US multinational food and beverage corporation PepsiCo has announced a multi-year extension to its sponsorship agreement with Major League Baseball Properties, which has run for over 15 years.
Under the terms of the deal, PepsiCo retains exclusive rights within the non-alcoholic beverage, sports fuel and salty snack categories to use the North American baseball league’s marks and logos. PepsiCo brands, including Pepsi, Gatorade, Aquafina, Frito-Lay Seeds, Cracker Jack and Lay's remain official MLB sponsors.
Through such brands, PepsiCo will create local and national MLB marketing programmes and retail opportunities, while benefitting from integration into the league’s television, mobile and digital assets. Gatorade will debut a new advertisement supporting the launch of its Fierce subline starring Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, while Pepsi is introducing its ‘For the Thrill of the Game’ programme activated using the MLB.com/pepsi portal.
Aquafina remains the official water of Major League Baseball and also becomes the official sponsor of the seventh inning stretch this season with on-package promotions. Gatorade continues to provide fluid and nutrients to players on the field.
Frito-Lay brands, including Lay's and Cracker Jack, as well as the Frito-Lay Sunflower Seeds line will leverage the MLB relationship for sampling and other promotional efforts throughout the season. Frito-Lay will develop team specific point-of-sale displays in select markets where it has a team sponsorship.
PepsiCo currently sponsors more than half of the MLB teams and has over a dozen MLB athletes on its endorsement roster.