News Releases
Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP) and The Scotts Company LLC announced today a multi-year relationship encompassing sponsorship, licensing, national MLB-themed advertising, and local Club partnerships, that designates Scotts as the “Official Lawn Care Company of Major League Baseball.” The relationship is the first of its kind for MLBP and the largest sports relationship for Scotts, the market leader in lawn and garden care products.
Fans will now be able to purchase grass seed blends and fertilizers featured in some of the most iconic Major League ballparks. These products, designed by Scotts in consultation with the head groundskeeper at each ballpark, utilize the same Scotts varieties and technology used on the fields. Grass seed blends and fertilizers will debut in 2010 for fans of the Boston Red Sox (Fenway Park), Chicago Cubs (Wrigley Field), Cincinnati Reds (Great American Ballpark), Philadelphia Phillies (Citizens Bank Park) and St. Louis Cardinals (Busch Stadium). Other future club-specific products are in development.
“The grass on the field of play is part of the very foundation of baseball, so this deal with Scotts, the worldwide leader in lawn care, is a natural fit for Major League Baseball,” said Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President, Business, Major League Baseball. “Now with the help of Scotts, our fans can challenge their local Clubs for the title of who has the ‘best lawn in the neighborhood.’”
“This is a partnership between two great American brands – the overlap between baseball fans and homeowners is immense,” said John Price, Brand Manager, Lawns Marketing at The Scotts Company. “Now fans can use the same Scotts technology and seed varieties used on Major League Baseball fields to achieve premium results on their home lawns.”
In addition to the licensed products, Scotts has negotiated sponsorship agreements with the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. Scotts will have in-stadium exposure as well as the ability to feature Club logos in local advertising and promotions for these markets.
As part of its national sponsorship commitment, Scotts made significant media commitments to national Major League Baseball television rightsholders, as well as to other MLB-produced programming. Scotts will air MLB-themed commercials, and the MLB and Club logos will be prominently featured on a wide range of in-store marketing materials throughout the year. Scotts will also sponsor a premiere attraction at All-Star FanFest.
About Major League Baseball Properties
The Major League Baseball Clubs formed Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP) in 1966 as the Club’s agent for marketing and trademark licensing and protection. Major League Baseball Properties is responsible for managing consumer licensing activities, developing national advertising campaigns, cultivating sponsorship opportunities with major consumer brands and corporations, growing the game and the business of baseball outside the United States and creating national marketing programs in conjunction with Clubs, broadcast rights holders and national sponsors. MLBP also operates a full-service video and audio production unit (Major League Baseball Productions), a publishing division and stock photo licensing agency, and manages logistics for the All-Star Game and World Series as well as all other special events. For more information on Major League Baseball, log on to www.MLB.com.
About ScottsMiracle-Gro
With nearly $3 billion in worldwide sales and more than 8,000 associates, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, The Scotts Company LLC, is the world's largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care, with products for professional horticulture as well. The Company’s brands are the most recognized in the industry. In the U.S., the Company's Scotts®, Miracle-Gro®, and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories, as is the consumer Roundup® brand, which is marketed in North America and most of Europe exclusively by Scotts and owned by Monsanto. In the U.S. the Company operates Scotts LawnService®, the second largest residential lawn care service business. In Europe, the Company’s brands include Weedol®, Pathclear®, Evergreen®, Levington®, Miracle-Gro®, KB®, Fertiligene® and Substral®. For additional information, visit us at www.scotts.com.
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Contacts:
Matt Bourne or Jeff Heckelman, Major League Baseball, (212) 931-7878
Keri Butler, The Scotts Company, (937) 644-7410
