The Cincinnati Reds have a bunch of new bells and whistles on their Internet site, but those are coming from Major League Baseball offices in New York.

        The 30 clubs last year created a company — MLB Advanced Media LP — to handle Internet operations. Like all the other clubs, the Reds ponied up an undisclosed amount to finance the new venture.

        But the benefits are real. The site, still reachable at www.cincinnatireds.com, already has a changed look. When the system is up and running later this month, it will perform searches for video clips, play fantasy games and allow live radio broadcasts.

        So a Reds fan who wants to see video of Barry Larkin's last four at-bats against left-handed pitchers can find those clips, said Jim Gallagher, a spokesman at MLB Advanced Media.

        Customers also will be able to buy merchandise and tickets over the site. Those orders are taken in New York, and the merchandise is sent directly to the customer without ever passing through the Reds' Cinergy Field offices.

        MLB Advanced Media employs about 65 people in its Manhattan offices and eventually will have two workers on-site with every major-league team, Mr. Gallagher said.

        The teams contribute most of the content, but the central company edits it and posts it on the Web site.

        Mike Ringering, the Reds' director of communications, said the team never would have been able to afford the technology provided in the centralized site.

        It's ironic that baseball, which has long resisted sharing revenue between big-market and small-market teams even when sports like basketball and football took that step, is moving in that direction on the Internet first.

        “You won't have one team's site dominating another site because that other site can't afford it,” Mr. Ringering said.

More beer
        It took one owner who wanted to retire and another on the prowl to expand to join two local beer distributors.

        Coming off the best year in its 68-year history, H. Dennert Distribution Co. bought competitor Bennett Beverage Feb. 16.

        Dennert owner Ron Plattner would not give a price for the deal, but it adds Coors, Hudepohl and several other brands to the Miller, Pabst and Heineken beers that Dennert already carries to bars and stores.

        The deal cost all the Bennett employees their jobs. The company employed 48 workers, according to the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce directory.

        Dennert eventually will sell Bennett's Sharonville facility and has moved those operations into its 5-year-old building near Lunken Airport.

        “When I built this building over there, I wanted to buy Bennett out,” Mr. Plattner said.

        Bennett president John Bennett has retired with the sale, he said.

        Dennert also has units in Northern Kentucky and in Phoenix that are not affected by the purchase.

        If you have a tip about Greater Cincinnati companies, e-mail Cliff Peale at cpeale@enquirer.com or call 768-8573.
       

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