MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ANNOUNCES SUMMER LINE-UP FOR “ACCESS TO THE SHOW” 2006
MLB Authentic Collection Marketing Program Returns to Road with the Vans Warped Tour and Virgin College Mega Tour

Major League Baseball Properties and its MLB Authentic Collection music-marketing program “Access To The Show” are returning to the festival circuit for another summer of live music and entertainment. The 2006 installment of “Access To The Show” featuring the MLB Road Show will be on the road from early April through the middle of August at the Virgin College Mega Tour, CMA Music Festival, Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and the Vans Warped Tour.

As part of this year's “Access To The Show” program, the MLB Road Show, the traveling Major League Baseball experience, will be a part of the Virgin College Mega Tour featuring headliner Yellowcard, Mae and Over It. Before the bands hit the stage, they'll be hitting the “Village” to compete with students and each other in the MLB Road Show batting and pitching cages. This is the second year MLB has sponsored this 18-date college campus tour, which kicked off last week and will wrap up on May 6. “Access To The Show” will be supported regionally in 100 Hat World/Lids stores with in-store signage customized to promote the Tour in each respective city.

In addition, the MLB Authentic Collection will be featured again at the Vans Warped Tour beginning in the middle of June and will include a national retail relationship with Champs Sports which will serve as the official retail destination for “Access To The Show.” It will also offer concert-goers special promotions through its 600 US based stores. Champs Sports will support “Access To The Show” with extensive floor space and in-store entrance signage dedicated to the MLB Authentic Collection, along with sweepstakes and radio promotions tied to the Vans Warped Tour.

The “Access To The Show” tour is designed to showcase the MLB Authentic Collection line of apparel both on-site at concert venues and in retail outlets. The MLB Authentic Collection includes the exclusive jerseys, headwear and outerwear identical to what is worn by players on all 30 Clubs. Major League Baseball Properties will be the sole professional sports league sponsor of the Vans Warped Tour and will receive exclusive branding rights for the MLB Authentic Collection. The MLB Authentic Collection brand will also be included in tour advertising and marketing materials.

The MLB Road Show is a high-tech tractor-trailer that's completely outfitted to give fans a chance to have an all-encompassing baseball experience. The truck includes pitching and batting cages, kiosks featuring the video game titles “MLB 2K6” by 2K Sports and MLB 06 The Show by Sony PlayStation, and Internet kiosks where concert-goers can purchase MLB licensed products directly through the Shop section of MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball.

“We are looking forward to hitting the concert trail again with the 2006 ‘Access To The Show' program,” said Steve Armus, Vice President of Licensing, Major League Baseball Properties. “Combining the summer's two biggest passions, baseball and live music is a great way of maintaining our relevance as the National Pastime. We are proud to bring the MLB Authentic Collection to music fans across the country.”

As part of the Vans Warped Tour, the MLB Authentic Collection will sponsor the Vagrant Records stage, bringing together music and baseball in new, unprecedented ways. The sponsorship gives Major League Baseball Properties access to the Vagrant bands for participation in the wide array of its activities, from interacting with fans at the MLB Road Show batting cages to judging the New Era Cap design contest, and even a nationwide sweepstakes at Champs Sports stores where one lucky fan can win a trip to the 2006 World Series with the Vagrant Records band Senses Fail.

“Vagrant Records is thrilled to be working with Major League Baseball,” said Wayne Pighini, head of Marketing at Vagrant Records. “We're always looking for creative ways to reach new music fans, and Major League Baseball offers us incredible opportunities to do so.”

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Contact: Colin Wells or Ken Weinstein at Big Hassle Media: 212-619-1360,