Yoga mats in the Dodger Stadium outfield

The full blaze of the midday sun shone down on Dodger Stadium, and heat waves danced on the infield dirt.

But the Dodgers weren't poised to take the field.

In fact, the only Dodger present was Andre Ethier, and he was sprawled on a yoga mat in pigeon pose. All around him, about 100 fans were similarly contorted -- having paid $100 a pop for the privilege.

In the brave new world of sports marketing, it's not always enough to sell game tickets or offer high-priced trips to spring training. With ticket sales down and corporate sponsorships shrinking, teams throughout professional sports are trading on the celebrity cachet of players, selling well-heeled fans the opportunity to lunch, fish, cruise or even practice yoga with their idols.

Some of the activities, like a recent Cincinnati Reds meet-and-greet, are for charity. But teams are increasingly turning to special events to make money.

Fans can put in a day's work as a groundskeeper with the Detroit Tigers ($1,250) or kick back on a cruise to the Bahamas with the Philadelphia Phillies (up to $1,599).

Football promotions include cruises with the Philadelphia Eagles (up to $6,000) and the San Diego Chargers. The Kings hockey team offered a four-day cruise to Mexico, and the Chicago Cubs are selling spaces on a trip to the Dominican Republic with players.

Last week, for $99, the Angels offered kids a one-day baseball day camp that featured pitching lessons and autographs. Like most Angels promotional events, proceeds went to charity.

"People love having that special access," said Dennis Mannion, the Dodgers' president and chief executive officer.

In addition to the yoga session with Ethier, the team recently offered a fishing trip with pitchers Brent Leach and James McDonald. That brought in about $11,000.

Mannion said events like these could eventually bring in more money than tickets, concessions or parking. The three nights the team offered batting practice -- in which fans could work on their swing under the stadium lights -- brought in about $170,000.

Players typically get paid for their appearances unless the event is for philanthropic purposes, a Dodgers spokeswoman said.

Next year, Mannion plans to seek corporate sponsorships for the events, he said, which he hopes will drive revenues even further.