
It’s been more than 50 years since comedian
George Carlin — in his monologue on the very first episode of “Saturday Night Live” — remarked
that baseball’s home plate looks just like a little house. Zillow thinks the metaphor is as apt as ever. The real-estate tech brand just stepped up to the plate with a multiyear partnership with Major
League Baseball, stretching from home openers to postseason.
“Baseball is one of the few places where getting ‘home’ is literally the point of the game,” said Beverly W. Jackson, vice
president of brand and product marketing, in the announcement. For the millions of Americans looking at real estate online, she added, “Zillow is more than where the journey starts — we’re
building tools and products to help buyers, sellers and renters move through every step on their journey home.”
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The Seattle-based tech company says ads for the new effort build on “Someday Starts Today,” the campaign platform launched earlier this year. That campaign is designed to remind
consumers that even if the current real-estate market is frustrating — on interest rates, affordability and availability — there are plenty of steps they can take to be ready for their
next move.
National campaigns supporting the sponsorship are planned for MLB Network, MLB.TV and Apple TV+, with on-site and hospitality experiences at All-Star Week and postseason events. The
deal also includes the presenting sponsorship of Pennant Chase on all MLB-owned-and-operated media.
“The start of baseball season is about the feeling that there’s no place like home,” said
Uzma Rawn Dowler, MLB’s CMO and senior vice president of global corporate partnerships, in the release. “It’s a fresh start filled with optimism and shared rituals. Partnering with Zillow connects
that tradition to a brand that plays a meaningful role in helping people find a place of their own, and we think MLB’s extensive marketing ecosystem can extend that brand connection even further.”
Zillow, which claims to be the most visited real estate app and website in the U.S., has been fending off legal battles from other online real estate platforms. Last week, Compass dropped its suit
against Zillow, which Zillow said in a statement had been “without merit.”