The Kansas City T-Bones (independent; American Association) have struck a naming-rights deal for their playing field, unveiling the moniker JustBats Field at T-Bones Stadium.
“We’re especially proud to partner with a company that we admire, who shares our culture, and who happens to operate within our industry,” said T-Bones president Adam Ehlert. “We can chalk this up as a ‘W’ for both companies and for our fans.”
JustBats is the primary brand of Kansas City, MO-based Pro Athlete, Inc., an online retailer who has very successfully adapted with the changing direct-to-consumer landscape and operates within a very narrow niche.
“There’s just something special about professional baseball being played at a place called JustBats Field. It’s just so cool! We’re really excited for our customers, employees, alumni members, and partners to be involved with this partnership with the T-Bones,” said Andrew Dowis CEO of Pro Athlete. “We can’t thank the T-Bones enough for the opportunity to align with another organization that shares so many common values with us and really puts an emphasis on fun. That alignment made this an amazing opportunity for our organization, the T-Bones organization and for Kansas City!”
Pro Athlete has been a longtime sponsor of the T-Bones, even conducting an annual “Pro Athlete Day” when employees play an actual baseball game as a highlight of their year. Despite doing their business on the world wide web, the company is well-known locally. They are regularly recognized as both a “Healthiest Employer,” and a “Best Place to Work,” (Kansas City Business Journal). This new heightened local presence should serve to reinforce Pro Athlete’s ability to recruit terrific employees. The T-Bones are eager to share the marketing muscle of exposure to their quarter-million annual attendees, for both T-Bones baseball games and other events.
The T-Bones are the defending champions in the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball and have played in Kansas City, KS since 2003. 2018 was the team’s second league championship, and they have been recognized as the Organization of the Year four times.
Pro Athlete is a literal mom-and-pop success story. The Hedrick family began a retail sporting goods shop in 1987, eventually concentrating on baseball and softball and then evolving to an online presence. The company also sells through its JustGloves.com website.