The deal also sees the firm named as the exclusive game ball supplier for all baseball and softball World Championships in 2014.

The agreement includes cash and value-in-kind, extending Mizuno's long-standing partnerships with the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and International Softball Federation (ISF) that dates back over 40 years.

Mizuno will supply the official game ball for this year's Under-15 Baseball World Cup in Mexico, the Women's Baseball World Cup in Miyazaki, Japan, and the Under-21 Baseball World Cup, the location of which has yet to be decided.

It will also be the game ball supplier for the Under-19 Junior Men's Softball World Championship in Whitehorse, Canada, and the Women's Softball World Championships in Haarlem, the Netherlands.

In addition, Mizuno will also serve as the official apparel supplier of tournament officials at all of the Championships this year.

Mizuno has a long relationship with baseball and softball and the new deal will see it supply the game balls and apparel for upcoming World Championships ©WBSC



"The WBSC is proud to partner with a sports industry leader like Mizuno, which will help keep the WBSC at the forefront of youth sport and further strengthen our youth engagement platforms," said WBSC co-Presidents Riccardo Fraccari and Don Porter.

"The WBSC remains committed to Olympic Games inclusion and this strategic partnership is critical to strongly demonstrating baseball and softball's youth and commercial appeal, and gender-balance.

"We are confident that under the Olympic umbrella, baseball and softball's global assets could further enhance and sustain the uniqueness, year-round message and economic positioning of the Olympic Games, while making the Games increasingly relevant to women and vice-versa."

Mizuno has already been announced as the official sponsor of the historic first-ever WBSC Congress, due to take place in Hammamet on Saturday and Sunday (May 10 and 11). 

The firm will provide delegates at the Congress with official Mizuno apparel and will deliver unique WBSC-branded promotional and display items to produce a baseball-softball theme and stage for the 2014 World Baseball Softball Congress.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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