MasterCard has extended its sponsorship deal with Major League Baseball and will become the presenting sponsor of the All-Star Game beginning this season.
"MLB is one of our longest-tenured partners and during this time we've significantly expanded our relationship by taking it far beyond a traditional sponsorship," said Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing officer, MasterCard. "Baseball is a passion for many and through our partnership we've been able to deliver not only access for fans, but have incorporated new payment options, driven fan engagement around Priceless Causes and delivered truly memorable moments."
The credit card company's relationship with the national pastime goes back to 1997, when MasterCard ran its first "Priceless" ad showing a father and son at a ballpark.
As part of the new deal, MasterCard will have media rights during the All-Star Game, have expanded brand presence at point-of-sale at key All-Star events, and will be able to offer special benefits to card holders, including a discount to the All-Star FanFest and presales of game tickets and discounts at the MLB.com shop.
"We are looking forward to creating exciting and innovative elements with MasterCard over the next several years in connection to the All-Star Game presented by MasterCard," said Noah Garden, MLB executive VP, business. "Major League Baseball games and Jewel Events like the All-Star Game provide MasterCard with high-profile opportunities to showcase its evolutionary payment technologies to our fans."
