THOMASVILLE, N.C. (Jan. 24, 2020) - Old Dominion Freight Line, the Official Freight Carrier of Major League Baseball (MLB), drives the annual Spring Training send-off tradition with MLB clubs across the country.
The company will deliver clubs' equipment to warmer locations as the teams start Spring Training, presented by Camping World. Before Old Dominion's trucks hit the road, teams will celebrate the unofficial start of the 2020 baseball season with fans, coaches, current players, alumni, and team mascots.
"Spring Training send-offs are a player- and fan-cherished ritual. It's our pleasure to be a part of these special events and ensure the teams' equipment arrives safely and on-time," said Dick Podiak, vice president of marketing and communication for Old Dominion Freight Line. "We are delighted to ring in the 2020 season as a corporate sponsor for 12 MLB clubs and as our fourth year as the Official Freight Carrier of Major League Baseball."
This year, Old Dominion will partner with eight teams for the Spring Training celebrations, including the Chicago White Sox, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies.
The festivities will begin with the Chicago White Sox 28th annual event, SoxFest, on Jan. 24-25. With the help of the White Sox mascot, Southpaw, Old Dominion will move the team's equipment to the new SoxFest location, McCormick Place. Fans will have the chance to collect autographs and take photos with former and current stars of the Chicago White Sox.
On Jan. 25, the New York Mets will host the inaugural FanFest event at Citi Field. The Spring Training send-off will take place at noon in the player's lot, where Old Dominion will pack one trailer with more than 10,000 items, including 600 baseball caps, four pitching machines, 10 cases of chewing gum and 1,000 pounds of weight equipment for the team, and depart for First Data Field in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Thousands of Braves fans will attend ChopFest at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga. on Jan. 25, where Old Dominion will celebrate with the team before their departure to Spring Training. The event will include interactive areas with players and coaches, pictures with team mascot, BLOOPER, a Braves history chalk walk, free autographs for kids and more.
Following the Kansas City Royals FanFest activities in downtown Kansas City, Old Dominion will move the team from Kauffman Stadium to Spring Training in Surprise, Ariz. on Jan. 30. The team will pack up two 28-foot trailers and begin the 1,280-mile journey to Surprise Stadium.
The Los Angeles Angels are gearing up for an exclusive celebration on Feb. 4 where Old Dominion will load the commemorative trailers with exercise equipment, consumable products for the clubhouse, and other Spring Training essentials, before hitting the road to Tempe, Ariz.
And to wrap up the Spring Training send-offs, on Feb. 7, the Philadelphia Phillies will host a community event at Citizen Bank Park to celebrate "Truck Day." With the help of the Phillies' mascot, the Phillie Phanatic, Old Dominion will move a variety of items, including 10,000 12 oz. sports drink cups, 2,400 baseballs, six bicycles, one Phanatic hot dog launcher and more into two 28-foot trailers. The Phillie Phanatic - alongside rally-towel waving fans and local sports mascots - will escort the custom-wrapped trailers out of Citizen Bank Park to begin the journey to Clearwater, Fla. The Old Dominion tandem trailers will cruise through eight states, traveling 1,058 miles until it reaches their final destination at Spectrum Field.
Old Dominion is proud to serve as the Official Freight Carrier of the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers in 2020. Old Dominion also serves as the Official LTL Carrier of the Houston Astros.
For more information about Old Dominion, visit www.odfl.com or call (800) 432-6335. On Twitter and Instagram: @ODFL_Inc and Facebook: Old Dominion Freight Line Inc.
About Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. is a leading, less-than-truckload ("LTL"), union-free motor carrier providing regional, inter-regional and national LTL services through a single integrated organization. Our service offerings, which include expedited transportation, are provided through an expansive network of service centers located throughout the continental United States. Through strategic alliances, the Company also provides LTL services throughout North America. In addition to its core LTL services, the Company offers a range of value-added services including container drayage, truckload brokerage and supply chain consulting.
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