Designer fashion company Ralph Lauren has secured a sponsorship arrangement with Major League Baseball (MLB), featuring three collections involving products from four teams.
The Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals comprise the four debut clubs to participate in the partnership, whilst other MLB teams including the Boston Red Sox will join at a later date.
Ralph Lauren had previously collaborated with the Yankees as a result of a 2018 agreement in which company founder and Executive Chairman Ralph Lauren threw the first pitch at a game at the Yankee Stadium in honour of his corporation’s 50th anniversary.
This event was coupled with a special limited-edition Yankees collection. Under the terms of the recent expansion, Ralph Lauren Corp will produce a range of products such as Polo shirts, Polo Bear Polo shirts, satin jackets, fleece sweatshirts, crewneck sweatshirts and interpretations of New Era-produced hats.
An extensive global advertising campaign will accompany and support the launch of the new collections, inspired by vintage baseball cards that will appear on murals in several key cities.
In addition, Ralph Lauren’s custom mobile home will promote the range of products via a cross-country tour across the US.
“Our collaboration is both an incredible opportunity and a very natural partnership between two of America’s most iconic brands that have deep, rich histories,” said David Lauren, Vice Chairman and Chief Innovation and Branding Officer at Ralph Lauren Corp.
Additional capsules in the collection will be released in winter in time for the Christmas holiday shopping season, and the entire range will be sold at various retail outlets including select Ralph Lauren stores, Macy’s, Bloomingdales, the MLB and Ralph Lauren websites and at the league’s new flagship store in New York City.
The enhancement of Ralph Lauren’s baseball presence represents a continued expansion of its sports sponsorship activities, having already established itself in the tennis space by integrating the Australian Open, US Tennis Association and PGA of America into its portfolio.
Meanwhile, the MLB has also been working on an expansion of its list of sponsorship partners, having recently signed a multi-year partnership with Bally’s Corporation, naming the casino and entertainment operator as its official betting partner.
