FIVE GREAT MAJOR LEAGUE KIDS CLUBS

The boys of summer are back in full swing on ball diamonds across the country. So that means it is time for A Geek Daddy's annual list of my favorite KIDS CLUBS sponsored by teams in Major League Baseball (MLB).  These Kids Club programs can be a great way to create a sense of attachment between a child and a pro team as they often involve newsletters and other special communications which let kids feel connected as well as gear and swag to show off their fandom.  Plus discounted or free tickets to get kids into seats at ballparks to watch games are often part of the deal.

Twenty-five of the 30 MLB teams have official Kids Club programs.  These range in price from FREE to more than $50 dollars and every participating team's program is unique. Some Kids Clubs are really great and go to great effort to enhance a child's fan experience with a baseball team.  Unfortunately, there are also a few that seem more focused on pulling money out of parents' wallets than providing a quality product that increases children's interest in the game.  With that in mind, I've researched all of this year's MLB Kids Club and compiled a list of five of my favorite ones.

A Geek Daddy has selected these Kids Clubs based upon these factors - price/value, coolness/wow factor, originality, quality of materials/swag, special events, and branding for the program. To show there is no bias this diehard Tigers fan hasn't included Detroit on the list. So going from fifth place to the best we have:

5. CLEVELAND INDIANS -- TRIBETOWN MVPS --  $20

For Tribe fans ages 6 to 14 will be sportin stylish Indian swag that includes a quarter-zip short sleeve pull-over, backpack, baseball and a $10 credit to use on food or souvenirs during a ball game at Progressive Field.  Members also get to skip the line when it comes to visiting Progressive Field's Kids Clubhouse fun area and the Kids Run the Bases activity after Indians' Sunday home games. During every Sunday game MVPs can participate in a meet and greet with team mascots Slider and the Hot Dogs. There is also a pregame parade before select games where all MVPs at the game get to march around the warning track and wave to all the other fans at the ballpark that day.

MVPs are automatically entered into monthly drawings to be randomly selected by their ID numbers to receive exclusive merchandise, autographed items and other prizes. Winners will be selected at random based on member ID numbers.  All MVPs are also automatically entered to be the Play Ball Kid, Honorary Grounds Crew member or Honorary PA Announcer as well as to win a spot in the Kids Starting Lineup at an Indians game.  By attending games, kids can also scan their MVP badge to earn prizes based upon the number of games they attend during the season.  The only disappointing aspect of this program is that they don't offer free or discounted tickets to games for children but there is still a lot of value to being a member of the TRIBETOWN MVPS Kids Club.

4.  SEATTLE MARINERS -- JUNIOR MARINERS -- FREE or $25

The Mariners made the list this year because their FREE Kids Club program for children 14 years old and younger provides some real value to the children enrolled in it.  They receive in their Welcome Pack a membership card with lanyard along with a drawstring backpack and a team branded wiffle ball. Junior Mariners also receive newsletters throughout the season.  Not bad for not having to pay anything!

A Junior Mariners membership can also be upgraded to MVP status for $25.  This includes a baseball cap, backpack, and arm sleeve along with everything included in the free level welcome pack. MVP members are also provided with discounts for buying tickets to Mariners games and are invited to exclusive autograph sessions with ball players from the team.

3.  PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES -- JUNIOR PHILLIES -- $20

The Phillies get A Geek Daddy nod for having the most impressive swag item being given out to Kids Club members.  Each member gets a Phillies batting helmet toothbrush holder stand. How cool is that?!  Junior Phillies also receive a duffel bag, exclusive poster, a pizza from Pappa Johns, and two complimentary tickets to the team's designated Kids Club game in September.

The Phillies also have a Kids Club devoted to their team mascot called the Phanatic MVP Club that costs $15 to join or $10 if you enroll in it along with the Junior Phillies.  Phanatic MVP Club members also get some nice swag receiving a hat, pillowcase, poster, membership card, and two complimentary tickets to the Phillies designated Phanatic MVP Club Day game.  Both clubs' members are also eligible to win prizes throughout the season and purchase discounted tickets to games.

Philadelphia fans with newborns can also share their passion for the game with their baby through a special club for $40.  The Phillies Newborn Club provides moms and dads with personalized Phillies birth certificate, PhanaVision Birth Announcement photo, team branded pre-walking sneakers, a Rookie of the Year bib, a birthday card from the Phanatic on the child's first birthday, special discount price on tickets to take baby to his or her first game, and a photo of the line-up card from that game.  This is one way to get a kid rooting for a team at an early age!

2.  ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS -- D-BACKS KIDS CLUB -- FREE

These Kids Club member allow children under 15 years old to get one FREE ticket to every Sunday home game the Diamondbacks play throughout the season.  Plus Kids Club members earn prizes for the number of games they attend throughout the year.  Prizes include baseball hats, sunglasses, water bottles and t-shirts.  Those who get the t-shirt can wear it to games to cut to the front of the line for Kids Run the Bases activities. All those free tickets are a nice perk for a program that doesn't charge an enrollment fee.

1.  HOUSTON ASTROS -- BUDDIES KIDS CLUB -- $25

Last year's World Series Champs also get top honor's in this year's list of top Major League Kids Clubs.  They do a nice job of balancing out the perks of their program so that it is exciting for kids and provides value to parent.  Buddies Kids Club member receive an impressive swag pack that includes a membership badge, lanyard, backpack, ballcap and socks. Their badge also provides a one-time 15% discount to the Astros Team Store and front of the line access to Kids Run the Bases events. They also receive a voucher good for four free tickets to a selection of over 20 home baseball games this season.

The team also hosts some fun, exclusive events for their Buddies Kids Club members including player autograph sessions, a baseball skills clinic that takes place on the field of Minute Maid Park, chances to watch Astros batting practice from the field, or the chance to join in a parade around the outfield warning track to greet all the fans in the stadium before the start of a game.  They also have a Behind-the-Scenes game where members are randomly selected to work for the Astros for a day doing jobs like groundskeeper, PA announcer, and more.  The combination of goodies and activities that provide kids with an exceptional experience with their membership is why the Astros have a top notch Kids Club.

While Kids Clubs are a great way to attract attention to a team throughout a season they can from time to time be a nice way for families to specifically avoid overspending at the ballpark. As every parent knows, once you get there children are going to beg for some souvenirs of your outing to the baseball game. A Kids Club membership can provide a great memento from attending a game that won't bust the family budget compared to stadium prices on other things.  We've done this a few times when attending games in Toronto, Minneapolis and even once when seeing our hometown team play at Comerica Park in Detroit.

Cheering on your favorite baseball team can be a great bonding experience for parents and kids to do together.  MLB Kids Clubs can be a nice way to introduce your children to the team you cheer for and encourage them to join you as a fan.  Of course we've only highlighted a handful of the Kids Clubs that are available to join. I also want to give a shout out to Atlanta, Cincinnati, Chicago, Kansas City and St. Louis who routinely appear on this list from year to year and again this season are providing some outstanding Kids Club benefits. Check out your favorite team's website and see if you like what they have to offer.

The Geek Daddy Picks the Best Kids Clubs in Major League Baseball

Many parents enjoy America's past time with our children by taking them to the ballpark or watching games on television to cheer on our favorite baseball team.   Another fun way to catch a child's interest in becoming a fan of major league baseball is to enroll them in a team's "KIDS CLUB."   Of the 31 MLB teams, 27 have kids programs to encourage children to become fans of the team and develop an interest in the sport of baseball.  All of these KIDS CLUBS vary in the price of membership and the publications, programs, events, and swag provided to participants who enroll in the team's kids club.  I've taken a look at each of the current programs offered by MLB teams and have ranked my Top 5 below:

      1.  TORONTO BLUE JAYS – their Kids Club is priced decently, provides some nice team swag for its members to enjoy, and has nice events to ensure that its members receive some special treatment; providing a trifecta of benefits that gives the Blue Jays the #1 ranking this year.  For $19.99 children 3 – 12 can become part of the Junior Jays Club presented by Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes.  The Junior Jays’ membership kit comes with a Mascot Baseball, Oyo Blue Jays Mini Figurine, Blue Jays Adjustable Baseball Cap, ACE the Mascot Themed Stationary Set, a Voucher Coupon Book with various discount opportunities, Newsletter Subscription, and a 2013 Membership Card.  Members are also invited to 3 super exclusive kid events:  a private autograph session with Blue Jays players in May; a special free t-shirt giveaway day in July; and a season wrap-up party in September hosted by the Blue Jays’ mascot ACE featuring inflatables and other fun activities.

2.  CINCINNATI REDS -  for a $25 membership the Reds have the best swag of any MLB club.  The team calls their children’s program the RED HEADS and kids receive an exclusive members-only cap, team replica jersey, and catchers backpack.  The Red Heads membership kit also comes with a 2013 membership card, a lanyard to display so they can proudly display the card at the ballpark, and a pennant your child can display at home on their bedroom wall.  They also host exclusive autograph sessions throughout the season for the kids who have joined the Red Heads (but while the kids are free to attend their guardians who accompany them to these events are charged a $5 entry fee which knocked the team down to #2 in the Geek Daddy’s ratings).  A nice feature of this kids club is that each member is provided vouchers to attend 4 games for free (of course the adult taking the kids to the game still has to buy a ticket but hey if you are planning a family trip to the ballpark this is a nice savings to take advantage of).

       3.  ST. LOUIS CARDINALS – Most of the MLB teams focus their kids clubs towards children 3 – 13 and so does St. Louis, but they also have created a special unique program for teen fans as well called the VARSITY CLUB which gives them the #3 spot in this review.  The Varsity Club is for teens 14 – 19 and costs $35 to join.  Each member gets an official Cardinals cap and backpack plus two tickets to Varsity Club Day at the Ballpark on August 14^th when the Cards take on the Pirates at Busch Stadium.  There will be lots of special exclusive events for members during their special day at the ballpark.

1    4. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS – earned this spot because their program stands out for being FREE!  You don’t get swag sent to you in the mail, but if you sign up for the program and buy tickets to go to the games your children can pickup free stuff determined by how many games they’ve attended during the season.  Going to 1 game gets your child a game schedule poster, 2 games a free upper level ticket to attend another game,  4 games a souvenir cup, 5 games a baseball bat key chain and so on ranging up to jelly-fish yoyo at 18 games.  Hey if you are going to take your family to the ball game anyways why not sign up for an extra benefit?!  The D-Backs also have another nice program called the No Chew Crew.  Children 15 and younger who sign a pledge to say NO to using spit tobacco receive a FREE toothbrush and a ticket to one of several designated games  sponsored by Delta Dental of Arizona.

1    5.  MIAMI MARLINS & PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES – we have a tie at the #5 spot for two teams that created kids club programs revolving around their mascots. 

Miami’s Billy the Marlin is the highlight of its kids club program.  Members receive an Official Billy’s Bunch Membership Card, Billy the Marlin poster, Billy Lunch Cooler, Billy’s Bunch T-shirt, and Billy’s Fanoculars, along with 2 free tickets to a 2013 Marlins game and a coupon for a free Kids Meal from Duffy’s Sports Grill.  If you live in the Miami area (Miami-Dade, Palm Beach or Broward) guess what parents – it gets better – enrolling your kids is FREE !!!!  A little bit of a return on your investment for your property taxes subsidizing the team’s new stadium I guess so take advantage of the program.

For $12 your child can become a member of the Phanatic MVP Club for Philly fans.  It’s membership kit includes a 2013 special edition PhanaticMVP Bobblehead, collectable magnet, full color Phanatic Poster, a birthday card sent to your child from the Phanatic, a Membership Card and e-mail newsletters.  Members also receive exclusive opportunities for autographed items, Phanatic birthday boxes, and invites to Phanatic Meet & Greets.

HONORABLE MENTION:

LOS ANGELES ANGELS – When I was a kid my parents taking us to a movie was a special treat that ended with a trip to a Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour.  Alas they are all gone here in Michigan but when I saw the Angels Kids Club was sponsored by Farrell’s all I could think of was  how SWEET that was and that I wanted to take a trip out to LA.   Members receive Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Gifts, an exclusive MIKE TROUT youth jersey, an official 2013 Jr. Angels Kids Club Membership Passport and 2 tickets to attend an Angels home game.

DETROIT TIGERS - Our family roots for the team that sports the Old English D so I had to include them on the list.  For $17 the Detroit Tigers Kids Club provides an exclusive Miguel Cabrera Triple Crown Drawstring Backpack, a “triple crown” for your little one to wear, a coloring & activity book, a Detroit Tigers Min Fathead, a birthday card from the team to your child, and three issues of their PAWSPrints newsletter.  They also provide the opportunity to win exclusive Kids Club experiences like throwing the ceremonial first pitch. Not a bad deal but sorry Tigers there is a lot of room for improvement when compared to the competition.  That being said, let’s focus on winning the World Series first!!!

CLICK HERE for a listing of all the MLB team’s website kids’ sections.  Some of these teams have kids clubs and others just have information of interest to kids posted online.

Cheering on your favorite sporting team can be a great bonding experience and fun way to spend time together as a family.  These Kids Clubs are a nice way to introduce your children to the team you cheer for and encourage them to join you as a fan.  If you haven’t checked them out for your local team, I encourage you to do so.  Summer’s here and baseball’s back in town – maybe we’ll see you at the ballpark!