Ripken Baseball® Names Rawlings® Official Fielding Glove Partner Across Five Facilities
(BALTIMORE – Sept. 19, 2024) — Ripken Baseball®, the leader in youth baseball and softball experiences, today announced a strategic partnership with Rawlings, the official glove of MLB® and creator of the iconic Rawlings Gold Glove Award®, naming the storied brand as the “Official Fielding Glove” of Ripken Baseball, Baseball Factory™, and Softball Factory™. Rawlings will also be involved in the renowned Baseball Factory™ All-America Game, which showcases the nation’s top high school baseball players.
Cal Ripken, Jr., Hall of Famer and Co-Founder of Ripken Baseball, recounted his memories and experience with Rawlings: “When I was drafted by the Orioles, I was first assigned to the team in Bluefield, West Virginia. When I arrived, there were two Rawlings gloves waiting for me in my locker. As a young ballplayer just starting my career this was very meaningful to me. Rawlings was with me from the very beginning of my professional baseball career to the very end. Rawlings is the gold standard and is synonymous with baseball. At our complexes, we work to provide young ballplayers and their families with a big-league experience, and having Rawlings with us only adds to that.”
Rawlings will have exclusive presence across five premier facilities, including Cooperstown All-Star Village (New York), The Ripken Experience® Aberdeen Powered by Under Armour® (Maryland), The Ripken Experience® Myrtle Beach (South Carolina), The Ripken Experience® Pigeon Forge (Tennessee), and Sports Force Parks™ at Cedar Point Sports Center (Ohio).
“Partnering with Ripken Baseball represents an alignment of values for Rawlings,” said Eric Reinsfelder, Vice President, Brand and Sports Marketing. “The Ripken Way teaches young athletes the importance of fundamentals, discipline, and love for the game, which are ideals that we share. Our goal is to equip players with the best tools possible, and we’re proud that our gloves will be in the hands of athletes learning the game at Ripken Baseball’s renowned facilities.”
Rawlings will host on-site baseball and softball activations, providing dedicated spaces for players and visitors to experience their fielding gloves. These collaborations will include baseball and softball product showcases, demonstrations, giveaways, and opportunities for players to engage with the brand. Further, Rawlings plans to utilize the newly developed partnership as a research and development tool soliciting feedback from athletes on prototype glove models.
Rawlings will also serve as the Presenting Sponsor of the popular Turn Two Skills Competition, a key event during Ripken Baseball’s week-long tournaments, where participants demonstrate their defensive skills in a fun and competitive atmosphere. The partnership will extend beyond in-person activations into digital spaces. Rawlings and Ripken Baseball will collaborate on a content series, online giveaways, and co-branded social media campaigns.
About Ripken Baseball:
As part of the Unrivaled Sports family of properties, Ripken Baseball brings teammates, coaches, and families together through its Big League Experiences while teaching children how to play sports the right way – the Ripken Way. Ripken Baseball continues to innovate the game through tournaments, camps, clinics, and spring training at their state-of-the-art facilities – The Ripken Experience® Aberdeen Powered by Under Armour® (Maryland), The Ripken Experience® Myrtle Beach (South Carolina), The Ripken Experience® Pigeon Forge (Tennessee), The Ripken Experience® Elizabethtown (Kentucky), Cooperstown All Star Village (New York), Diamond Nation (New Jersey), and Sports Force Parks™ at Cedar Point Sports Center (Ohio). Ripken Baseball also develops and trains athletes through Baseball Factory™, Softball Factory™, and the All-Ripken Games. Learn more about Ripken Baseball at ripkenbaseball.com.
About Rawlings:
Established in 1887, Rawlings is an innovative leading global brand and manufacturer of premium baseball and softball equipment, including gloves, balls, and protective headwear. Rawlings' unparalleled quality, innovative engineering and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more professional athletes, national governing bodies and sports leagues choose Rawlings. Rawlings is the official baseball, glove, helmet, face guard and base of Major League Baseball®, the official baseball of Minor League Baseball®, the official baseball and softball of the NCAA® and the NAIA® and the official softball of the NJCAA®. The company is headquartered in St. Louis. For more information, please visit www.Rawlings.com.
CONTACT:
Eric Nemeth – on behalf of Ripken Baseball
nemeth@ericpr.com
602-502-2793 cell