by Rawlings, a time-honored name in Baseball and to generations of players at all levels throughout the world, will soon enjoy a title that celebrates the true essence of the brand itself – The Official Glove of Major League Baseball.
A new licensing agreement between Major League Baseball and Rawlings makes the brand an Official Glove partner in 2020 and provides them exclusive on-field rights beginning with the 2021 MLB Championship Season.
Rawlings has long supplied the Official Baseball and the Official Batting Helmet of MLB to all 30 Clubs. However, Rawlings’ association with the game is just as closely associated with its baseball gloves and the Rawlings Gold Glove Award. Since its establishment in 1957, this award has honored “The Finest in the Field” in Major League Baseball, as voted by the managers and coaches across the league.
“Rawlings and baseball have been synonymous for well over a century, and the Rawlings glove has been and continues to be at the heart of our relationship with the game,” said Mike Thompson, Rawlings Chief Marketing Officer. “The designation ‘official glove’ of Major League Baseball cements our ties with the best game and the best players in the world, while honoring the people behind the best baseball glove in the world.”
Rawlings, established in 1887, is the No. 1 baseball brand globally for gloves, protective headwear and balls. More MLB players wear Rawlings gloves than all other brands combined, while more than 60 percent of the winners of the annual Rawlings Gold Glove award also use Rawlings gloves. The 2019 Rawlings Gold Glove winners included many of today’s MLB All-Stars, such as Nolan Arenado, Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts and Francisco Lindor.
“Rawlings has long been a cornerstone of our game and a beloved brand that is respected by players and staff throughout Major League Baseball,” said Denis Nolan, MLB Senior Vice President, Global Consumer Products. “Welcoming Rawlings as the Official Glove of MLB adds a new dimension to how Rawlings support our league, our current players and the next generation of stars who aspire to be the among the best in the world.”
Rawlings is also the Official Baseball of Minor League Baseball, the Official Baseball and Softball of the NCAA, and the official ball and helmet of hundreds of youth leagues around the world.
Cover Image: Flickr/Jinx!
