Woodinville, WA – November 3, 2011 –– Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, Inc. (BDA), the nation’s premier Merchandise Agency™ and recognized leader in sports and entertainment merchandise activation, is hosting its 17th annual Baseball Think Tank this week at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. The three-day interactive conference fosters league-wide collaboration on product ideas for sponsorship activation, merchandise giveaway strategies and best practices within the sports marketing and promotions industry.

Representatives from 22 Major League Baseball franchises and the league offices attended this year’s Think Tank, run by the BDA ProActivation™ division—a specialized group focused on creating brand affinity through customized sponsorship activation campaigns. BDA presents sponsorship case studies and leads discussions about product trends for in-stadium giveaways and ticket renewal premiums. The latest importing, testing and compliance standards are also reviewed.

"We’re honored to be celebrating our 17th Baseball Think Tank and giving baseball executives the opportunity to come together to learn more about sponsor and brand activation,” said Jay Deutsch, CEO and co-founder of BDA. “It’s an interactive forum to explore ways to drive ballpark attendance and fan affinity through branded merchandise. We look at what’s working across the league and what new product trends we can incorporate.”

According to an Oct. 17 SportsBusiness Journal analysis of teams’ 2011 promotional efforts, T-shirts, headwear and bobbleheads again topped the list of items most frequently given to fans. Teams reportedly combined for 798 giveaway dates this season, up 11 percent over last year, and 39 percent compared with 2008.

“What has become clear over the past decade is that if you are not a team that sells out every game, the answer to the question, ‘Does merchandise move the needle on attendance?’… is unequivocally ‘Yes.’ And teams that do fill their seats on a regular basis begin to see those promotional products move beyond the ballpark,” Deutsch told SportsBusiness Journal.

For more than a quarter-century, BDA has developed industry leading merchandise solutions that meet the evolving needs of sports properties and their corporate partners. Serving as the Preferred Premium Supplier of Major League Baseball Properties, BDA works in tandem with MLB Properties to maximize sponsorship activation opportunities throughout the season, including such jewel events as the All-Star Game and all postseason and World Series games.

Baseball Think Tank follows the company’s first-ever Football Think Tank, which attracted over one-third of the National Football League teams at BDA headquarters in Woodinville earlier this year. Such events are a major initiative for the ProActivation division as it continues to build world-class fan experiences, reward loyal ticket purchasers and create value for sponsors.

ABOUT BDA
Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, Inc. (BDA), the nation's premier Merchandise Agency™, provides marketing services and customized branded merchandise to Fortune 500 enterprises, major sports leagues and global entertainment holding companies. Clients come to BDA to extend their reach through custom branded-merchandise campaigns, integrated e-commerce marketing, and sports and entertainment sponsorship activation. Global brands such as Bank of America, Dell, GlaxoSmithKline, ExxonMobil, FedEx, Ford Motor Company, GEICO and Major League Baseball are but a few of the household names that rely on BDA to bring their marketing campaigns to life through merchandise. BDA attained the coveted Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) certification in 2008 highlighting the company’s advanced quality assurance practices for importing products from overseas. For more information on the power of merchandise, visit www.bdainc.com.

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Media Contact:
Catharine Neblett
Barokas PR for BDA
206.264.8220
Catharine@barokas.com