Dugout Media Sports marketing professionals with today's youth in mind
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NEWS The Baseball Youth Road Trip with Major League Baseball Players Association returns home after successful summer adventure interacting with kids After 65 stops and 15,000 miles the Nation’s Baseball Magazine for Kids looks to the future MOREHEAD, KY (August 31, 2007) – After making 65 stops in different parts of the country and interacting with over 250,000 kids ages 7-13 at youth baseball tournaments and World Series events along the way, the 2007 Baseball Youth Road Trip was nothing but a success this summer. Major sponsors included the Major League Baseball Players Association, Topps, Upper Deck, Disney Channel, Airheads, Backyard Sports and Louisville Slugger. The trip began in Texas during the first week of June and ended three months later with a stop in Williamsport, Pa., for the Little League World Series. In between those stops Baseball Youth was visiting ballparks and tournaments in the South, Midwest and along the East Coast interacting with players and fans from teams across the United States. Over 15,000 miles were logged in the 36-foot Baseball Youth RV as the tour members traveled around the country. “The tour just keeps growing and growing each year,” said Scott Hacker, President of Dugout Media. “We had great second year success with the Road Trip with huge turnouts at all the tournaments. Kids go home from the games and remember the fun time they had at the Baseball Youth Road Trip zone. We created a lot of smiles.” Along with the promotion of Baseball Youth magazine to boost circulation, seven sponsors helped make the Road Trip a winner with all the kids. The Major League Baseball Players Association, Topps and Upper Deck were on board for a second straight year, helping kids build their baseball card collections. "We're very pleased to have partnered with Baseball Youth for a second year," said Evan Kaplan, Category Director--Trading Cards & Collectibles, at the Major League Baseball Players Association. "We're working closely with Topps and Upper Deck to promote collecting baseball cards. The ability to not only reach young baseball fans but to have them play baseball card games and teach the fun ways to collect was a great fit for us." A recent study indicated nearly a 30 percent increase in the number of kids that collect baseball cards since 2006. Much of this increase can be credited to marketing efforts, such as the Baseball Youth Road Trip sponsorship, being put forth by the Major League Baseball Players Association, Topps and Upper Deck. At the Road Trip, kids played the Baseball Card Challenge and Pack Wars, entertaining baseball card games that show kids fun ways to collect baseball cards and help them connect with their favorite Major Leaguers." The Baseball Youth Road Trip is the only one of its kind to present a FanFest-style experience at every one of the 65 stops. Several 10x20 foot tents held the games sponsored by the MLBPA, Topps, Upper Deck, AirHeads, Backyard Sports and Disney Channel. Players could rent Louisville Slugger’s latest line of bats, and everyone could test their arm at the Mojo Pitching Cage. Kids could sample different types of AirHeads candy, play Backyard Baseball in the Playstation 2 gaming area and spin several wheels at the booths. Some of the other sponsored free gifts included Backyard Baseball video games, baseball seat cushions, lanyards, thunderstix and T-shirts. Disney Channel’s High School Musical 2 was a major tour component as the hit movie and several MLB superstars joined forces to make a music video titled “I Don’t Dance” to appeal to kids. As giveaways to promote the movie there were many of High School Musical 2 beach balls distributed and everyone received “Hey Batter Batter…Swing!” eye black stickers at each Road Trip stop. “This summer we discovered just how big a hit Disney’s High School Musical 2 really is with the kids,” Hacker said. “It was also amazing to see all the young card collectors we had which is good news for the industry. Next year we hope to add a few more sponsors, a coaching clinic at each stop and we could possibly split into East and West Coast tours. Our goal is to reach as many kids playing baseball as we can and keep them interested by having fun.” Photos and recaps from every tournament and ballpark Baseball Youth visited are online at www.baseballyouth.com. Click on the Road Trip page to find the photo galleries, and send an e-mail with an idea for a 2008 tour stop. Next year’s event is already being planned with more sponsors and summer fun. Baseball Youth, The Nation’s Baseball Magazine for Kids, publishes seven issues a year and offers stories on every level from youth leagues to profiles on the hottest professional stars, teams and ballparks with the help of the Major Baseball Players Association. Hall of Famer Cal Ripken gives tips for improvement, and games make learning the national pastime fun. The magazine is available at Barnes & Noble bookstores and other notable chains around the United States, or by subscribing online at baseballyouth.com. A yearly subscription is $17.95. Baseball Youth and the Baseball Youth Road Trip are properties by Dugout Media, Inc., publishing and marketing firm specializing in sports and entertainment. Dugout Media also publishes Softball Youth and conducts the Softball Youth Road Trip with National Pro Fastpitch. For more information on Dugout Media, log on to www.dugoutmedia.com. 2007 Baseball Youth Road Trip June 8 Euless, Texas USSSA “AA” World Series
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