EASTON & Factory Athletics Expand Partnership
VAN NUYS, Calif. – April 14, 2016 – Easton Baseball/Softball, a leading manufacturer of baseball and softball equipment, and Factory Athletics announced today an expanded partnership that will incorporate the EASTON Hit Lab into signature events powered by the premier scouts and coaches at Baseball/Softball Factory.
The EASTON Hit Lab combines unique tools and expertise to provide customized batting instruction for players looking to elevate their play. Led by the same EASTON product experts who outfit many of the country’s top NCAA Division I baseball and softball programs, this partnership brings together the EASTON Hit Lab, the EASTON Power Sensor and Factory Athletics’ premier coaching to help maximize a player’s swing mechanics and power.
“We are excited to expand our partnership with Easton Baseball/Softball,” said Jason Budden, Senior Vice President, Partnerships & Brand, Factory Athletics. “Our mission is to help student-athletes reach their full potential. By working with EASTON to provide players with the Hit Lab experience, our coaches will have dynamic tools and metrics to assist in skill development. We are always searching for the best technology to provide our players with an edge, and the EASTON Hit Lab is the leading source for high-end swing analysis.”
An integral component of the EASTON Hit Lab, the EASTON Power Sensor slips over the knob of any baseball or softball bat to capture highly accurate swing metrics and deliver advanced performance analysis. Weighing in at just 7.7 grams, the EASTON Power Sensor uses Bluetooth wireless technology to capture and store a wide-range of 3D data, including time to contact, swing speed, energy transfer, bat path, power, overall efficiency and much more. All of the factors combine to provide a player with their Blast Factor, a 1-100 score that shows a player’s overall swing performance and is a simple way to compare and coach proper mechanics.
“We’re proud to partner with one of the nation’s leading development programs that provides young elite athletes with the tools and coaching they need to excel,” said Calin Thomas, Sports Marketing Director, Easton Baseball/Softball. “As the official bat, bat sensor and ball glove of Baseball/Softball Factory, we’re helping to ensure the players have the best tools to perform and take advantage of every opportunity provided by the Factory and the EASTON Hit Lab.”
The EASTON Power Sensor was developed in exclusive partnership with Blast Motion, a leader in motion capture and analysis technology. By leveraging Blast Motion’s patented Smart Video CaptureTM and adaptive slow-mo technology, the EASTON Power Sensor intelligently combines video and swing metrics to create a powerful new swing analysis tool that automatically detects a player’s swing and clips the video to create a series of video highlights.
The EASTON Hit Lab events will be incorporated into the following elite Baseball Factory tournaments and showcases:
- Memorial Day Classic, Jupiter, Fla. – May 29
- Southeast Championships, Jupiter, Fla. – June 12
- Firecracker Classic, Jupiter, Fla. – June 30
- 16U Southwest Championships, La Verne, Calif. – July 21
- 17U Southwest Championships, La Verne, Calif. – July 28
Information on future events, including how to register, is available at www.baseballfactory.com/eastonhitlab. All of the players at these tournaments will also be evaluated for fielding and defensive performance. Baseball Factory professionals will select a winner for best infielder, outfielder and catcher, and the winners will receive a custom elite MAKO LE ball glove.
ABOUT EASTON BASEBALL/SOFTBALL
Easton Baseball/Softball is a leading manufacturer of baseball and softball equipment and has the most iconic brand in these sports. Headquartered in Van Nuys, Calif., the company manufactures bats, apparel, bags, helmets, ball gloves, catcher’s equipment and related accessories. The company’s commitment to innovation and game-changing technologies, such as introducing the industry’s first true aluminum bat, drove its growth to the No. 1 position in North America, including the No. 1 bat of choice by players in the College World Series of Omaha®, Women’s College World Series® and Little League Baseball® World Series. Performance Sports Group Ltd., the parent company of Easton, is a publicly-traded company on the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange whose affiliates market products under the BAUER, MISSION, MAVERIK, CASCADE, INARIA, COMBAT and EASTON brand names. Performance Sports Group is a member of the Russell 2000 and 3000 Indexes, as well as the S&P/Toronto Stock Exchange Composite Index. For more information, visit Easton’s website at www.EASTON.com.
ABOUT FACTORY ATHLETICS
Factory Athletics has developed programs to provide baseball, softball and volleyball players with world-class instruction and life-changing experiences, which when combined, lead to future success both on and off the field. Factory Athletics holds over 900 events nationwide each year in 50 states and 175 cities. We pride ourselves on giving families an unbiased assessment of where they stand against other players nationwide. Factory Athletics was founded in 1994 and over the past 22 years has helped create college success stories for more than 75,000 student-athletes. Learn more at www.factoryathletics.com.
Media Contact
Tory Mazzola
Sr. Manager, Corporate Communications
Performance Sports Group/Easton Baseball & Softball
Phone: 603-430-2111
Email: media@performancesportsgroup.com
Jason Budden
SVP, Partnerships & Brand
Factory Athletics
Phone: 410-715-5080 x 108
Email: jason@factoryathletics.com