to buy gas and came home with 10 receipts. The admiration of my buddies more than compensated for the shame and scorn of my wife. It's worth noting that you should know your limits here. You don't want to make a scene dumpster diving so it's best to have a plan going in. Personally, I'll put my arm in up to my elbow--but that's it. And coffee grounds in the garbage can is usually a dis-qualifier.

4. "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Garbage cans aren't the only places you might find tickets. The top of the pump, the ground, and the area near the doors of the gas station might also provide homes to wayward receipts.

5. There's no wrong reason to go to BP. Sometimes I'm running early for a meeting of other obligation. What a waste it would be to arrive at my destination and have to spend 10 minutes in a lobby or waiting room! Solution: Stop by the BP to look around for wayward receipts. Time is money. It's also tickets. Think about it: 8 minutes at BP for an extra stamp toward a free $16 ticket means you're earning about $16/hour. Not bad in these troubled economic times!

6. Know your gas station. Like I said, my strategies don't break any stated rules, but you also don't want things to get awkward. The facts are the facts; some gas station attendants just ask more questions than others. For example, some BP station receipts in Madison say "Fast Stop" rather than "BP." The employees at the BP near my son's old daycare were sticklers on this. But the BP near my apartment (which appeared to provide work to quite the revolving door of dropouts, convicts and other unemployable types) wouldn't have objected to me presenting a receipt for the HDMI cable I bought from Best Buy in 2007.

7. Free Parking. So, I mentioned that some of these unseemly tactics were devised during a time in my life when I was short on cash. You might be asking yourself "What good are free tickets, Steve, if I can't afford to park?!" Problem solved. Use some of your free tickets to invite friends. "Oh, Steve, this is so kind of you to invite me to the game for free. Are you sure I can't pay you for mine?" To which I reply, "No problemo, bro. If you want, why don't you pick me up at the Park and Ride, grab parking, and we'll call it good." Problem solved.

8. Get your family and friends to save receipts. This one is simple enough. If they get you stamps, even better. Probably best not to hassle your loved ones about filling up no more than 8 gallons at a time, however.

9. Return your cards early--OR real, real late. If you want to get your desired games, everybody knows you need to submit your BP cards early. But what if you can't? I've known too many people who've wasted good tickets because they couldn't make the last two or three BP games of the year. But once the tickets to the BP games are sold out (or you can't make those that are still available), they've provided vouchers for select April games. Free baseball is good any time of the year, but it's even sweeter in April when we're all suffering from withdrawal.

10. Enjoy the offseason. By mid-August, the constant 8 gallon fill-ups, the shame involved in obtaining your receipts, and the thrill of the chase will wear you down. Take August 16-February 10 to re-charge and to enjoy the offerings of other gas stations. Fill up your tank all the way. Enjoy some of the excellent cuisine Kwik Trip has to offer. And rest up because come February, it's time to get back on the hunt.

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Comments

Nice read.

But why did you buy an HDMI cord from Best Buy? If you buy that online, you can save 40 bucks.

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by tcyoung on Feb 13, 2012 5:42 PM CST reply actions

I lacked patience.

That said, I got the cable reasonably cheap, AND it was one returned by a previous owner, so I think I got it even cheaper. Thanks for reading!

Steve
http://nohuddleoffense.blogspot.com

by stigmo on Feb 13, 2012 6:04 PM CST up reply actions

I'm just giving you crap.

I don’t do the BP promo, but this was fun to read.

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by tcyoung on Feb 13, 2012 6:17 PM CST up reply actions

oh yeah

I got it. But since I could actually remember when and why I bought the cable 4 years ago, I thought I might as well answer.

Steve
http://nohuddleoffense.blogspot.com

by stigmo on Feb 14, 2012 7:40 AM CST up reply actions

Double stamp

a 16 gallon fill-up get you two stamps.

by statsllc on Feb 13, 2012 7:22 PM CST reply actions

It's not always practical to fill up with 17 gallons of gas.

Especially, if your tank is smaller than 17 gallons.

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by tcyoung on Feb 13, 2012 8:12 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

I have once gotten 3 stamps on a single fillup.

I hate Yuni.

by BrewCrewBrian on Feb 14, 2012 7:50 AM CST up reply actions

If you have to put 24 gallons in your tank, then

you need those free tickets. You’re spending all your money on gas!

by ecocd on Feb 14, 2012 8:20 AM CST up reply actions

Wonderful article :)

Mark Attanasio is the best.

by nullacct on Feb 14, 2012 9:18 AM CST reply actions

Ueckers are still the best bet.

Even if you’re stuck in your seat, it’s usually a halfway decent view of the game, but you can take advantage of Miller Park’s fan-friendly standing room policy. While many stadia don’t allow you on a level for which you don’t have a ticket, most of Miller Park is open to every ticket holder, and there are some really great standing room areas. And sometimes you just get lucky: I once had somebody give me a couple spare NYCE Club tickets when I was loitering around in the 200s with my $1 Uecker ticket.

by mpbMKE on Feb 14, 2012 4:26 PM CST reply actions

I agree

The standing room down the right field line (field level) isn’t too shabby at all when the kids aren’t there. Think weekday game, during the school year. Stools and tables are available if you think ahead. :)

"The Milwaukee Brewers' line score is starting to resemble an international phone number" - Pittsburgh Pirates Radio during 20-0 shutout - 4-22-10

by MadtownTim on Feb 15, 2012 3:36 AM CST up reply actions

I buy my gas solely at BP

but haven’t participated in the ticket promo for a couple years. I’m a seat snob, so I usually end up upgrading to better seats and have found that there are better promos out there for that.

by sjlee on Feb 15, 2012 8:47 AM CST reply actions

My whole family has collectd BP stamps for the last three years.

We usually end up cashing them in and getting 10 tickets or so for 2 different late summer games. Then we invite whoever can make it and have a big tailgate. It is a great promo.

"I haven't been out carousing." -Aaron Rodgers

by gavitron9 on Feb 15, 2012 9:26 AM CST reply actions

Question

dont you, by only filling up 8 gallons at a time, spend more money going to/from the gas station?

aaaaaaaaahh, I gotta go!!

by b3nihana on Feb 15, 2012 12:36 PM CST reply actions

Only if you're going out of your way to go to the gas station.

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by tcyoung on Feb 15, 2012 1:43 PM CST up reply actions

Also

If you calculate your gas mileage, it makes things a bit more complicated.

by sjlee on Feb 15, 2012 4:41 PM CST up reply actions

not if you reset your odometer every time you fill up.

It’s still just one calculation.

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by tcyoung on Feb 15, 2012 8:04 PM CST up reply actions

That only gives you the miles part of MPG.

You still won’t know how many gallons you used.

When you fill up the tank completely, you know how many gallons you used between fill-ups. If you only do a partial fill, you won’t know how many gallons you used.

by sjlee on Feb 23, 2012 4:52 PM CST up reply actions

That's even better

Just means more stamps.

Steve
http://nohuddleoffense.blogspot.com

by stigmo on Feb 15, 2012 1:19 PM CST reply actions

Haha.

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by tcyoung on Feb 15, 2012 1:43 PM CST up reply actions

Dang

Reply fail.

Steve
http://nohuddleoffense.blogspot.com

by stigmo on Feb 15, 2012 5:15 PM CST up reply actions

New name?

Amoco started that promotion back in 1995 or 1996 as a post-strike marketing campaign. You’d think they’d conjure up a new name every 15 years or so…

I love the smell of roasted cardinal in the evening...

by Lake County on Feb 22, 2012 6:43 PM CST reply actions

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