SCHNUCKS PARTNERS WITH TICKETS.COM

WENDY TOTH

ST. LOUIS - Schnuck Markets here is continuing its relationship with the St. Louis Cardinals by partnering with Tickets.com, Costa Mesa, Calif., the baseball team's new provider.

Customers will be able to purchase tickets at 33 St. Louis-area Schnuck locations. Schnucks has 67 stores in the St. Louis metropolitan area; they are part of its 102 total stores throughout Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Mississippi and Iowa.

This partnership comes at a time of high ticket demand for the new Busch Stadium, which opened at the beginning of the season.

"We at Schnucks are always looking for opportunities to develop partnerships that will help to enhance each customer's shopping experience," said Denis Oldani, director of video services.

Schnucks' affiliation with the Cardinals provides a competitive advantage because "it's a huge hometown franchise and we are a huge hometown franchise, and I think there are some synergies in trying to market the two," said Mike Jurgensmeyer, group vice president, general merchandise and pharmacy.