Mastercard has pledged its support to Major League Baseball (MLB), extending its sponsorship arrangement – which dates back to 1997 – as the presenting sponsor of this year’s All-Star Game.
As part of the collaboration, Mastercard will provide MLB fans with enhanced payment technologies at the game and throughout the season by working closely with MLB, point-of-sale providers and concessionaires in stadiums.
Mastercard and MLB will also work together to support a contactless and cashless environment through the integration of touchless contactless point of sale systems and reverse ATMs, as well as provide an enhanced e-commerce checkout experience with Click to Pay on MLB digital platforms.
At the 2021 MLB All-Star Game, Mastercard employed its fraud detection technology to protect the two-phase fan-voting process.
“Mastercard has been an incredible partner to Major League Baseball for more than two decades and we take a lot of pride in this great relationship that we’ve forged together,” said Noah Garden, MLB Chief Revenue Officer.
“The partnership between Mastercard and MLB has truly evolved over the years as technology and our fans’ habits have evolved. Mastercard helped us bring new payment technologies to the forefront for our fans over the years and we are going to continually innovate this space together for the benefit of baseball fans everywhere.”
Mastercard and MLB have also launched the ‘Home Team Advantage Small Business Contest’ during this year’s All-Star Game, offering small businesses in Atlanta, Boston and Los Angeles the chance to enter and win a $10,000, a Mastercard Digital Doors toolkit, in-stadium assets and a trip for winner and one guest to attend a 2021 MLB World Series game.
The two parties have also lined up a number of ‘Priceless’ initiatives in support of Stand Up To Cancer.
“While small businesses had to contend with extreme challenges throughout the pandemic, they demonstrated exceptional resilience and determination in the process,” noted Cheryl Guerin, EVP Marketing and Communications in North America for Mastercard.
“Alongside our partners at MLB, we’re committed to celebrating and supporting the small businesses that serve as the backbone of our communities and are thrilled to provide the resources and digital tools to help them continue to grow and thrive.”
MLB has also joined Mastercard’s Priceless Planet Coalition – a reforestation program that aims to restore 100 million trees by 2025 to mitigate climate change.
