Talk about grassroots marketing. Scotts Miracle-Gro has a deal with Major League Baseball to sell seed blends and fertilizers akin to those used on the fields at iconic venues such as Fenway Park and Wrigley Field.
The arrangement is part of a broader link that pitches Scotts as an "official lawn care company" of MLB.
Available at retailers this spring, the lawn-care products are a similar variety to those used at the respective parks. The blends are concocted by Scotts in consultation with the head groundskeepers at the stadiums.
Packaging carries team logos and a "Groundskeeper's Select" moniker, along with a stadium photo and reprinted signature from the groundskeeper.
Products affiliated with five teams -- Boston, the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati, Philadelphia and St. Louis -- will be marketed first in their respective regions. Boston plays in the vaunted Fenway Park, while the Cubs have been in Wrigley Field since 1914; the other three teams are in more recently built venues.
Scotts said other stadium blends are in development .
The broader MLB deal includes local sponsor agreements with eight teams and a commitment to buy TV time on national broadcasts of MLB games.
advertisement
advertisement