All-Star Ballots Now Available at All Ralphs Supermarkets
LOS ANGELES, May 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Every Major League Baseball (MLB)
player dreams of making it to the All-Star Game. But besides hard work,
unwavering dedication, and raw talent, they'll need a little something extra
to make it to the Mid-Summer Classic: your vote.
Beginning May 9, you can help decided which of your favorite MLB players
will be in the starting lineups at the 2001 All-Star Game at SAFECO Field in
Seattle. MLB All-Star ballots will be located at Pepsi displays in over
300 Ralphs supermarkets in California. Baseball fans also will be able to
cast their votes at Major League Baseball stadiums across the country and
online at MLB.com.
"Fan balloting for the All-Star Game is one of Major League Baseball's
most popular and longest running programs," said Justin Johnson, director of
corporate sales and marketing for Major League Baseball. "With Pepsi
distributing ballots at Ralphs supermarkets throughout California, fans will
have the opportunity to cast a ballot for the 2001 All-Star Game starters
every time they shop for groceries."
Dedicated radio featuring Cincinnati Reds baseball star Ken Griffey, Jr.,
retail store ads and point-of-purchase materials will be used to raise
customer awareness of the MLB All-Star Balloting program at Ralphs.
"Ralphs is delighted to offer baseball fans an opportunity to vote for
their favorite players when they shop in our stores," said Chuck Ackerman,
Ralphs senior vice president of sales and marketing.
Chris Jogle, senior marketing manager of Pepsi Sports Group, said the
teaming of MLB, Pepsi and Ralphs to offer All-Star ballots is sure be a
"homerun" with baseball fans.
"Pepsi has always been about choice," Jogle said. "We're thrilled to give
our consumers the opportunity to choose the players they'd like to see start
in this year's All-Star Game, because the All-Star Game is a fans' game."
Ralphs Grocery Company (http://www.ralphs.com) was founded in 1873 and currently
operates 445 conventional and warehouse-style stores under the Ralphs and Food
4 Less banners in Southern California southern Nevada, and Cala/Bell and Foods
Co in Central and Northern California, from its headquarters in Los Angeles.
The company is a division of The Kroger Co., the nation's largest food
retailer based in Cincinnati, Ohio (NYSE: KR).
Purchase, N.Y.-based Pepsi-Cola Company (http://www.pepsi.com) is the global
beverage division of PepsiCo, Inc. (http://www.pepsico.com). Its brands in the United
States include Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi ONE, Mountain Dew, Sierra Mist, Mug,
Slice, Wild Cherry Pepsi, Aquafina, SoBe, FruitWorks, Dole single-serving
juices and All Sport Body Quencher. The company also makes and markets
category-leading iced teas and coffees, respectively, via joint ventures with
Lipton and Starbucks.
SOURCE Ralphs Grocery Company
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Related links:
http://www.ralphs.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/732950.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 732950
CONTACT:
Dave DeCecco of Pepsi-Cola Company,
914-253-2655; Terry O'Neil of Ralphs, 310-884-4680; or Kathleen
Fineout of MLB, 212-931-7882
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