Have you always wanted to express your love for the Miami Marlins and at the same time sport Hello Kitty swag? If so, you're in luck, because that's a really real thing now that you can totally do. Sanrio Inc., the mother ship behind the Hello Kitty brand, has signed on to partner with Major League Baseball to create a Hello Kitty-themed line of merchandise for all 30 teams this season.
Finally.
Last season, Sanrio rolled out Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres Hello Kitty-themed gear, and apparently there was a market for such a thing, because it's expanded the line of products to cover all of MLB this season.
"Beginning on Opening Day of the 2014 season, MLB-themed Hello Kitty products will be available at the in-stadium stores of all 30 MLB teams, select mass retailers, sporting good and specialty stores and MLB.com. Merchandise will include a variety of souvenirs and fan accessories, from collectible Hello Kitty team baseballs, pins, key chains, magnets and plush, to cell phone covers, bags, throws and much more, with MLB-themed apparel also available. Select items will be available later this Spring at Sanrio.com and select Sanrio Boutique Stores."
"Major League Baseball and Hello Kitty both have an avid, passionate fan base," said David Marchi, Sr. Director of Brand Management and Marketing at Sanrio, Inc. "Our new relationship with MLB offers fans a wide selection of products and invites them to show their team spirit as well as their love for Hello Kitty."
"Season after season, we look for new and creative ways to expand our offerings to reach specific fans, so teaming up with an iconic brand like Hello Kitty gives our fans a fun new way to support their favorite team," said Howard Smith, senior vice president of licensing for Major League Baseball. "The Hello Kitty brand appeals to a younger audience in a way that we have never done before, targeting a teen- and tween-based female demographic with a full lineup of offerings spanning from souvenirs to merchandise just in time for the start of the 2014 season."
Interest in Hello Kitty MLB-themed merchandise has snowballed since the LA Dodgers had some Hello Kitty-related promotions at Dodger Stadium in 2012 and 2013. The following parks will offer special Hello Kitty promotions this season:
Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium - June 3, Hello Kitty mini bobble head gift San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park - June 8, Hello Kitty plush gift Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium - July 10, Hello Kitty travel mug gift New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium - August 24, Hello Kitty bobble head gift
Sorry, Marlins fans, no plans for a Hello Kitty beach bag yet. E-mail: [email protected]
Follow @NewTimesBroward
