Comparing the local teams’ fan clubs

The other day, I got a sales pitch email from the New York Yankees urging me to join the Yankees Universe fan club.

And the Yankees being the Yankees, there are a variety of price levels to choose from.

At the Explorer level ($19.95), you get a 2012 Personalized Membership Card, a Welcome Letter from the New York Yankees, Two New York Yankees Magnets, a Yankees Universe Sticker , 2012 MLB.com® Gameday Audio for your PC or Mac, 10 percent off a single eligible order at the yankees.com® Online Shop, 15 percent discount on food, nonalcoholic beverages and retail at Hard Rock Cafe Yankee Stadium (non-gamedays only), 15 percent discount on food and nonalcoholic beverages at NYY Steak (non-gamedays only), Half-price tickets for Yankee Stadium Tour, Ticket discount offers (subject to availability), Charleston RiverDogs ticket discount, Trenton Thunder ticket discount, Access to members-only website with exclusive content and offers, Fast track entry into Yankee Stadium – Gate 2, Fast track entry into the New York Yankees Museum presented by Bank of America and an Opportunity to receive a 30-day trial to the MLB Insiders Club

Unless you happen to want the Gameday Audio subscription, it doesn’t seem like much of a deal.

At the Rookie level ($59.95), you get a Limited-Edition Mariano Rivera Bobblehead, a Yankees Hat, a Yankees Universe Banner, a Yankees Universe Pen, a Yankees Universe Wristband and a Yankees Universe Keychain, plus all of the stuff from the Explorer level.

The bobblehead, cap and Gameday Audio subscription should easily be worth $60, assuming that you want them.

At the MVP level ($295),  you get Two Field Level tickets to a select 2012 regular-season home game, a Yankees Universe Navy Hooded Sweatshirt and The Final Season: The Official Retrospective — 192-page hardcover book plus all of the stuff from the Rookie level.

The cheapest field level tickets sell for $80 a piece, so are the book and the sweatshirt worth $75? You’ll have to make the call.

Club Mets is a simpler place than Yankees Universe – there’s only one level, though it is decidedly no-frills. For $19.95, you get an Official Club Mets Membership Card & Welcome Letter, 2012 MLB.com® Gameday Audio for your computer, 15% discount at Mets Clubhouse Shops, 10% discount at the Mets.com Online Shop, Discount at McFaddens Citi Field, Exclusive Club Mets member-only webpage on Mets.com,  Club desktop wallpapers on members-only webpage, Exclusive Club Mets E-mail Newsletter, Exclusive Message Board, Complimentary Mets Press Game Notes at Citi Field,  Special ticket and presale opportunities, Exclusive Club Mets Amazin’ Memorabilia auctions and Exclusive Club Mets Group Nights.

If you want the Gameday Audio subscription for your computer, this isn’t a bad way to go… otherwise, I don’t see much of a reason to join.

The Phillies do a little more for their Fightin Phils Fan Club members, but it costs a bit more to join. For $24.99, you get an Official Fightin’ Phils Fan Club Membership Card, 2012 MLB.com® Gameday Audio for your PC, a Fightin’ Phils Fan Club T-Shirt, a Fightin’ Phils Fan Club Patch, Individual game ticket pre-sale opportunity and other special ticket deals throughout the 2012 regular season, Discounted tickets for a behind-the-scenes tour of Citizens Bank Park, 10% Off entire purchase coupon for the Majestic Clubhouse Store (terms and conditions may apply), 10% Off entire purchase coupon for the phillies.com® Online Shop (terms and conditions may apply), Additional phillies.com Online Shop offers throughout the season, Special Access to Fightin’ Phils members-only pages on phillies.com, Exclusive Fan Club message board, e-mail newsletters & wallpapers, and Exclusive special offers and opportunities

Back around Christmas time, the Phillies sweetened the deal by offering a season highlight DVD if you joined by a certain date. Since I wanted the Gameday Audio subscription, I went for it – my Dad enjoyed the t-shirt and the DVD that I passed on to him, and I got to listen to the Mets radio broadcasts during spring training.

Hopefully next year, there will be a compelling reason to rejoin the Club Mets fold… or maybe I’ll just get the At Bat app for my phone and skip the PC Gameday Audio subscription.

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