The White Sox Are Giving Away Pope Hats August 11

Pope Leo XIV has been one of the more entertaining celebrity fans in recent sports history. He was in the stands for Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, has worn a White Sox cap at the Vatican, sent Paul Konerko an autographed jersey, and famously chirped back at a Cubs fan during a trip through the Vatican. The team already painted a mural of him on the Rate Field concourse near his old seat.

The August 11 giveaway is the natural next step. The black and green miter-shaped hats are only available through a special ticket package, restricted to five sections at Rate Field. The Sox have confirmed all attendees will receive a hat. The purchase page language is unusually specific: tickets “must be purchased from this link OR through a Group Sales representative. Third-party purchases will not include the Pope Night Hat, and this is not a stadium-wide promotion.”

That wording is significant. Most MLB giveaways are distributed in one of two ways: first-come, first-serve at the gate, or picked up during the game after scanning in special event tickets. While these hats would seem to fall under the latter category, the specific exclusion of third-party tickets is unusual, as special event tickets can be bought and resold freely like any other ticket, and the attendee will receive the item regardless of whether they got their seats directly from the Sox or a reseller.

Some have speculated that the Sox will be shipping the hats after the game because they are so big and they don’t want fans blocking views, but the wording on the purchase page – “Enjoy a designated area for our “Popes” to sit” – seems to indicate the exact opposite.

We have received direct confirmation that the hats will not be shipped. Per a White Sox representative, “The Pope Hats are not going to be shipped out. Those that have the Pope Hat vouchers will need to stop by the redemption booth in SEC 160 and have the voucher on their phone to be scanned and then receive the item.”

Originally, we were very optimistic about these hats as a reselling opportunity. The original giveaway was limited to just under 3,000 units, but the Sox have expanded them to every attending fan. At full capacity, Rate Field can seat over 40,000 fans, so the math is considerably affected. Still, MLB promos can resell for a profit when they effectively connect with a city and fanbase.

A great example of this comes from 2023, when the Atlanta Braves teamed up with OutKast to produce a limited edition bobblehead featuring Big Boi and Andre 3000. Fans lined up for hours to snag one, and they ended up reselling for over $200 the day after the game.

And we have a slightly more direct comparison. Last year, Pope Leo XIV was honored with a Topps Now release that sold 133,535 cards, shattering previous records for cards from superstars like LeBron and Wemby. Shortly after, a PSA 9 1/1 Superfractor version of the card gaveled for over $16,000.

Eligible tickets can be purchased through the official White Sox ticket page. Seats are available for as low as $30.

For Chicago-area resellers, this still looks like a juicy flip. Even a worst case scenario where the hats resell for close to your ticket price means that you’re attending a beautiful August baseball game essentially for free. If stronger demand materializes, you’ll actually be making a profit from the game.

And if you’re looking for other profitable MLB promos, we’ve got you covered. We’ve written two guides to the 2026 season that cover the best offerings from the Dodgers, Red Sox, Mariners, and many other teams. By showing up for these games and flipping the promo afterwards, you can essentially attend MLB games in 2026 for free, or even make a profit.