FLUSHING , N.Y. , March 30, 2009 – The New York Mets and PepsiCo today announced a multiyear marketing and promotional partnership in which PepsiCo becomes the newest Signature Partner at Citi Field, the Mets' new world-class home, opening April 13. In addition to designation rights for Pepsi as the Official Soft Drink of the Mets and for Gatorade as the team's Official Sports Drink, PepsiCo will promote a number of the brands within its broad beverage portfolio, including Aquafina, Mountain Dew and Sierra Mist. Pepsi gains branding rights to the name-entitled “Pepsi Porch,” the 1,284-seat area in right field that extends over the playing field. This interactive brand showcase at the Pepsi Porch will immerse fans in a Mets and Pepsi experience with special entertainment programming broadcast to those in attendance and watching Mets games on SNY , the television home of the Mets. A 37-foot by 89-foot Pepsi sign, evocative of the iconic Pepsi-Cola sign facing Manhattan from Long Island City , will sit atop the Pepsi Porch. The sign will face into the ballpark and be visible from downtown Flushing and nearby highways and mass transit lines. “The new Mets' home is a premier facility that is already a top attraction in New York and we couldn't be happier to have a visible presence there,” said Dave Burwick, SVP and CMO , PepsiCo North America Beverages. “We look forward to continuing the successful partnership we have enjoyed with the Mets over the last several years and to bringing the fans unique experiences at the ballpark.” “We are thrilled to work with Pepsi to develop this breakthrough concept in brand immersion with the Pepsi Porch at Citi Field,” said Dave Howard , Executive Vice President, Business Operations, New York Mets. “The Pepsi Porch will be a destination attraction within our new destination attraction through compelling new branded content and experiences in the Pepsi Porch, as well as those broadcast from there in-park and on SNY.” Pepsi and the Mets will continue to build upon the gameday fan experience with expanded pre-, in-, and post-game programming and fan interaction featuring the “Pepsi Party Patrol,” the 12-member in-park fan entertainment team, which has been running in-stands trivia contests, on-field t-shirt launches, and more since the 2000 season. In addition, Gatorade “Hydration Stations” will be located in the dugouts and the bullpens providing branded cups, coolers, ice chests and towels to the teams . The comprehensive set of rights and benefits will feature Pepsi branding, including home plate rotational signage and identification throughout Citi Field. The Mets will incorporate Pepsi into its marketing and media assets, including Mets publications and in-game programming features, the opportunity to host a Pepsi promotional day at Citi Field, and rights to the use of the Mets logo for promotions and sweepstakes. Pepsi's promotional rights will extend to the Mets' minor league affiliates at Tradition Field ( Port St. Lucie , Fla. , home of Mets Spring Training and the St. Lucie Mets) and KeySpan Park ( Coney Island , N.Y. , home of the Brooklyn Cyclones). The Mets, in conjunction with their construction partners Hunt-Bovis and HOK, began construction of the 42,000-capacity Citi Field in 2006 in the outfield parking lot between Shea Stadium and 126th Street . Citi Field will open in Spring 2009. About PepsiCo PepsiCo is one of the world's largest food and beverage companies, with 2008 annual revenues of more than $43 billion. The company employs approximately 198,000 people worldwide, and its products are sold in approximately 200 countries. Its principal businesses include: Frito-Lay snacks, Pepsi-Cola beverages, Gatorade sports drinks, Tropicana juices and Quaker foods. The PepsiCo portfolio includes 18 brands that generate $1 billion or more each in annual retail sales. PepsiCo's commitment to sustainable growth, defined as Performance with Purpose, is focused on generating healthy financial returns while giving back to communities the company serves. This includes meeting consumer needs for a spectrum of convenient foods and beverages, reducing the company's impact on the environment through water, energy and packaging initiatives, and supporting its employees through a diverse and inclusive culture that recruits and retains world-class talent. PepsiCo is listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com . For more information contact: Danielle Sessa Parillo Nicole Bradley
Director, Media Relations
New York Mets
(718)-565-4354
dparillo@nymets.com
Senior Manager, Public Relations
Pepsi
(914) 263-2964
nicole.bradley@pepsi.com