Hyundai has become the official sponsor of the MLB World Tour Seoul Series, which will see the Dodgers and Padres play tomorrow and Thursday at Gocheok Sky Dome. This marks the first time the company is sponsoring an MLB series. As part of its sponsorship of the Seoul Series, Hyundai will roll out six Universe hydrogen fuel cell electric buses for team transportation in what is the first time the league is using such vehicles. Hyundai has prepared a range of programs under the concept of "The First Road," signifying the first road games in Korea for MLB and the automaker’s first official series sponsorship. The player who achieves the first home run in the opening game will be awarded an IONIQ 5 electric vehicle. The company is also exhibiting a special Seoul Series version of the IONIQ 5, wrapped in logo and color designs of the two teams -- half in "Dodgers Blue" and the other half in "Padres Gold" (Hyundai).
EXPANDING PRESENCE: MLB’s three global sponsors -- Google Cloud, New Balance and Zoom -- will have signage behind the plate at Gocheok Sky Dome during both games. Mastercard has expanded its rights with MLB in Korea to support the series. Japan’s largest travel agency JTB Corp. agreed to a multiyear partnership with the league in Jan. and is an official sponsor of MLB’s World Tour. Two MLB sponsors in Japan -- Konami and Kowa -- added rights to the Korea territory in order to sponsor the Seoul Series, with each having sponsored the league in Japan for multiple years. Seven additional brands have also signed on with MLB to specifically sponsor the Seoul Series: Cass Beer, Coupang Play, Earth Corporation, Hyundai, KOSE, Paradise City and Woori Bank. MLB has the right to sell helmet decal and jersey patch partnerships, and at the Seoul Series, Guggenheim bought incremental league rights to become a Seoul Series partner with brand ownership of the Dodgers jersey patch and helmet, while event presenting partner Coupang Play will be the Padres jersey patch partner. Woori Bank's logo will be on the Padres helmet (MLB).
MARKETING OPPORTUNITY: In Seoul, Lee Min-hyung notes e-commerce company Coupang is the “biggest beneficiary” of the Seoul Series, as Coupang Play is the “sole streaming service provider” for the series. The games are “widely expected to create a huge lock-in effect for consumers," and given Koreans’ “love of baseball, more fans here are also projected to sign up for Coupang’s Wow membership to enjoy the baseball streaming service during the period.” There are expectations that Coupang Play will "be able to rake in more than” $14.9M in ticket revenues. Other conventional retail firms also are “stepping up their marketing by selling special products in connection with the event.” Lotte Duty Free has launched a "special event under the theme of 'Hit a home run' at its New Era pop-up store in central Seoul's shopping district of Myeong-dong." E-Land has teamed up with Lotte Department Store, “opening a joint pop-up store at Lotte World Mall.” The store “sells limited New Balance items” that Padres SS Ha-seong Kim and Dodgers P/DH Shohei Ohtani -- global ambassadors for the brand -- "actually wore during their games." Oriental Brewery is “seeking to raise its global profile as the sole alcoholic beverages sponsor” for the Seoul Series by promoting Cass, its flagship beer brand, “at booths in front of the dome” (KOREA TIMES, 3/19).
