MLB to Join Forces with Game of Thrones This Summer

Winter may have already arrived in Westeros, but Major League Baseball and Game of Thrones will aim to heat things up during the upcoming season.

The league will partner with the hit HBO series to bring various crossover promotions and merchandise to fans this summer. MLB.com’s Cut4 has the details:

"This summer, fans of both baseball and GoT will have plenty to be excited about … because special Game of Thrones® theme nights are coming to ballparks around MLB — featuring commemorative collectibles, ticket packages, giveaways, special co-branded merchandise, social media events and a lot more."

MLB has crossed paths with pop culture juggernauts before: Star Wars nights have become annual events in some parks. The timing of this Game of Thrones team-up also makes sense for another reason. Past seasons of the show have debuted in early spring, but the upcoming seventh season will kick off later than usual, reportedly sometime in July. While specific dates for MLB’s Thrones nights have not yet been revealed, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them coincide with the eagerly anticipated Season 7 premiere.

Nineteen major league clubs will participate in the promotion, including several of the league’s most prominent franchises such as the Dodgers, Red Sox, Cardinals and Giants. You can check out the full list at Deadline.com. (No, the Yankees aren’t on it. Hal Steinbrenner doesn’t seem like a big fan of epic fantasy.)

In the Deadline piece, MLB’s Executive VP of Business Noah Garden says the league hopes the events will bring in more millennial fans, as well as re-engage young adults who might currently only follow the sport via mobile devices rather than more traditional avenues like television.

Several MLB players have shown their affinity for the series based on George R.R. Martin’s bestselling fantasy novels in the past. For instance, Marlins pitcher Tom Koehler dressed up as series protagonist Jon Snow and even got his wife and daughter in on the act. Giants outfielder Hunter Pence gave teammate Madison Bumgarner a helmet based on the one worn by the Hound. The former World Series MVP pulled it off convincingly.

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One of the show’s stars has also returned the favor. Hafþór Björnsson, the Icelandic strongman who portrays the Mountain, worked out and took batting practice with the Phillies before a May 2015 game.

Further strengthening the growing link between baseball and the world of Game of Thrones, it was recently announced that Mets hurler Noah Syndergaard will serve as an extra in an upcoming episode.

The tall right-hander fits the Westerosi aesthetic better than most MLB players. His trademark golden locks would make him right at home in House Lannister, but wrap him in some furs, maybe add a beard for good measure, and it’s not hard to imagine him among the Northmen within the walls of Winterfell either. Fans will just have to keep their eyes peeled to see where he pops up.

Thrones is no stranger to famous cameos, although the degree of fame might depend on how well-versed you are in alternative music. Rock bands Sigur Rós and Mastodon have appeared in past seasons, along with the drummer from Coldplay and lead singer of Snow Patrol. Over in the sports world, UFC fighter Conor McGregor was reportedly getting a role in Season 7, but he later denied the claims.

Next: Bigger, Better Syndergaard in 2017?

Some might chalk this all up as a forced cash-grab, but for those baseball fans who are also avid watchers of Game of Thrones, this could be a fun little wrinkle to look out for in the 2017 season.