This week the Twins released their "Theme Nights" for 2017. For those who don't know, a Theme Night is different than a giveaway in the fact that instead of getting something for free, a person has to pay extra (although usually not much) to get a special item. I thought Theme Nights were strange when I first saw it, but now that I've gotten used to it, the idea makes more sense.

It's a way to drum up extra sales for games, to sell tickets in lower-selling areas that would probably go unsold otherwise. Having a tough time selling Field Box tickets on a Wednesday night? Make a Theme Night package to sell tickets to the area. This also makes selling the tickets easier in theory because the Theme Night packages are limited to tickets sold, not like giveaways that a fan can line up for hours in advance no matter where they sit.

Last year there were a three "Carew's Corner" nights, which gave the buyer a special red Rod Carew jersey which helped celebrate the new red home jersey and also benefited the American Heart Association. Unfortunately, at this point, there are no such Theme Nights listed.

2017 has a lot of cap nights in store. All told, there are 6 specialty cap Theme Nights (U of M, St. Thomas, UND, CSB/SJU, NDSU, Cancer Awareness, Minnesota Wild), which essentially boil down to a Twins cap, but in the colors of a college (or professional team, in the case of the Wild). This doesn't include two cap nights where the caps aren't baseball caps, but winter caps (Sportsmen's Night and Love Your Melon Night).

2017 also has three "Wine, Women & Baseball" nights, along with the return of Scrubs Night (the clothing, not the TV show) and Zubapalooza. There is also a Faith Day featuring a postgame program.

The best two Theme Nights are Marvel Super Heroes Day on May 6 and Star Wars Night on June 21.

On Marvel Super Heroes Day, for $4 or $5 more (depending on the section), a fan can receive a special Twins "Guardians of the Infield" t-shirt for buying tickets in either the Diamond Box, The Deck or the Home Run Porch View. This is also the same day as the Rocket Raccoon bobblehead, so a fan could double up on the two items.

Star Wars Night has been a staple of the Theme Night rotation for the last couple years. This year, there is a special exclusive Brian Dozier "A Force 2B Reckoned With" Stormtrooper bobblehead for fans buying tickets in either the Home Plate Box, Field Box,, The Deck, Home Plate View $28.00, Home Run Porch View or Grandstand for $3-5 more depending on the section. In addition to this, there is a Twins Star Wars shirt being given away to the first 10,000 fans, so another opportunity to double up.

I'm tempted to go to Star Wars Night and, of course Marvel Super Heroes Day. Any of the Theme Nights catching your eye?