The Seattle Mariners today announced an exclusive multi-year sponsorship agreement with Northwest Ford Stores that designates Ford the “official car and truck” of the Seattle Mariners. Per Seattle Mariners policy, the terms of the sponsorship agreement were not released.
Components of the multi-year sponsorship agreement include:
- Presenting sponsor of out of town scores on Safeco Field’s new LED Out of Town Scoreboard,
- Prime advertising signage on the Out of Town Scoreboard (12’ 2” x 11’ 8” lighted “Built Ford Tough” sign on the right side of the scoreboard),
- One half inning per game on the home plate rotational signage,
- Title sponsor of the popular Hat Trick video board feature,
- Presenting sponsor for two weekend homestands during the season,
- Ford vehicle on display at Section 142 of the Main Concourse.
The Northwest Ford Dealers agreement also contains the first social media components of a sponsorship package for the Seattle Mariners. Mariners pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith and catcher Rob Johnson will drive various Ford vehicles over the course of the season. Rowland-Smith, who has 5,215 followers on his Twitter feed http://twitter.com/hyphen18, will post comments about his driving experience.
“The Mariners and Ford have both been on a bit of a roll lately and this new partnership comes at a great time for both organizations. We’re glad to welcome Ford to Safeco Field as one of our newest corporate sponsors,” said Bob Aylward, Executive Vice President Corporate Business, Seattle Mariners.
“As Chairman of the Northwest Ford Dealers I can say we are thrilled to be teamed with the Mariners. It is a perfect union, the Mariners are coming off a great 2009, and have strengthened their lineup, as has Ford Motor Company. We have quality that is second to none, and a lineup of vehicles that fit with the diversity of baseball fans. From Hybrids, to family haulers, to work trucks, to horsepower, Ford has it all. We are looking forward to a long partnership with the Mariners, and the first of many World Series crowns in 2010,” said D.J. Tapley, Skagit River Ford owner and Chairman of the Northwest Ford Dealers.
Fans will also get an up close experience with Ford products at 24 Mariners home games this season with the Street Team mobile multi-media exhibit. The 40-foot long trailer, pulled by a Ford F-450, has computer kiosks with access to the Northwest Ford Stores website (www.compareford.com), two video gaming systems, flat-screen TV monitors and wheel and tire displays. Each appearance by the Street Team will also feature 7-8 Ford vehicles all on display across from the Safeco Field Home Plate Gate for every Saturday and Sunday home game.
This seems like a perfect pair to me. As they said, they have vehicles to fit the varying lifestyles of the fans. It’s a win-win business decision for them both.