Major League Baseball team the Tampa Bay Rays has entered into a partnership with Coca-Cola after opting to end an agreement with rival soft drinks manufacturer PepsiCo.
Details of the Rays’ deal with Coca-Cola have not been disclosed, but the company is set to serve as the team’s official beverage provider from the 2018 season onward.
The Rays’ ballpark, Tropicana Field, is named after fruit juice brand Tropicana, which is owned by PepsiCo. A club spokesman told the Tampa Bay Times newspaper that Tropicana orange juice will continue to be sold at the stadium, which will retain its current name until at least 2027.
Last April, MLB agreed a multi-year partnership with Coca-Cola in a deal that brought to an end its relationship with PepsiCo. Teams are not obligated to follow the league in replacing PepsiCo with Coca-Cola.
Eighteen other MLB clubs hold partnerships with Coca-Cola: Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Washington Nationals.