Major League Baseball has been on a roll this postseason, with thrilling games, controversial plays and a ratings dream National League Championship Series matchup between the Cubs and Mets.
Baseball is getting some good news off the field as well, and it includes some nice perks for fans. MLB is poised to announce signing Sheraton Hotels & Resorts and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) as the Official Hotel and Official Hotel Loyalty program, according to Noah Garden, MLB’s EVP of Business and Dave Marr, Global Brand Leader for Sheraton Hotels & Resorts.
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Sheraton guests and SPG members on the road will get complimentary access to MLB.TV so they can watch their favorite team outside their home market. The MLB Network will be offered as an in-room channel. Terry Lefton of SportsBusiness Journal reported that MLB and Starwood were finalizing the deal on Oct. 12. The new partners are timing the announcement to capitalize on postseason buzz, wrote Lefton.
MLB is expected to announce the agreement sometime Monday before Game 3 of the American League Championship Series between the Royals and Blue Jays. MLB declined to comment on dollars or the length of the deal beyond saying it will start with the 2016 season. MLB’s last official hotel sponsor for MLB was Intercontinental Hotel Group in 2011. Sheraton/Starwood is the eighth new corporate sponsor signed by MLB this season. The others include: DraftKings, Maytag and Dunkin’ Donuts. The combined deals are worth an estimated $250 million.
“This new partnership will provide MLB content and unique experiences to Sheraton guests and SPG members, offering baseball fans an attractive benefit when making a hotel choice,” Garden said in a statement. “In addition, MLB will deliver enormous visibility to millions of passionate baseball fans, giving Sheraton an important platform to showcase its new brand positioning.”
Leagues, teams and corporate sponsors are stroking fans by offering up-close experiences with players and special access inside stadiums. Sheraton will offer SPG members the chance to meet players, go on the field for batting practice and other prizes, according to Mark Vondrasek, Senior Vice President of Commercial Services for Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
