Chicago Cubs and Scotts Bring Wrigley Field to Fans' Backyards

CHICAGO and MARYSVILLE, Ohio, March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago Cubs fans can have a little piece of Wrigley in their own backyard this spring for the first time ever.  The Scotts Company has teamed with Roger Baird, head groundskeeper for the Chicago Cubs, to develop products for homeowners with the same Scotts fertilizer technology and actual grass seed varieties used at Wrigley Field, as part of a new multi-faceted partnership with Major League Baseball and the Cubs.  

"We're thrilled that our fans will have the opportunity to grow an authentic blend of Wrigley Field grass in their own backyards this season," said Wally Hayward, executive vice president, chief sales and marketing officer for the Chicago Cubs. "There's nothing like the feeling you get when you step onto the grass at the Friendly Confines. Fortunately for Cubs fans, Scotts and our groundkeeper Roger Baird are helping to recreate that feeling in ballparks and yards across America."

Wrigley Field Lawn Fertilizer and Wrigley Field Grass Seed Mix will be available at lawn and garden retailers in time for Opening Day in the greater Chicago area. The products are specifically designed to give consumers big league results without the daily attention of a professional grounds crew. Additionally, product packaging provides consumers with a special link to lawn care tips and groundskeeper secrets.

"Playing catch in your backyard has never been so authentic," shared John Price, senior brand manager for the Lawns team at The Scotts Company. "The new product line successfully bridges fan affinity with the desire to have a great lawn."

In addition to the products, Baird is also working with Scotts to offer up his professional lawn care advice in local radio spots and educational brochures.  Fans can even win the opportunity to join him on the field through "Scotts Groundskeeper for a Day Sweepstakes." The partnership between Scotts and the Cubs will be reinforced through Scotts presence at Wrigley Field which includes in-stadium signage and, of course, that beautiful field of green.

About ScottsMiracle-Gro

With nearly $3 billion in worldwide sales and more than 8,000 associates, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, The Scotts Company LLC, is the world's largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care, with products for professional horticulture as well.  The Company's brands are the most recognized in the industry.  In the U.S., the Company's Scotts®, Miracle-Gro®, and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories, as is the consumer Roundup® brand, which is marketed in North America and most of Europe exclusively by Scotts and owned by Monsanto.  In the U.S. the Company operates Scotts LawnService®, the second largest residential lawn care service business. In Europe, the Company's brands include Weedol®, Pathclear®, Evergreen®, Levington®, Miracle-Gro®, KB®, Fertiligene® and Substral®. For additional information, visit us at www.scotts.com.

About Major League Baseball Properties

The Major League Baseball Clubs formed Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP) in 1966 as the Club's agent for marketing and trademark licensing and protection. Major League Baseball Properties is responsible for managing consumer licensing activities, developing national advertising campaigns, cultivating sponsorship opportunities with major consumer brands and corporations, growing the game and the business of baseball outside the United States and creating national marketing programs in conjunction with Clubs, broadcast rights holders and national sponsors. MLBP also operates a full-service video and audio production unit (Major League Baseball Productions), a publishing division and stock photo licensing agency, and manages logistics for the All-Star Game and World Series as well as all other special events. For more information on Major League Baseball, log on to www.MLB.com.

SOURCE The Scotts Company