Reunion at Soldier Field Tickets

Six years after a salary strike among millionaire players and billionaire owners ruined "the people's game", Major League Baseball, New York City, is once again swinging for the fences, having won back its audience and consequently, its sponsorship dollars.That's good news at a point when the league has to be concerned about more than just rival sports leagues. "Our competition is no longer just the NFL or the NBA; it is MTV and Six Flags," says John Brody, director of corporate sales and marketing at MLB. "There are so many entertainment options out there today".A few observers say baseball still has a way to go. "It's definitely popular and it's doing better than it has in the latest past", says Bill Chipps, senior editor at IEG Sponsorship Report, Chicago. "But baseball is still in the shadow of the NBA."

Not throughout the summer, however, the NBA and NHL playoffs end in June, giving baseball a full two-month window as the only professional game in town. "We own the summer", says Brody.And for many brands, that's a max out sales season. "It's a summer game, and that's a prime time for soft drinks", says Chris Jagis, senior marketing manager for sports at Pepsi-Cola Co., which is in its fifth year as a sponsor. For 2001, Purchase, NY-based Pepsi is running a Grand Slam instant-win game under the cap of a 20-ounce and one-liter bottles of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Sierra Mist, and Lipton Brisk with a $100,000 grand prize. Additional prizes include trips to the World Series and All-Star Game, autographed merchandise, team hats, discounts at Foot Locker, New York City, and free product. A separate Pepsi All-Star Challenge P-O-P effort employs stars Ken Griffey Jr. and Jason Giambi on displays to pitch an SLO for All-Star Game practice shirts. TLP, Inc., Dallas, handles for Pepsi.

Summer works for stronger stimulant drink as well. "The biggest draw for us as a beer company is the season", says Steve Uline, group director of sports marketing at Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis. "Memorial Day to Labor Day is our prime selling period". Anheuser-Busch has owned the St. Louis Cardinals since 1953, but only began capitalizing on its sponsorship status 10 years ago."We used to do a lot of short-term programs and one-night giveaways", commented Uline, noting that the current plan calls for three programs: one covering the entire season, one around the All-Star Game, and one at season's end.