Product Review: MLB Insiders Club Fleece Blanket
By Bill Jordan on Jan 16, 2009 with Comments 22
Here's a sample of what the fleece looks like.
During cold weather games, many fans bring a blanket with them to the stadium to stay warm. The MLB Insiders Club has recently come out with their own blankets, presumably to be used in this manner, to be passed out to their members.
The fleece blankets have a common design, but one can acquire it with whatever team logo they want. The blanket features the team’s primary logo in the center of the blanket with the secondary logo in the upper right hand corner. The team’s name is depicted on both the upper left and lower right corners with the Insiders’ logo appearing on the lower left corner. Both the secondary logo and the Insiders’ logo appear on top of the team’s secondary color which is sectioned off by stitches as if the corners were part of an actual baseball.
The seam of the blanket has a string going around it. It doesn’t actually hold any part of the blanket together; it is simply there for the look.
The blanket is comparable to the fleece blankets that have been giving out at stadiums across the country as a way to get people to the parks (much like bobble head dolls) over the past couple seasons. These specific blankets do seem to be a bit heavier than the giveaway items would be, but they are by no mean’s going to replace someone’s comforter.
The fleece fixture is almost large enough to fit the entire size of a twin bed. The warmth is not great, but could possibly be used as an extra layer or as the primary blanket on a brisk afternoon. The appearance is the most appealing part of the featured blanket as the colors really do stand out and the team logo reverberates with the darker background.
This product can only be acquired by joining the MLB Insiders’ club. It is currently the major free gift that the club is offering to its newest members. The club primarily accrues its members on an invitation bases only, but it is possible to join without an invite if one simply looks up the club online. The blanket does take about three months after joining the club to arrive in the mail, but it does come free with membership.
The adornment would probably be served best as something that was on display, rather than actually in use. Either hanging it up or draping it over the back of a couch would create a great addition to any fans’ den.
There are many other member benefits for joining the club including a year of the MLB Insiders Club Magazine (a review of which will be featured on BaseballReflections.com in the coming weeks), an opportunity to try new MLB products not yet released to the public, books that are only available to club members and various trinkets such as stickers and key chains.
Be warned that if one does join the club that they do tend to try to get people to purchase extra entities without being explicit about their true intentions. While this is true, they do an excellent job of understanding and canceling any membership or payments if a client is displeased with their service, usually without any questions asked.
The Grade: 3.25/5.
Bill Jordan is a contributor to BaseballReflections.com. He can be reached by e-mail at BillJordaniv@yahoo.com.
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i signed my 8 year old son up for this program,now all that he gets is magazine offers and other offers that hes not old enough for.mlb must have sold my child info to others,so beware.oh yea its is unlawfull to solicit to a minor.
Since they offered me the program, I have not been solicited with anything that was not from the MLB Insider’s Club. Not saying it can’t happen, but I just wanted to add my experience.
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[...] Product Review: MLB Insiders Club Fleece Blanket [...]
I wouldn’t join the “Insider’s Club” to get the blanket. You’ll probably not ever actually get the blanket anyway, but you’ll be sorry. This company is a joke and I’ll doubt that they are actually affiliated with MLB at all.
I got my blanket quite promptly! I haven’t been solicited with any other outside offers either! I think it’s a great club…just my two cents.
Also, the blanket is nothing to write home about…but it’s a nice fleece blanket. I wouldn’t use it to try to keep warm outside…but it’s great for when your sitting on the couch at night. I’ve received a couple of offers from the MLB club…a book offer that I simply returned as I didn’t want it. There was no hassle whatsoever.
I haven’t received my blanket yet and I paid for my membership over two months ago. There isn’t any information for the MLB Insiders Club on MLB.com, but after a little digging I realized that North American Membership Group is the company that runs MLB Insiders Club.
I called their office to see if I could find out the status on my blanket and I was greeted with a “Our Office is closed…call back during business hours, M-F, 7:30am-8pm Central Time”. Funny thing is, its only 5pm Central Time. Hmmmmm. Not looking good.
I just placed an order a week ago. i hopw i didnt get screwed.
warf…
I too was doubtful to begin with. However, I have received the blanket(Phillies), and after paying my Life dues, I just received my Phillies jacket. They may be slow but so far, with me at least, they have delivered everything promised. Charter Life Member #00017306.
Hey’ Bill Jordon I guess your not used to much if you think that fleece blanket is
worth the membership. Just walk into K-Mart
in the fabric section and purchase a square yard of the same material for $7 or $8. Just received yesterday for a pitch to
become a lifetime member and get a free black jacket,free sports bag, free cap, free key chain, patch and decals for only $28.95 a month for a year. The items are supposed to have the logo of your favorite team. So you spend about $330 for a life time membership. For that much I could afford buy a replica jersey and an actual jacket from my favorite team and in the team colors and actual team logo.
The question I have, Does MAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALL endorse the MLB Insiders Club?
I want to enter the giveaway contest but I cant find out how you dont show where to sign up Thank you
MLB insiders club is a sham. Joined as a life time member never got the jacket was sent a book I did not want or asked for sent it back and get a bill monthly for it even though i keep calling and told them I sent it back. Requested a refund but they only give them within thirty days but of course you don’t recieve anything that quickly to determine if it was worth it. Do not join I recieved 1 magazine and that was it then I was told they they are not monthly so what are they twice a year.
SUDDENLY, A BILL APPEARS FOR A LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP. I DO NOT WANT IT. HOW DO I GET OUT OF THIS DEAL? WHOM DO I CALL????
My wife ordered this for our anniversary. She paid in advance. I got the first issue of the magazine but they are still billing me and I have not received the blanket. Anyone have a phone number for them?
David-
I dont have a phone number, but this is their e-mail address:
MemberServices@baseballinsidersclub.com
If they call me again (which they most likely will) I will get that information for you.
Thanks for the inforation and hope that baseballreflections.com can continue to provide you with what you need when you need it.
-Bill
I joined–major MLB fan for decades, so I got sucked into the “lifetime” membership idea. The fleece jacket was valid inasmuch as I only felt I was fleeced. The thing looks good but is obviously VERY cheaply made. The gym bags are actually the most quality item they give–mine is sturdy, lots of nice compartments including a mesh one on the side, shoulder strap with comfortable pad–lots of room. Nice logos on both side, and while the MLB Insider logo is “official” — you can FORGET any “official” logo of your favorite team. I like the cubs… so I get this nice cyan-sort of bluish C, with Chicago cubs written around it in the same light blue shade–positively NO actual Cub logo. The same for the so-called $200 jacket. It’s a fairly nice jacket; but don’t you believe for a minute it’s worth the $200 no way, no how. and the logo? You got it! Another dark cyan embroidered C with Chicago Cubs–I was furious because the picture they showed on the handout showed someone wearing a jacket with an actual team logo. And you will NOT get your jacket until AFTER your membership fees are paid in full–forget any returns, they say “allow six-eight weeks for delivery”–mine took about ten. Of course by then it was too late to say I want to cancel and get my money back. I love baseball–but would have done better going directly to mlb.com and purchasing a REAL jacket with the REAL team logo–this one is an UN-FUNNY joke! You can’t even SEE the so-called logo from any distance. The worst part is that while not a subsidiary (as far as I know) of MLB, they ARE sanctioned by them, or they couldn’t use that MLB logo the way they do. Save yourself the money and a lot of grief–this outfit is a sham.
-Don
Thanks for sharing your experience Don. Insider’s Club is certainly sanctioned by the MLB. However, with the rash of complaints over the past couple years, perhaps that is something MLB will reconsider, as it is clearly affecting their brand.
I have talked with a few people who have signed up for the Lifetime Membership and received numberous calls and mailings to join myself. Each story makes me even happier I didnt take that step.
-Bill
BECAME A LIFE MEMBER IN APRIL 2011 HAVENT GOT MY YANKEE JACKET YET WHAT’S THE HOLD UP?
I just cancelled my membership (again) today in writing. It seems the other three cancellelations by phone did not work nor did it stop them from sending me books. The flimsy, yet nice looking team blanket and two magazines I received was not worth the aggravation.
I still love baseball, tho.
Certainly glad this negative experience hasn’t changed your love of our nation’s historic game. Thanks for reading!