Hyundai Motor Sponsors Historic MLB World Tour Seoul Series With Eco-Friendly Transport

Hyundai Motor Company has taken a significant step in the sports world by becoming the official sponsor of the MLB World Tour Seoul Series, a landmark event as Korea hosts its first-ever MLB games. This sponsorship aligns with one of the most awaited global sports events in Korea this year, featuring a series presented by Coupang Play. The MLB World Tour, organized by Major League Baseball, brings regular-season games to various countries, with the Seoul Series set to unfold at Gocheok Sky Dome. The games will see the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres compete on March 20 and 21.

In an innovative move, Hyundai Motor will introduce six hydrogen fuel cell electric buses for team transportation, marking MLB's first use of such vehicles. Additionally, the company will supply a fleet of passenger cars as the official vehicles of the series. This fleet includes one Genesis GV80, one Genesis G80, three IONIQ 5s, three IONIQ 6s, three Staria seven-seaters, and one Staria nine-seater.

The MLB World Tour Seoul Series is notable for several "firsts." It is not only Hyundai Motor's inaugural sponsorship of an MLB series but also marks the first MLB games to be held in Korea. This allows Korean baseball fans to experience an MLB game live for the first time. The series will also be a debut game in Korea for many celebrated MLB players, including Ha-seong Kim.

To celebrate these historic moments, Hyundai Motor has unveiled various programs under the concept of "The First Road." Among these is "The First IONIQ Home Run" event, where the player hitting the first home run in the opening game will receive an IONIQ 5 electric vehicle. Furthermore, Hyundai Motor is showcasing a special Seoul Series version of the IONIQ 5, adorned with the logo and color designs of the two competing teams.

Hyundai Motor has also engaged fans through a customer participation event, offering MLB World Tour Seoul Series game tickets and prizes via a lottery for customers who test-drove EVs. The company extended its official sponsorship to four special exhibition games featuring the Dodgers, Padres, the Korean national baseball team, LG Twins, and Kiwoom Heroes.

Sungwon Jee, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor Company, shared his enthusiasm about being part of the MLB World Tour Seoul Series. He emphasized the significance of using hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles as official transportation for the first time in MLB history. Through this initiative, Hyundai Motor aims to position itself as a leader in the mobility industry.