Payments giant MasterCard and Major League Baseball said on Thursday (April 21) that the duo has extended its relationship, 19 years after forming their partnership.
In a press release, the two firms stated that the new extension has MasterCard operating as the presenting sponsorship, with a pact beginning with the 2016 All-Star Game. As part of the renewed and extended agreement, the firms stated, MasterCard will also be able to offer up “advanced payment technologies to baseball fans.”
In a statement, Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing officer at MasterCard, stated: “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. 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.”
The agreement stipulates that, each year, MasterCard will be the sponsor of the aforementioned All-Star activities. There is also the ability to boost, for merchants, brand awareness and MasterPass as a way to conduct transactions. The transactions themselves occur through the MasterCard and MLB relationship, with secure buying online or through the app, which means that users do not have to constantly re-enter their data.
In addition to the expansion, MLB has integrated MasterPass as a conduit for payments on its online store or app. The payments firm also has relationships in place with four MLB franchises, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.
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