MiLB, Air National Guard partnership flourishing

This Fourth of July, fans at ONEOK Field in Tulsa and Blue Wahoos Stadium in Pensacola will have the chance to get up close and personal with a member of the United States Air Force.

This opportunity arrives as part of Minor League Baseball’s partnership with the Air National Guard. Midway through its second season, this partnership has seen tremendous success in its unique brand awareness-building effort.

The program officially began during the 2022 season and has since expanded to include 73 Minor League clubs. Each participating club hosts recruiting events and other activities that highlight the mission and the career opportunities of the Air National Guard within the communities they serve.

“There is no better environment I’d rather be showcasing our ANG brand than throughout America’s pastime,” said Master Sgt. Daniel Bedford, the National Events and Marketing Liaison at Air Force Recruiting Service.

These events, which range from Opening Day flyovers to coordinated visits from local Total Force Recruiters during games, have so far reached the more than 7 million fans that have attended games at each participating club’s ballpark. The efforts have included more than 150 on-site tabling activations, video board messages and other festivities, including the pregame Honor Guard presentation.

The partnership also includes the “Answering the Call” weekly social media series, which highlights the efforts of a player from each participating club that’s gone above and beyond on the field. So far, the series has more than 1 million social media impressions, with an additional 140,000 people reached through posts promoting Air National Guard’s on-site activations at ballparks.

In addition to pregame and on-field events, the Air National Guard also collaborates with teams to host special programs that provide fans with an immersive experience of what it's like to be in the Air Force. These programs can include virtual reality simulations of Air Force operations and equipment as well as meet and greets with Air Force members.

The partnership allows Total Force Recruiters to interact with thousands of fans at MiLB games across the country. Recruiters will be at the ballpark during Double-A Tulsa’s game against Wichita and Double-A Pensacola’s series-opener against Biloxi this Independence Day.