Milwaukee Brewers vouch for their loyal fans with reward

A Milwaukee Brewers fan has the name of the suspended Ryan Braun covered on his shirt. Jeffrey Phelps / AP Photo

Even before the star outfielder Ryan Braun was banned for 65 games last week following his admission that he used banned substances, the Milwaukee Brewers were having an awful season. Now, the club are trying to show fans they share their pain.

Mark Attanasio, principal owner of the Brewers, has promised a US$10 (Dh36.7) voucher for every ticket holder who enters the team’s stadium during August.

The voucher can be used for food and drink inside the stadium, merchandise or toward the purchase of a ticket for a game later in the season.

“This has been a challenging season for all of us, but one thing that has never wavered has been the tremendous support we have received from fans who love the Brewers,” Attanasio told the league website. “We wanted to show our appreciation, and we will strive to provide the best fan experience possible.”

Despite the team’s poor performance, which finds them 44-61 and last in the National League’s Central Division, and Braun’s suspension, the Brewers have averaged more than 30,000 fans for home games.

If fans continue to turn out at that pace, the first-of-its-kind programme will cost the club in excess of $3.6 million - a sum exceeding the salary the Brewers would have paid Braun had he remained active for the remainder of the year.

“This is a lot of money to give back to the fans,” said Rick Schlesinger, the club’s chief operating officer.

“It’s a lot of discounts absorbed by this voucher. We haven’t seen another team do this for an entire month, let alone a busy month. The Braun announcement is still fresh and raw in the minds of many fans. It’s the first step in what will be a series of initiatives to reward our fans.”