Apr 13, 2005 6:09 AM, PROMO P&I, By Tim Parry

Baseball fans can now gain unprecedented access to their favorite Major League players thanks to last month's launch of the sport's first loyalty club. Players Choice Platinum Club members get access to city-by-city, year-round special events where fans interact directly with players off the field. The club offers benefits to individual members as well as families, including customized player related collectibles and discounts on popular player products. The membership fee is $19.95 a month.

"The president of a company like ExxonMobil doesn't need to do anything special to meet a baseball player, but for a baseball fan to meet a player, it's really difficult," said President Ravi V. Kothare of Affinity Club Network, which operates Players Choice. "The MLB Players Association wanted the 40 million baseball fans to have the opportunity to get up close and personal with its players."

Members will get invitations to player parties, meet and greets, road trips, exclusive player signings, charity events, golf tournaments, cruises and camps and clinics, Kothare said.

Young members of the Players Choice Platinum Club met Major League Baseball players Jason Michaels (l.), Aubrey Huff (c.) and Tino Martinez (r.)
at a recent members only event in Tampa

Members also get discounts from TicketsNow.com, Steiner Sports Memorabilia and sports retailer Upper Deck.

Club members earn Rewards Batted In (RBI) Points based on their monthly participation. Every member receives 10,000 points automatically for every month they remain a member. Periodically, bonus points will be awarded to members to celebrate their birthday, to reward them for referring new members, and sometimes just for the fun of it, Kothare said. RBI Points can be redeemed for authentic player autographs and passes to the club's special events.

Fans sign up for the program at Playerschoice.com or by calling a toll-free number.

The program is being promoted through public relations efforts, radio featuring yet-to-be-named Hall of Fame players, events, banner ads on the Yahoo, The Sporting News and SI for Kids as well as print ads in The Sporting News, Players Choice Platinum Club spokesman Jim DeLorenzo said.

The club had a light launch in Tampa last month, with an event attended by 75 people including MLB players Carl Pavano, Tino Martinez, Aubrey Huff, Jason Michaels and Bronson Arroyo. Events are scheduled for Philadelphia this month and Denver next month.

Kothare said that the association hopes to capture 200,000 to 300,000 members by the end of the season.

It is the second time in weeks that a loyalty club was launched to unite fans of a professional sport. The Official NASCAR Members Club launched in February with hopes of capturing 40 million members from the sport's 75 million fans.

Philadelphia-based Affinity Club Network, a developer of affinity and customer loyalty programs in sports and entertainment, operates Players Choice Platinum Club under an exclusive license from the Major League Baseball Players Association.

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