MLB Pitches Ballparks to Planners

‘More Than a Ballpark’ is the name of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) new strategic partnership between several teams to attract meetings and events.

All eyes are on the sport as the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees play in the World Series for the biggest prize.

The Case for Ballparks as Meeting Venues

First and foremost, these stadiums are used for baseball. “Our core business is baseball, but we’ve started hosting more things like concerts or having our corporate partners using the ballpark on days when the team isn’t there,” said Andy Blackburn, vice president of strategic partnerships for the Chicago Cubs.

Chris Koenig, executive director of Dodgers 365, shared how Dodger Stadium hosts events when the team is on the road.

“VIP dinners offer unmatched onsite branding capability and an elevated experience that can include a behind-the-scenes tour, taking batting practice or even meeting a legendary player,” Koenig said.

Nationals Hit it Out of the Park 

Samantha Blake, owner and event specialist at Confetti Events, used Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals, for an event for a local law firm this summer.

The stadium is located in Southeast Washington, south of the Capitol, adjacent to the Navy Yard. Approximately 525 law associates and their families attended. 

“There are not a lot of venues that are unique and offer an experience like this in the DC area,” said Blake.

The group got to tour the locker room and the press box. Batting and pitching practice was also part of the experience. A bar was set up in an unconventional location  — the team dugout.

The Diamond Club was the hub of food and beverage for the event. “Passes for this space on gameday run in the thousands,” said Blake. “We gave them an experience they couldn’t get at any other time on their own.”

Two of the “Racing Presidents,” the Nationals’ official mascots, were on hand for photo ops.

“We were also able to bring in our vendors, something not all venues allow,” said Blake. They included face painters, glitter tattoo artists, caricaturists, and bounce houses.

She found the baseball stadium offers a lot of bang for the buck. “The Nationals Park is half the price of renting the ballroom at the Waldorf-Astoria without the experience or F&B,” she said. “We bought out the whole park, had amazing food and drinks and the total price for our group of 525 was $150,000. That may sound like a lot but it is not. Our client loved the experience so much that within 48 hours, we were rebooking for next summer.”

Take Me Out to the Ball Game 

The ball game came to IMEX America 2024 this year with an activation hosted by the MLB. Outside the Mandalay Bay convention center was its activation. This was the MLB’s first time at the show as an exhibitor.

IMEX attendees were encouraged to step into a virtual ballpark and test their batting skills in VR. Representatives from each of the partnership teams were also on hand.