Mastercard is extending its collaboration with Major League Baseball (MLB) and will once again support this year’s All-Star Game as a presenting sponsor.
MLB Chief Revenue Officer Noah Garden said in a press release on Monday (July 12) that Mastercard has been an “incredible partner to Major League Baseball” for over 20 years. The partnership “truly evolved” as technology shifted fans’ habits, he said, adding that Mastercard “helped us bring new payment technologies to the forefront for our fans.” Garden also said that together with Mastercard, MLB will “continually innovate this space” and make it better for all baseball fans.
Mastercard worked closely with MLB, point-of-sale (POS) providers and concessionaires to advance payment technologies at stadiums. The two firms also collaborated to introduce solutions for contactless and cashless transactions, as well as enhanced click-to-pay eCommerce tools.
Using Mastercard’s fraud detection technology, MLB protected the 2021 MLB All-Star Game ballot voting process to ensure accuracy across the two-phase fan-voting process, according to the release.
As a way to extend recognition to the small business community’s perseverance in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mastercard and MLB are also holding a contest for SMBs in Atlanta, Boston and Los Angeles. The Home Team Advantage Small Business Contest is offering a $10,000 prize in addition to a Mastercard Digital Doors toolkit, in-stadium assets and a trip for two to attend a 2021 MLB World Series game.
The Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers are also giving the small businesses in their local markets a chance to win prizes that include hosting opportunities, stadium signage and more.
“Alongside our partners at MLB, we’re committed to celebrating and supporting the small businesses that serve as the backbone of our communities,” said Cheryl Guerin, EVP of marketing and communications in North America for Mastercard.
In other news, Mastercard recently teamed up with Hello Fresh and DoorDash to offer rewards to Mastercard’s World and World Elite cardholders.
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