Van Wagner Predicts Biggest Revenue Season Yet for Major League Baseball and TV-Visible Advertising March 30, 2023
The power of TV-visible advertising in baseball has never been more evident than at the start of the 2023 Major League Baseball season. As the most-watched sport in the U.S., baseball provides a unique opportunity for brands to reach a massive audience through advertising in-stadium and behind Homeplate. No one knows that better than Van Wagner, a leading full-service sports advertising and entertainment agency, entering their 29th season selling on behalf of MLB teams across the league.
“The power of our TV-visible advertising platform in baseball cannot be overstated,” said William Barbera, President of Van Wagner Dorna. “Baseball provides a unique opportunity for brands to reach a massive and engaged audience, and we’ve seen the results speak for themselves.”
Advertising Reach in the 2023
Established thirty-four years ago, Van Wagner Dorna positions brands in the heart of the action, selling high-impact TV-visible signage across MLB, NBA, NHL, and NCAA networks, including more than 300 teams in the U.S., Europe, and Mexico. This baseball season, the agency has already secured more than 30 national and global brands whose ads will be on display, generating tens of millions of dollars in revenue for MLB teams and billions of impressions for advertisers.
As the popularity of baseball continues to grow globally, evident with the success of the recent World Baseball Classic, so too does the potential for TV-visible advertising. The 2022 MLB season saw a record-breaking number of viewers tune in to watch games across the country. With an average of 1.5 million viewers per game, brands have the chance to get their message in front of a massive audience.
But it’s not just the sheer number of viewers that makes baseball such an attractive platform for advertisers. Baseball games are typically longer than other sports, giving brands more time to showcase their products or services. Ads positioned behind Homeplate are highly effective, reaching an exponentially larger audience when visible in replays, post-game highlight coverage, and across social media. This visibility extends beyond the U.S. borders as MLB has become a global game.
Behind Homeplate Signage
Van Wagner is also the leading provider of signage systems in baseball, with a network that includes the majority of MLB teams and over 75 installations across MLB teams, spring training facilities, and Minor League Baseball (MiLB). Most recently, Van Wagner Homeplate signage was on display at the World Baseball Classic tournament games in Miami and Phoenix, and the agency recently signed multi-year agreements with the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels.
“Van Wagner has a rich legacy of delivering outstanding results in advertising sales and event production, spanning some of the most-watched sporting events globally,” continued Barbera. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with the most prestigious sports leagues and teams, amplifying their offerings to brands looking to engage millions of TV viewers with every game and enhancing the overall fan experience.”
Working with Van Wagner, advertisers have access to the largest network of teams encompassing MLB, NBA, NHL, NCAA, MLS, and international soccer. In addition to TV-visible signage, Van Wagner provides deep expertise in sales, marketing, content creation, activation, and event production for the world’s most admired brands, venues, events, leagues, and sports teams. Van Wagner’s Productions team most recently led production and sports presentation for The Super Bowl, World Baseball Classic, and NCAA Final Four.
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About Van Wagner:
Van Wagner is a leading sports advertising and entertainment agency, with global expertise in live events, sponsorship sales, multi-media rights, and aerial advertising. Van Wagner, creates, advises, and sells on behalf of world-class teams, leagues, brands, and properties. An innovator in the sports and media business, Van Wagner is a global leader in high-impact broadcast visible signage throughout the MLB, NBA, NCAA, and international soccer, sponsorships sales, college multi-media rights, and in-venue content production at the world’s biggest sporting events. For more information, visit www.vanwagner.com.