Spider-Man Can’t Steal Bases
IT SEEMED LIKE an innovative partnership between Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios and Major League Baseball when they announced plans to emblazon the Spider-Man 2 logo on infield bases. Opposition from fans altered the deal.
Beginning this month, the $2.5 million promotional package was set to include MLB bases to carry the Spider-Man 2 logo during game play, with logos on ceremonial home plates and pitching rubbers for pre-game festivities, on the on-deck circles and on lineup cards. The widespread promotion also includeds in-stadium signage, trailers running on stadium jumbotrons and fan giveaways such as foam fingers and masks. Those elements remain intact. Movie branding also will appear briefly on a ceremonial pitching rubber and home plate, but will be removed once play begins.
Fifteen MLB clubs were set to hold weekend Spider-Man 2 events at home games from June 11-13. But the New York Yankees, set to participate in the promo, opposed the deal and told MLB it would only put logos on bases during batting practice and for one game.
According to MLB, the decision to ditch the logos was because of fan opposition, not because of the Yankees. The bases were originally designed to carry small red-and-black webs on each of their four corners and a Spider-Man 2 logo near the top of the base.
The clubs that are slated to hold the Spider-Man 2 weekend (minus the adorned bases) are the Anaheim Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays.
Spider-Man 2 opens in theaters nationwide on June 30.
In an unlikely partnership between an alligator and a mouse, Phillips-Van Heusen Corp. and Disney Sports Attractions Inc. have signed an agreement making the Izod brand the official swimwear provider of the water parks and pool areas at Walt Disney World Resort and at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex.
This partnership represents the first swimwear and sportswear apparel relationship for the 20 Walt Disney World Resort water parks, water recreation and pool areas.
Disney’s staff of more than 1,000 lifeguards and other water sports recreation staff will begin wearing the specially designed Izod brand swim-wear and sports apparel next month.
More than 400 team members at Disney’s Wide World of Sports also will be outfitted with specially designed Izod sportswear and apparel.
