Braves, Mizuno Enjoying Glove Experience in SunTrust Park

For decades, fans have brought their glove to ballparks in hope of bringing home the most sought-after souvenir. When the Braves opened SunTrust Park, they wanted to experiment with giving more fans that experience and Mizuno was on board with baseball’s first-ever Glove Experience.

The two Mizuno Glove Experience kiosks located inside the Left Field and Chop House gates of the park allow fans to pick out any style and size glove and with a $1 hold on a credit card and an email address, they can use it for the game.

“Both the Braves and Mizuno wanted to give the fans and consumers a memorable fan experience, something that is innovative and never been done before,” said Mike Puccini, Mizuno USA senior director of business management for baseball, softball and golf.

Puccini said that not only do the Braves offer an experience unlike any other park, but Mizuno has an innovative channel to directly interact with consumers to have them “touch, fell and use our product at a MLB game.”

The idea originated from Japan, where most seats are situated behind netting, but a few seats are in front of the screen. Fans there get handed helmets and gloves and live every pitch with the potential of grabbing a ball.

Derek Schiller, the Braves’ president of business, said extending that Japanese concept to SunTrust Park was a natural way to create a “family friendly, hospitable environment for our fans.”

Whether in batting practice or during the game, Schiller said the Braves want to make that opportunity of coming home with a ball available for fans, especially kids, who either don’t have a glove or didn’t bring their glove to the game.

When the game ends, fans return the glove to the kiosk, but can also visit the Mizuno Experience Center outside the stadium in The Battery Atlanta to purchase that same style of glove for a discount.

Early in the season, Puccini says the effort has gone “very well.” He cites positive feedback from Atlanta fans and features from visiting team media in their in-game broadcasts. A “number of other teams” have also approached the Braves and Mizuno about the potential to bring the experience to their home stadium, Schiller said.

“From the very first time we announced this it has gotten an overwhelmingly positive reception,” Schiller said. “Certainly our fans have responded positively and we have had many gloves that have been used through the first 30 or so games. We expect that to continue to build.”

The Braves might explore the idea of selling gloves before the game and not just after.

“One of the greatest things for a fan-young or old-is to catch a foul ball or home run at a MLB game,” Puccini said. “Mizuno wanted to be a part of that memory.”

— Tim Newcomb covers gear and business for Baseball America. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.