The Indians have signed a one-year sponsorship deal with BP, with the oil giant replacing Shell as the club's official fuel provider. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the BP-Indians pact is for the rest of the '11 season with two subsequent option years. BP will run an Indians-themed retail promotion this summer in which customers purchasing 10 gallons or more of gas at about 215 Northeast Ohio BP locations will receive a scratch-off ticket with a ticket code. Fans registering five such codes at BPIndiansBaseball.com then receive a password good for two free mezzanine-level tickets at Progressive Field. Other assets in the deal include ballpark signage, radio inventory and exclusive naming rights to the Indians' batting practice. The batting practice component will also involve BP-sponsored fan giveaways of VIP experiences that include on-field access and special gift bags. BP has targeted sports as a key tool in its post-disaster corporate marketing following last year's historic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and to that end increased activation this year of its title sponsorship of the Crosstown Cup in Chicago with the Cubs and White Sox.
