Major League Baseball - Home Run Derby X

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Expanding an American brand into new territories

America and baseball go hand in hand.

For a global audience, the game needed a new look. A simple hook into a complex sport, Home Run Derby X was an electrifying new format of baseball.

CHALLENGE

To engage with a younger audience, MLB wanted to create a new, faster-paced format. In comes Home Run Derby X, a fiery mix of excitement that only live sport can create and the electric energy of a music festival.

In collaboration with MLB, we built off of the success and simplicity of the existing Home Run Derby to devise a different framework and deliver it across three locations to a new generation of fans.

OUR IMPACT

3 live events

25k fans attended in person

17 million video views

1 million further engagements online

THE OUTCOME

Legends, Heroes, Superstars and Wild Cards

In a baseball-first, points were available for both offence and defence. So naturally, some serious competition ensued.

Teams featured MLB legends, the world’s best female players, rising international stars and newcomers to the sport, who all represented four iconic MLB Clubs in a global playoff.

Video games as our muse

Games were played on festival stages, with striking, colourful graphics exploding across LED screens during special moves, sparking instant reactions from players and fans. With an entirely new scoring system, we designed targets for players to hit and the Catch Zone for the audience to, you guessed it, catch the ball. All games were accompanied by soundtracks and unmissable live music performances that added to the festival vibe.

A new locale

Each event was as unique as its destination. The 2022 MLB global tour kicked off in London at Crystal Palace with hosts Emma Saunders and Josh Denzel and headliner AJ Tracey.

In Seoul, the Paradise City resort transformed into the field of play, with K-Pop superstars Heinze, Crush and Psy performing a post-game show.

The grand finale in Mexico City was at historic Campo Marte, with Latin pop act Piso 21 closing out the tour.

And of course, we had delicious ballpark-inspired food and drink, unique HRDX merch on sale and a variety of other baseball experiences to keep fans engaged throughout each festival.

VALUE

For the audience

Working with MLB we brought a brand new game of baseball to a whole new generation of fans across the world. Transforming how 17 million + people view baseball and turning the sport into a more accessible version.

For the brand

Home Run Derby X established a new live event marketing platform for MLB. Driving measurable engagement for MLB’s core business and participation among key audience groups, as well as providing a platform for storytelling and talent discovery.