In 1992, Kmart stores launched an innovative baseball card promotion called the Kmart Dream Team that allowed kids to vote for their favorite MLB players to be featured on special baseball cards. By engaging kids directly in the selection process, Kmart hoped to tap into the enthusiasm of baseball’s younger fans while also driving families to its stores. The promotion was a major success and remained a fixture in the baseball card hobby for several years.
The concept was simple – Kmart printed ballots that listed the top players at each position. Kids, with some guidance from their parents, selected one player at each position to represent their “dream team.” The ballots were deposited in stores and the top vote-getters at each position were chosen to be featured on special Kmart baseball cards. Proud kids displayed their completed ballots in store hoping their favorite players would be selected.
By democratizing the All-Star selection process and empowering kids to have a say, Kmart brilliantly tapped into the passion of baseball’s youth fanbase. Unlike typical baseball cards where players and photos are chosen without fan input, the Kmart Dream Team gave kids ownership over which players made the cut. This interactive element sparked enthusiasm for the promotion and drove traffic to Kmart stores.
When the voting concluded, the results were tallied and Kmart produced exclusive trading cards featuring the Dream Team lineup as chosen by baseball’s youngest fans. In 1992, Terry Pendleton, David Justice, Dale Murphy, Ozzie Smith, and Nolan Ryan were among the initial fan favorites selected. Their vibrantly designed cards, with a distinctive “Kmart Dream Team” logo, were inserted randomly in wax packs sold only at Kmart locations that year.
The unique cards became highly coveted items in the hobby. Along with displaying stats and a photo, they conveyed a sense of pride for the kid whose ballot selection made the Dream Team cut. The cards themselves served as enduring mementos of participating in an innovative promotion that let young fans directly influence the MLB card checklist. It was an exciting experience that ignited passions for the hobby in many children.
In subsequent years, Kmart continued and expanded the Dream Team promotion. New ballots were printed with updated player rosters so kids could again select their lineups. Other positions like designated hitter were added as those roles became standardized in the league. Kids eagerly awaited finding the new Dream Team cards in packs, hoping their pick from the previous year made a repeat appearance.
The promotion brought many families to Kmart each season seeking the latest Dream Team wax packs. It was a rare crossover promotion that appealed to baseball-loving kids and adults alike. While major in the ballcard industry, the promotion provided a broader boost to Kmart by driving baseball toy, equipment and apparel sales in its stores each spring and summer when voting took place.
One of the most unique aspects was that the Dream Team cards featured active players, not retired stars which dominated the traditional set makers like Topps. At a time when the junk wax era saturated the market with mass-produced cards, the Dream Team cards stood out with their limited print runs, exclusive retailer availability, and timeliness showcasing that year’s MLB stars as voted by fans. They captured the energy and enthusiasm of following the current Major League season.
As one of the early leaders in licensed sports merchandise, Kmart expertly leveraged its ballcard promotion each year from 1992-1996 to boost traffic and sales. The success of the annual Dream Team voting inspired other retailers to try similar promotions but Kmart’s remained the gold standard. Many of the cards from those sets have increased greatly in value today as indicators of their significance in the hobby during their peak years in the early 1990s.
While Kmart eventually moved on from the Dream Team baseball cards in later years, the promotion left an indelible mark. By directly involving kids in selecting their dream all-star lineups, Kmart sparked passions that still resonate with collectors today. The innovative concept demonstrated how empowering fans, especially the younger set, could drive passion and traffic – an lesson that carries into today’s increasingly digital hobby. Though no longer in the cards, the spirit of the Kmart Dream Team lives on as one of the most unique and beloved promotions in the history of the baseball card industry.
