Derek M Theaker

Assignment 4: Sponsorship Proposal

Major League Baseball and Sony Corporation

Executive Summary

With this new partnership between Major League Baseball and Sony Corporation,

fans will be extensively shown Sony products from the moment they step into one of the 30

MLB stadiums, until the second they walk out of the stadium. Not only will fans get to see

the great technology Sony has to offer while at the stadium they will be wanting to bring

that same great technology home with them. Sony will be on display in all 30 ballparks as

well as through televised game broadcasts throughout the season to millions of baseball

fans. Sony technology will be easily accessible for fans to view and interact with during

baseball games. During broadcasts, viewers at home will know that the games are being

shot with Sony 4K cameras. Viewers and visitors will also see the Sony billboards and

advertisements throughout the 30 ballparks. The fans will be able to shop for Sony

products while at the stadium. Sony will see increases in sales of their 4K Ultra HD

televisions and the Sony PlayStation 4 systems, along with the accessories and games that

go along with the Sony PS4s. This partnership between the MLB and Sony will showcase

both the great game of baseball and the technological power that Sony has to offer.

Introduction

Major League Baseball is known around the world as America’s pastime. The MLB is

a collection of 30 great teams from around the United States and Canada. We hold winter

meetings in December to discuss rules and allow teams to introduce players from trades

they have made. We start spring training in March and begin our season in April. Opening

Day and Opening week are exciting times for baseball fans. It marks the start of the new

season and the beginning of spring in North America. Our teams play a 162 game season

that lasts until the end of September. About mid-way through the season we have the All-

Star break and All-Star game, hosted at a different stadium every year. The winner of the

All-Star game, American League or National League, is awarded home field advantage for

the World Series. We start our playoffs in October with the Division Series, then the League

Championship, and finally the World Series, (or Fall Classic).

Marketing Opportunities

Major League Baseball can give Sony a large audience to showcase its technology to

for over eight months out of every year. Our fans start watching with spring training and

continue to watch until the end of the World Series. This is a lot of exposure of Sony

technologies to dedicated fans for a great amount of time each and every year. The

technology Sony creates is perfect for the sports fan, and especially the many fans of the

MLB. With the great visuals that Sony 4K cameras and televisions produce, fans can see far

greater detail of the game they love. Having the Sony 4K technology in all 30 stadiums

around the league will guarantee that Sony technology is seen by over 70 million fans a

year. With this technology being new for Sony and new to the fans, this is a great way for

Sony to ensure that millions and millions of consumers are seeing their products. Now

included into that, a Sony PlayStation 4 system with Project Morpheus virtual reality

allowing fans to step into the batter’s box on “MLB The Show,” and now fans are immersed

in their favorite sport all on Sony technology. Sony consumers like to be awash in what

they see, hear, and feel. Allowing them to feel what it is like to be batting against major

league pitchers will be a great experience for the fan. They will come away knowing that

Sony is on the forefront of technology. They will want that experience more and more. The

consumer will also have a taste of what their favorite sport looks like in stunning Sony 4K

and be ready to bring that experience home with them, so that even if they cannot make it

to the stadium to see their favorite team, they can get the same experience at home on their

Sony 4K television, knowing that the game is being broadcasted with Sony 4K cameras.

Sponsorship Activation

The first part of this venture would be the installation of Sony 4K televisions in

luxury suites in all of the stadiums. This would allow the fan to see how great the game of

baseball looks on Sony 4K technology. After seeing it at the game, the consumer would

want to recreate this in their own home so that they could experience the greatness that is

Sony 4K at any time.

The second part would be the installation and use of Sony 4K cameras throughout

every stadium in the MLB. This would allow every game to be broadcast in Sony 4K. Fans

will see at the stadium how great 4K cameras make the game look on Sony 4K televisions

and again the fan will want to recreate this at their own home.

The third part would be to set up a Sony PlayStation 4 booth at every stadium with

the Project Morpheus virtual reality headset, playing “MLB The Show.” The fans will now

be able to see the PlayStation 4 in action along with two other Sony products, Project

Morpheus and MLB The Show. After having the experience of batting in an actual MLB

game, the fan will want to be able to do this any time they want at home.

Pitch

Sony will become the official 4K television of Major League Baseball. All 30

stadiums will have a Sony billboard installed and Sony will be featured during all

highlights, instant replays, etc. Sony will install 4K televisions in all 30 stadiums, because

of the number of stadiums and the number of television sets required the MLB will split the

cost of the televisions with Sony. Sony 4K cameras will be used to broadcast every MLB

game throughout spring training, the regular season, and the post-season. The Sony

and/or 4K logo will be displayed during all game broadcasts, much like the MLB logo is

displayed during a game broadcast. All 30 stadiums will be outfitted with a Sony

PlayStation 4 system, including the Project Morpheus headset and MLB The Show. Sony

can also put a small Sony Store in stadiums of their choosing to allow the sale of official

Sony products to fans at the stadiums. Stadiums that do not have the capacity for an actual

store can be outfitted with vending machines that will feature Sony products for the fan to

purchase. The Sony brand will be featured throughout all 30 stadiums for the 70 plus

million fans to see annually.

Outcomes and Measurements

With the successful integration of Sony products into MLB stadiums, Sony can

expect to see a spike in the sales of Sony technology and products. The MLB will also be

rewarded with heightened viewership, both at home and at the stadiums throughout the

MLB. Sony should see an increase in the sales of its 4K Ultra HD television sets as well as

increases in the Sony PlayStation 4 system and its peripherals. The Sony Corporation can

expect an extreme amount of exposure from the MLB fans that visit stadiums every season,

as well as those at home viewing the broadcasted games. Sony will also be able measure

successes through sales at the Sony stores and vending machines located throughout the

30 ballparks. Sony can also do surveys during games to find out what kind of impact they

are having with fans and also see what else the fans would like to see from Sony and Major

League Baseball.