Baseball brands are taking cues from basketball’s relationship with fashion

When Rawlings, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of baseball equipment and apparel, set about planning the rollout of its new youth-oriented brand, it took more inspiration from basketball than its own sport.

The brand, called Combat, launched Monday with a focus on high school athletes and a Gen-Z audience. The accompanying campaign, devised by creative agency The Alt League, is gritty, soundtracked by hip-hop beats and shot in an urban, street photography style. The intention was to call to mind the combination of hip-hop, basketball and sneaker culture that has defined the last few years’ crossover between fashion and sports.

“Baseball is definitely going down the same path as basketball,” said Dylan Kavanagh, vp of omnichannel at Rawlings.

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