Bank of America hopes to hit a home run this summer using its Major League Baseball sponsorships to drive in new customers.
Community celebrations will center on three of the most storied MLB rivalries before the July MLB All-Star Break: the New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox, the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants, and the Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals. A consumer promotion will be tied to the games and retired players from those teams will make meet-and-greet appearances in banking centers and talk about the history of the rivalries. Charlotte, NC-based Bank of America is the official bank of each team.
“This is a way of growing our involvement in the game and we plan on leveraging the rivalries,” Bank of America spokesman Joe Goode said. “The frequency of the rivalry games and fan intensity around the rivalries will build a platform for excitement and extend our brand association.”
Negotiations are in the works to broadcast the games live from national movie theaters or public parks as part of the sponsorship.
“Most theaters you go to now have stadium seating so that will add to the excitement,” Goode said.
Octagon, Norwalk, CT, is Bank of America’s sports marketing AOR, and will handle a large portion of the campaign. Jack Morton Worldwide, New York, will assist with street teams.
Bank of America is currently leveraging its second year as the Official Bank of Baseball with an Opening Week Sweepstakes on MLB.com dangling a chance to win a grand-prize trip for two to the 2005 All-Star Game on July 12 in Detroit, MI.
First prize is a $250 gift certificate to the MLB.com shop, while two second-prize winners get the MLB team jersey of their choice. Entries will be accepted through April 11.
Bank of America has sponsorship deals with Minor League Baseball and Little League Baseball as well.
In addition to the banks’ MLB initiatives, “Bank of America Day” will be held at 89 Minor League ballparks around the July 4th weekend to recognize America’s “neighborhood champions”: schoolteachers, police officers, firefighters and healthcare workers. The ballparks are in markets where Bank of America has a presence.
Bank of America will also support Little League Baseball hitting competitions in key U.S. markets, culminating with a charitable donation to be announced at the Little League World Series in August. The competitions will begin at a community level in the summer, and regional finals will be held at MLB ballparks.
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