Firestone is the first-ever Official Tire of Major League Baseball.
The multi-year agreement between parent-firm Bridgestone and the league marks Firestone’s largest sports sponsorship outside of racing.
“This relationship with MLB brings together two iconic American brands,” says John Baratta, Bridgestone’s president of consumer tire replacement sales. “Aligning the 109-year-old Firestone brand with America’s National Pastime is a great combination,” he notes.
Firestone and the league will be participating in numerous promotional campaigns, including sponsorship of an All-Star Week hospitality event along with the MLB All-Star FanFest.
The tire maker is to be the exclusive sponsor of in-stadium All-Star balloting, the biggest program of its kind in professional sports with more than 20 million ballots distributed at 30 Major League ballparks. Each stadium will have 25 home dates for voting; the election process is also conducted at about 100 minor league fields.
Additional trademark rights and broadcast exposure are also included in the transaction.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to elevate the Firestone brand to new heights of consumer awareness and visibility,” Baratta reports.
“To be able to partner with a sport as successful and dynamic as baseball opens up a new world of possibilities to continue to strengthen our brand loyalty, bolster our marketing support for our family of retailers and reach out to millions of new consumers who are loyal to MLB and its prestigious roster of official sponsors,” he adds.
As it turns out, company founder Harvey S. Firestone was a spirited baseball fan. In 1925 he assisted in the construction of Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio, which has played host to a number of famed players over the years and is still used for area youth baseball and softball leagues.
“Firestone is a proven leader in its industry as well as one of the truly renowned brands in America,” observes Tim Brosnan, the Major League’s executive vice president of business. “We are proud to welcome Firestone into the MLB family and look forward to bringing our fans and their customers closer together through exciting and innovative programs.”
Firestone is also the Official Tire of the Indianapolis 500, the IZOD IndyCar Series and the IndyPro Series.
Bridgestone is the Official Tire of the National Football League, the National Hockey League, the PGA Tour and the World Golf Championships. The Bridgestone Invitational is played on the greens at Akron’s Firestone Country Club. Bridgestone also has sponsorship agreements with several sports teams, including the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators.
For more information, visit www.bridgestone-firestone and www.mlb.com.
