In an attempt to create greater exposure for baseball and softball in the UK, Major League Baseball (MLB) and BaseballSoftballUK have joined forces with children's fromage frais brand Frubes.

The three-year, £1m sponsorship deal will see Yoplait Dairy Crest's Frubes brand become the title sponsor of the Play Ball! school and youth development programmes. Now in its fourth year, the programme, which was set up to develop baseball and softball at a grass roots level, will be renamed Play Ball! with Frubes and expanded to a total of 25 areas nationwide.

The marketing campaign will include on-pack promotion as well as a Frubes tube designed as a baseball player in each box. Information on baseball and softball will also be included on the outer packaging of every frubes box, and Frubes delivery lorries will be redesigned to feature the Play Ball! with Frubes joint logo.

'We are confident this partnership will raise overall awareness, increase opportunities for children to play and make a real difference to the growth of baseball and softball in the UK,' MLB director for Europe, Africa and the Middle East.