BDOT partners with New York Yankees

The Bermuda Department of Tourism (BDOT) is celebrating a dynamic sponsorship partnership with the New York Yankees, one of the most storied and revered franchises in the history of Major League Baseball.

The sponsorship agreement between Bermuda and the Yankees, who boast one of the biggest fan bases in the world along with 27 World Series championships, allows Bermuda to reach a vast new audience of baseball fans in the Island’s biggest target market.

Highlights of the partnership include: full-page Bermuda ads integrated with editorial in Yankees publications and advertisements on in-stadium TVs during game action.

Today the Minister of Tourism Development and Transport, the Hon. Shawn Crockwell, JP, MP, said, “The Bermuda Department of Tourism is very excited to partner with one of the premiere sports organizations in the world.

“We have found sports sponsorships to be an effective marketing tool and, while our investment with the Yankees is smaller in size and scope than past agreements with teams such as the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox, we feel the multi-platform level of integration and the fact that this is the most recognizable franchise in North America makes this a relationship that we expect to be equally successful.  

“We look forward to continuing and growing this partnership by showing Yankees fans everywhere that Bermuda is a destination with so much more to offer, including easy accessibility from New York City.”

The partnership already produced tangible results earlier this year, as Yankees all-star outfielder Curtis Granderson participated in a well-publicized three-day visit to Bermuda in January.

Yankees Magazine will feature Granderson’s visit in the upcoming May issue, which will be available on Friday, May 3. A full-page color Bermuda ad also appeared in the Table of Contents section of the 2012 American League Division Series Playoff Issue of Yankees Magazine.

On May 1, the New York Yankees hosted Minister Crockwell and VIP guests of the BDOT as the team faced off against the Houston Astros.

 In attendance were William Griffith, Director of Tourism as well as invited influencers from media outlets including Worth magazine, Travel Alliance publications, CBS Altitude Group and Black Enterprise and high-end travel agencies including Frosch Travel, Valerie Wilson Travel and American Express. In addition, senior executives from Starwood Hotels and JetBlue Airways joined the group.

Bermuda’s guests received a private tour of the famed Yankees Museum and Monument Park prior to the game as well as an in-game welcome message on the stadium’s jumbotron.

Bermuda is prominently featured in New York Yankees official publications with two sets of full-page color ads that are scheduled to run through the end of the 2013 season. The ads will appear in each issue of the monthly Yankees Magazine from March through October.

There is also a full-page color ad in the 2013 New York Yankees official game program, which is sold at the stadium on game day.

Yankees in-stadium televisions will feature color Bermuda Tourism advertisements during 17 home games spanning from May 29 – June 27. The ads, each 30 seconds in length, will appear as “L-Wrapper” advertisements on the stadium’s 134 high-definition TVs during game action on the concourse levels and at stadium restaurants, bars and lounges.

With each ad appearing no less than four times per game on every screen, the Bermuda ads will be featured a minimum of 536 times at each Yankees home game, a total of 9,112 mentions during the scheduled time.

Additionally, Bermuda Tourism brochures will be distributed in Playmakers Media’s 20 total luxury suites to attendees throughout the 2013 season.