SAN FRANCISCO – Thousands of fans formed sprawling lines around Oracle Park hours before the Giants faced the floundering Braves on Sunday afternoon.
Many were hoping for a Giants sweep, but almost all were braving the massive crowds in hopes of being one of the first 15,000 fans to receive a special Hello Kitty jersey.
Hello Kitty is a Japanese cat mascot that has become popular both in other Asian countries and around the world, and its merchandise was certainly coveted before the Giants game that was expected to sellout the stadium with a capacity of 42,300.
A few hours before first pitch, the cheapest ticket on the ticketing app SeatGeek would cost a customer over $100.
The next home game, a June 17 showdown with Cleveland, would cost just $19 to get in.
Related Articles
SF Giants’ Chapman delivers walk-off home run to stun Braves
‘That’s a first’: Ball thrown from upper deck causes confusion at SF Giants game
SF Giants walk-off Braves in 10 innings, win third straight game since roster shakeup
SF Giants’ Verlander inches closer to returning, Adames set for day off
Photographer’s Notebook: The Final Frame
Among those packed together like passengers on a rush-hour train on the eastbound yellow BART line was Hung Pham and two of his children. Pham, a Sacramento resident, left the state Capitol at 7 a.m. in order to arrive in time.
“It kind of got hectic by the end of it, but once they started ushering people in, it was clear,” Pham said of the line to get in.
It was all worth it after the family made it through the mass of humanity and was able to nab the pink and white giveaway jersey.
“I really like it,” Pham’s young daughter, Emily, said as she was decked out in the promotional item.
The Hello Kitty brand did not just appeal to young children.
Adriana Gomez and her boyfriend Andy Vasquez made the trek from San Mateo to enjoy Hello Kitty Day.
“We lined up about two hours before the gates opened, but we’d say it was worth it,” said Vasquez, who was wearing a custom-made bracelet that spelled out ‘Giants,’ “And it did get a little bit crazy, but spending time together is nice.”
Fire at Oracle Park
Stadium work crews remove a kitchen appliance that caught fire before the MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, June 8, 2025. A grease fire near section 118 forced players to evacuate onto the field until it was cleared by officials. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
Giants players had to briefly evacuate the stadium just before 11 a.m. after a food cart caught fire in the concourse behind home plate.
The players briefly stayed on the field during the evacuation, but the fire was put out after a few minutes and the game was unaffected.
We thank the fantastic staff and fans for their cooperation during the evacuation at the direction of park staff and fire personnel,” the city’s fire department wrote on social media. “We were able to quickly assess the situation and confirm that the fire had been extinguished.
