MLB Marketing Notes: Manfred Leads Group At NYSE Promoting New Era Caps

MLB.com's Mark Newman reported MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred "led a contingent" of personnel from both the league and New Era that rang the closing bell yesterday at the N.Y. Stock Exchange. As part of New Era's #CapsOn campaign around Opening Day, the group "handed out hats, including 500 to traders on the floor" (MLB.com, 4/4). Manfred said he hopes fans wear a cap “not just at games, we hope that fans will wear their hats in the workplace." He said, "We gave away around 27,000 hats here (yesterday) in New York. People were just working a normal day, wearing their hats, and it's a great thing for the game” ("Closing Bell," CNBC, 4/4).

POWER ALLEYS: Residential solar power company Sunrun has signed a multiyear sponsorship with MiLB that will give the company rights as the affiliated minors' preferred residential solar power provider. As part of the deal, MiLB and Sunrun have created a The Future Is Bright campaign spotlighting top prospects in 16 select markets. Sunrun will also be integrated into the game day experience and have concourse booths set up in numerous markets. The sponsorship deal for MiLB adds to ones struck with John Deere and Uncle Ray's potato chips. The S.F.-based Sunrun is also aligned with the Yankees, Dodgers and Padres (Eric Fisher, Staff Writer).

NOBODY BEATS THE WIZ: Skechers has teamed up with Baseball HOFer Ozzie Smith for a new marketing campaign featuring the brand’s Relaxed Fit from Skechers footwear collection. The campaign kicked off Sunday with a TV ad that aired during MLB Opening Day and will extend through December. Smith joins former MLBer Mariano Rivera and retired boxer Sugar Ray Leonard as Skechers endorsers (Skechers).