Rawlings Sporting Goods, a division of K2 Inc. has entered into a new five year agreement with Major League Baseball naming Rawlings the exclusive “Official Baseball” of the Minor Leagues.
“Major League Baseball is pleased to further its relationship with Rawlings, as it is now the official baseball of both the Major and Minor Leagues,” said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. “Rawlings' long-term commitment to baseball, especially through its involvement in youth projects such as the MLB Youth Academy in Compton, California, is a critical element to continuing the growth of the game.”
“We are very proud of our long-standing relationship with Major League Baseball, and this new agreement with the Minor Leagues complements the new five year agreement signed earlier this year which also named Rawlings as the official baseball of the Major Leagues,” said Richard J. Heckmann, chairman and chief executive officer of K2 Inc.
“Our acquisition of Rawlings earlier this year, coupled with our recently announced letter of intent to acquire Worth, a leading brand in metal bats, as well as equipment and accessories for the softball industry, demonstrates our commitment to building the premier team sports group at K2. The endorsement by Major League baseball including the Minor Leagues, together with the previously announced endorsement by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), naming Rawlings as the official NCAA baseball, is a key component of our strategy to continue to grow our business in the baseball category.”
