ESPN Helps Local Boys & Girls Clubs Join the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program

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Oct 12, 2015, 09:00 ET

ATLANTA, Oct. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In an effort to get more Club members to play the games of baseball and softball, ESPN is teaming up with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) to support the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program at local Boys & Girls Clubs in seven communities across the country. The yearlong program will support Clubs' participation in existing RBI leagues or will help launch new programs.

Igniting passions around the National Pastime for kids since 1989, the RBI program gives young players the opportunity to play in baseball and softball programs in underserved communities. The program also places a special focus on encouraging academic achievement and teaching important life lessons.

"I think the most important thing for people to know about RBI is its ability to change lives," said David James, senior director of RBI. "It's not just about baseball or softball. It's more about opportunities and providing kids with new experiences."

Participating Clubs include Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago (Ill.), King County (Seattle, Wash.), Kips Bay (Bronx, N.Y.), Miami (Fla.), Hartford (Conn.), Western Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh, Pa,) and Atlanta (Ga.). In addition to RBI, Clubs will ensure participants receive educational components to help foster academic achievement and host clinics to teach members the fundamentals of baseball and softball.

"We are proud to join Commissioner Manfred and Major League Baseball's commitment to reach more youth through the game of baseball," said ESPN vice president of corporate citizenship Kevin Martinez. "Through this collaboration with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, we hope to introduce baseball to a new generation of kids, particularly those in urban and inner city communities."

As summer play has come to a close, Boys & Girls Club youth can continue to practice healthy lifestyles while playing ball through RBI.

"We are grateful for the support of Major League Baseball and ESPN for enabling our Club members the opportunity to play our nation's favorite pastime," said Frank Sanchez, national vice president, business & community affairs at BGCA. "The RBI program provides a chance for kids and teens to learn about the importance of teamwork and achievement while also reaching youth that may not normally have the opportunity to play baseball." Some 20,000 Boys & Girls Club members currently participate in RBI.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at BGCA's Facebook and Twitter.

About Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities
The RBI program, which has served approximately 2 million young people since its inception, is administered by Major League Baseball and is designed to give young people from underserved and diverse communities the opportunity to play baseball and softball, while also encouraging academic achievement and success and teaching the value of teamwork and other important life lessons. RBI currently serves more than 230,000 young men and women in over 300 programs established in approximately 200 cities worldwide. MLB and its Clubs have designated more than $30 million worth of resources to the RBI program, and all 30 Clubs support RBI leagues. For more information about the RBI World Series, please visit MLB.com/rbiworldseries.

ESPN Corporate Citizenship
ESPN believes that, at its very best, sports uplifts the human spirit. Its corporate citizenship programs use power of sport to positively address society's needs through strategic community investments, cause marketing programs, collaboration with sports organizations and employee volunteerism, while also utilizing its diverse media assets. For more information go to www.espn.com/citizenship.

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SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America