PLEASANTON, Calif. -- Blackhawk Network Inc., a provider of card-based financial solutions and third-party gift cards in the United States and Canada, has forged an exclusive agreement with MLB Advanced Media LP (MLBAM), the interactive media and Internet company of Major League Baseball, to launch the first-ever MLB.com gift card.
The card is available for purchase in Blackhawk Network's nationwide network of grocery, drugstore, mass and convenience store locations, such as Safeway, A&P, Stop & Shop, Giant Eagle and GetGo, CVS/pharmacy and Kmart.[image-nocss]
Available in $25 and $50 denominations, the MLB.com Gift Card is redeemable for merchandise for all 30 teams, as well as game tickets for participating teams and other services at MLB.com.
The MLB.com card covers all consumer bases for us as it helps our out-of-market' fans both give and receive gifts from their favorite teams through the MLB.com card, said Noah Garden, executive vice president of commerce and sponsorship at MLBAM. We're also thrilled that the program will benefit our family of teams via Blackhawk Network's team branded cards.
Blackhawk Network also offers MLB team-branded gift cards, which may be redeemed for tickets online and offline, merchandise online and at team retail stores and concessions at ballparks. The Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners were among the first teams to launch their gift cards. Also, 10 other teams currently participate, including the Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays and Washington Nationals.
The partnership gives fans more convenient access to their favorite teams and all of the elements that make baseball America's most beloved pastime, said Don Kingsborough, president and CEO at Blackhawk Network.
Pleasanton, Calif.-based Blackhawk Network is a subsidiary of supermarket company Safeway Inc. The network includes more than 60,000 storefronts and reaches more than 135 million consumers each week.
Established in June 2000 following a unanimous vote by the 30 Major League Baseball club owners to centralize all of the sport's Internet operations, MLBAM is the interactive media and online company of Major League Baseball. It manages the official league site, www.MLB.com, and each of the 30 individual club sites.
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