Players Club; Keep Living the Dream

No price on this Premiere Issue, which I picked up for $.50 at the Friends of the Library sale cart--it's "niche" publishing and will probably have a distribution of 20,000 to a very elite group, depending on advertising of luxury goods (actually all magazines depend on advertising).

Lenny Dykstra, "a star outfielder for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies in the 1980s and 1990s, has teamed up with Doubledown Media to produce The Players Club, a magazine aimed at helping players manage their millions.

The idea behind the magazine is this: professional athletes are often scorned for their out-size contracts and lifestyles. But once their playing days are over, more than a few of them have trouble finding new jobs, struggle to keep their families together and find that they have spent their savings." (NYT, Dec. 7, 2007)

The relationship between Dykstra and Doubledown Media may be brief, according to a May 1, 2008 story at Porfolio.com. "Now Dykstra and Doubledown are in a legal battle over control of the second, yet-to-be-published issue, with Doubledown accusing the baseball great of skipping out on his debts.

Dykstra struck the first blow, filing suit in federal court on April 25 accusing Doubledown of breaching their contract by withholding the issue and interfering with the magazine's business relationships. On Tuesday, Doubledown, which publishes Trader Monthly and The Cigar Report, hit back with a counterclaim alleging that it was Dykstra who breached their agreement in failing to pay more than half a million dollars he owed."

It's tough starting a magazine. Not a good plan to sue your partner if you're giving out financial advice. I just checked the Doubledown webpage, and Players Club isn't listed as one of their products. Sigh.

Dykstra's "From the Founder" article on p. 19 states:

"We will address the issues encountered by athletes in a non-threatening, non-judgmental fasion--and showcase those taking charge of their lives off the field.

We will also provide monthly educational information regarding finances, with the goal of enhancing every player's ability to make informed career and life decisions."

Players Club
Premiere Issue, April 2008
issn: 1941-7128
subscription information 815-734-5821
Subject: athletes, investments, celebrities
Doubledown Media
240 West 35th Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001
http://doubledownmedia.com
Players Club
245 Park Avenue, 39th Floor
New York, NY 10167
Founder: Lenny Dykstra
Editor-in-chief: Randall Lane