Major League Baseball and longtime official sponsor, MasterCard Worldwide, announced today that Stand Up To Cancer will be the recipient of donations in the “Hit It Here” in-stadium promotion during MLB All-Star Week. The promotion is a component of the Major League Baseball “Going Beyond” initiative, an ongoing commitment to raise funds and awareness for charitable initiatives and to celebrate the importance of community service. The first home run to directly strike one of the MasterCard “Hit It Here” signs in Angel Stadium during the 2010 State Farm® Home Run Derby or the 2010 MLB All-Star Game will result in MasterCard donating $1 million to Stand Up To Cancer. If a sign is hit during both events, MasterCard will donate a total of $2 million.
Stand Up To Cancer raises funds for groundbreaking translational research to accelerate the delivery of new therapies to patients, getting them from the “bench to the bedside” as quickly as possible. SU2C brings together scientists from different disciplines across various institutions to work collaboratively — rather than competitively — at a critical time in the field of cancer research.
There will be two pre-designated MasterCard “Hit It Here” signs at Angel Stadium. The first sign is approximately 13′ x 15′ and will be placed in left field; the second sign is approximately 15’ x 25’ and will be positioned in right center field.
The 2010 State Farm® Home Run Derby, part of Gatorade All-Star Workout Day, will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Radio in the United States beginning at 8 p.m. on Monday, July 12. The 81st Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and Sportsnet HD and Le Reseau des Sports, and around the world by Major League Baseball International, with pregame ceremonies beginning at 8 p.m. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio coverage. MLB Network, MLB.com and Sirius XM also will provide comprehensive All-Star Game coverage.
“We’re proud that MasterCard is joining Major League Baseball’s efforts to give back to the community by aligning this promotion with such a worthy cause in Stand Up To Cancer,” said Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President, Business, Major League Baseball. “The MasterCard ‘Hit It Here’ signs are positioned to be as ‘hittable’ as ever, and everyone involved wants to see them hit – twice, so we can give this money to fund such important cancer research.”
“Stand Up To Cancer’s mission to be an unstoppable movement that ultimately leads to a cure is a cause that ties together our employees, financial institutions, merchants and our cardholders,” said Michael Robichaud, Vice President, Global Sponsorships, MasterCard Worldwide. “’Hit it Here’ during MLB All-Star Week allows MasterCard to use the power of our brand to push this momentum forward, with an exciting platform to build awareness and hopefully result in a significant donation, that furthers the cause.”
“It’s up to all of us to play a role in helping the scientists who are working every day to end cancer. With the extraordinary support of MLB and MasterCard we have been given the wonderful opportunity to drive that message home,” said Stand Up To Cancer Co-Founder, Sue Schwartz, “Congratulations to all of the All-Stars; we hope they will aim for the signs!”
Major League Baseball became the founding donor to Stand Up To Cancer when Commissioner Selig announced an initial contribution of $10 million in 2008. In the span of just a year, Stand Up To Cancer raised more than $100 million due in part to an historic hour-long program simultaneously broadcast on ABC, CBS and NBC, on September 5, 2008. In May 2009, SU2C announced the funding of five multi-disciplinary “Dream Teams” — researchers from more than 50 institutions, as well as 13 young innovative scientists who are undertaking high-risk, potentially high-reward projects to end the reign of cancer as a leading cause of death in the world today.
