Snack Time: New MLB Multi-Platform Alliance With Utz Is In The Bag

By Barry Janoff

May 2, 2018: People who watch baseball on TV or in person enjoy eating snacks.

But MLB has been without an official “salty snack” partner since the 2017 season.

Until now.

In what the brand is calling its first sponsorship with a “major sports league,” Utz Quality Foods has signed a multi-year, multi-platform deal to become the “official salty snack partner for MLB.”

Products include pretzels, potato chips, cheeseballs and popcorn.

The deal fills a category that opened prior to the 2017 season when Coca-Cola replaced Pepsi as MLB’s official partner, with Frito-Lay having held the category position.

Utz joins Barbasol, Hankook Tires, Kingsford, Mitel, Netspend, Snapple and Supercuts as brands that have become MLB sponsors since January.

Financial terms were not released.

“Fans have watched baseball games while enjoying their favorite food for decades, so a fully integrated partnership with Utz and its collection of snacks is a perfect match,” Noah Garden, MLB evp-commerce, said in a statement. “A classic American brand, Utz potato chips, pretzels and popcorn are a welcome addition to the MLB line-up of sponsors."

Utz said it plans to promote its full assortment of snack products with integrated branding across MLB’s broadcast and digital platforms, including MLB Network and MLB.com.

The multi-year partnership gives Utz marketing and activation rights across MLB jewel events, including the playoffs and World Series presented by YouTube TV.

During All-Star Week this July, hosted by the Washington Nationals, Utz will have a presence at such events such as The Color Run All-Star 5K and Geico All-Star FanFest.

Utz said it would support these events with “retail promotions and sweepstake opportunities in their local stores.

As part of its first pro sports league partnership, Utz said it would create baseball-themed packaging for a variety of its products that will include the silhouetted batter and other official MLB marks.

Utz has partnerships with both the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates.

According to Tom Flocco, president and COO for Hanover, PA-based Utz, “As a nearly 100-year-old, family owned company, Utz is proud to be affiliated with an institution as great as MLB.

“We both place a great deal of emphasis on quality, family and tradition, and look forward to finding ways to bring Utz fans and MLB fans closer together.”

Founded in 1921, Ute brands include Utz, Golden Flake, Zapp’s, “Dirty” Potato Chips, Good Health®, Bachman, Bachman Jax, Wachusett, Snikiddy, Boulder Canyon.

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