Major League Baseball team the Atlanta Braves has entered into a partnership with Japanese sportswear and equipment company Mizuno.
The long-term deal names Mizuno as the official baseball gear partner of the Braves.
As part of the agreement, the Mizuno Experience Center will open at The Battery Atlanta, a new multi-purpose development that is being built next to SunTrust Park, the Braves’ future home ballpark that is set to open in time for the 2017 MLB season.
The Mizuno Experience Center will allow fans to test a range of Mizuno’s performance technologies, which include a golf performance system and an interactive bat optimisation system.
Mizuno will also operate first-of-its-kind glove kiosks at SunTrust Park. Supporters will be able to use the gloves to catch foul balls during the game, before purchasing the gloves later on or returning them at no extra cost.
In addition, Mizuno will receive extensive brand exposure at SunTrust Park and The Battery Atlanta, and will serve as the presenting sponsor of youth baseball tournaments and clinics.
“Mizuno has long been the model for innovation and excellence, both in its approach to its craft and in equipment the company produces,” Derek Schiller, president of business at the Braves, said. “As we prepare to open a new chapter at SunTrust Park and The Battery Atlanta, we were looking to build and grow partnerships with companies that shared our vision and values.
“Mizuno's commitment to success matches our own, and we're excited for how this partnership will enhance the fan experience beginning in 2017.”