Braves’ Austin Riley Is The First To Benefit From MLB Players Inc. And Influential Partnership

Earlier this year, MLB Players, Inc., the business arm of the Major League Baseball Players Association, announced a partnership with influencer marketing company Influential to help players maximize social media marketing opportunities. The first player to sign on with a brand through the partnership is Atlanta Braves All-Star third baseman Austin Riley, who will be promoting J-B Weld, a Georgia-based epoxies and adhesives company.

“There’s a natural fit between baseball fans and J-B Weld, so when we looked to do our first major celebrity/athlete influencer campaign, we turned to baseball and found that Influential’s new partnership with MLB Players, Inc. could make this process turnkey,” said Mark Sng, vice president of marketing for J-B Weld.

“We landed on Austin Riley because—beyond being a budding superstar in the league, an All-Star, a World Champion, and a member of the team who happens to play in our backyard in Atlanta—he’s just a natural fit as an avid outdoorsman, a family man, someone who understands that sometimes, the best and most satisfying fix is when you do it yourself. We are the ‘world’s strongest bond,’ and he is one of the world’s best baseball players.”

Riley, who recently signed a new 10-year contract with the Braves that is the most lucrative in the team’s history, says he’s excited to work with J-B Weld.

“I’m a big fan of J-B Weld, so this partnership was a natural for me. When I’m not playing baseball, I’m an outdoorsman. I spend my off-season hunting, fishing, and going on road trips with my family. J-B Weld is my go to for both big and small projects. This partnership lets me show how I use J-B Weld products in my day-to-day life, from working on my truck, to fixing small items around the house.”

Ryan Detert, CEO of Influential, says it’s gratifying to see his company’s partnership with MLB Players, Inc. coming to life.

“It’s been really exciting to team up with the MLB Players, Inc. and pair them with our brand partners. J-B Weld has been an ideal client to kick things off with and we’re looking forward to developing exponentially more campaigns with the MLB Players, Inc., in the near future.”

Sng says working through Influential has presented advantages for both companies like his and for the player.

“It’s been such a turnkey process. Influential knows what they’re doing, they’re a great partner, and their new partnership with MLB Players, Inc. has made it a relatively seamless process. Baseball players are not full-time influencers or creators, they have a day job that requires a lot of focus and travel, so working with Influential has helped both sides understand the process, and ultimately lead to some great content that represents our brand fully.”

Asked how his brand will measure the success of the partnership, Sng said the focus is on Instagram growth.

“We’re looking forward to Austin’s partnership to help grow our brand amongst his following, and broaden our reach outside of our own social channels. We’re also looking to grow our own community on Instagram, as it’s such a valuable platform for people who love to make repairs themselves.”

Data from Influential shows that fan affinity, described as excitement and engagement, has steadily declined in each of the past five years while it has increased each year for players. It’s why MLB Players, Inc. thought it was time to focus on assisting players in growing and monetizing their growing social media influence.

“Social media has allowed me to have a more direct connection to the fans throughout Braves Country,” said Riley. “Not only about baseball, but about other things I’m interested in such as family, my newborn son, and other hobbies that interest me.”

Detert says players have been excited about the partnership across the board.

“The players have responded very positively to the partnership, as we’re helping usher in a new revenue stream, which also helps them better connect with their audiences on social their platforms.”

The deal between J-B Weld and Riley looks to be the first of many that will come out of the partnership this season.

“There’s been a lot of interest and excitement from brands since we rolled out the partnership just a few months back. Providing deep social insights on some of best athletes in the world is very compelling. With the second half of the season starting, and then the playoffs and World Series shortly thereafter, we anticipate a high level of demand from our clients to partner with MLB players for campaigns.”