Major League Baseball (MLB) has selected FTX as the official cryptocurrency exchange brand of the league as part of a long-term partnership, marking the first-ever collaboration between a professional sports league and a cryptocurrency exchange.
As part of the deal, FTX will become MLB’s first umpire uniform patch partner. Beginning with the MLB All-Star Game, presented by Mastercard, on 13 July, the FTX.US logo patch will adorn all umpire uniforms for regular season, Postseason, Spring Training and Jewel Event games.
This new agreement also provides FTX with worldwide marketing rights associated with MLB marks, logos and special events, whilst the firm will benefit from brand promotion around nationally televised MLB games, MLB.com, MLB Network, MLB.TV, and social media platforms.
Noah Garden, MLB’s Chief Revenue Officer, stated: “This is an incredibly exciting announcement for everyone in Major League Baseball as we partner with a global leader in the early stages of their unbelievable growth.
“FTX quickly cultivated itself into a worldwide leader in the ever-evolving cryptocurrency industry and continues to build on its already impressive reputation. Our fans have been early adopters in using new technologies to engage with our game.”
In addition, FTX.US has formed an agreement with MLB Players Inc – a subsidiary of the MLB Players Association that manages all of the commercial activities for the organisation.
As a result, FTX will have group player rights, which allows the organisation to use highlights of players in content creation.
“It’s an honour for FTX to be the first cryptocurrency exchange to be associated with the history and tradition of America’s national pastime,” added Sam Bankman-Fried, the CEO and Founder of FTX.
“FTX.COM and FTX.US are excited to enter this first-of-its-kind partnership with Major League Baseball. At FTX, we strive each day to make a positive global impact, and there is no better partner for us to achieve this goal with [the] MLB and its international fan base.”
FTX already maintains a presence in the US sporting space, having inked a record deal with esports organisation TSM earlier in the month, having already secured the naming rights to National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise Miami Heat’s home venue.