How Sporting Partnerships Bring Exclusive Content to Pokémon GO

Branding partnerships are popular because they can be extremely valuable to the two interested parties that join forces. One of the world’s most popular mobile games, Pokémon GO, is a great example of such a collaboration, as the challenge of chasing down creatures in augmented reality has found its way into the area of real-world sports.

By partnering with major sports franchises and organisations, Pokémon GO has received extra exposure which has been a great way for them to attract new players. It’s a modern approach, just like how many of the reputable betting sites listed at review platforms like Legalbet, partner with sports teams as a way to advertise themselves.

Bookmakers go into licensing deals as kit sponsors, and official betting partners and grab precious spots on pitch-side advertising boards. All major sports get a tremendous amount of coverage, so it makes sense for any entity to try and team up with a team or organisation to get an extra boost of coverage. In the case of Pokémon GO, it has also helped them deliver exciting new content to users.

Entering Sports

Pokémon GO reportedly entered into a partnership deal with Major League Baseball in early 2025. This was a massive deal as it broke new boundaries in terms of the mobile game’s reach and exposure.

Pokémon GO, which was initially developed by Niantic but now handled by Scopely, has also teamed up with the Indian Premier League. In this deal, they have aligned with two teams from the world’s biggest cricket league, the Mumbai Indians and the Gujarat Titans until May 25th, 2025.

Where Did Pokémon GO Come From?

In 2014, Google and The Pokémon Company got together to create what was an April Fools’ Day feature, which was called the “Google Maps: Pokémon Challenge”. The game allowed players to look at the Google Maps app and, through augmented reality, track down Pokémon that were on the loose. The Pokémon Company saw huge potential for it, and came together with Niantic’s AR tech to create the Pokémon GO game.

Bigger Fan Engagement

But what do the sports partnerships do for Pokémon GO players? The simple answer is that it adds new elements within the game. In the case of the IPL teams for example, one of the first things to appear was stickers of the team’s logo, which became available at Pokémon Gyms and by spinning PokéStops.

India is a cricket-crazy nation, and Pokémon GO is getting valuable airtime with commercials and potent emotional content during the broadcast of IPL matches. Thanks to the partnership, the Pokémon GO platform offers trainers playing the mobile game an opportunity to also grab Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians merchandise and tickets.

Real-world giveaways are a big part of partnerships like this. A visit to the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai or the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad during the 2025 IPL season, will correspond with Pokémon GO booths at the venue, where trainers have access to goodies.

The Major League Baseball Partnership

Pokémon GO’s partnership with the MLB is significantly bigger than the one it has with the IPL. For example, at every MLB ballpark, there are official PokéStops and Gyms, which is a huge element for the game, because trainers can still enjoy the app while they are there for baseball.

One of the coolest features though has been the integration of new ballpark locations in the game, where raid battles can happen. Capturing a Pokémon at one of the venues against a ballpark background is a great lure for baseball-loving Pokémon GO fans and it brings the two worlds together very nicely.

Theme Nights

With the MLB partnership, there are also Pokémon GO Theme Nights, which are special, hosted events accessed through ticket sales. At these theme nights, a common feature of US sports, exclusive merchandise like hats and t-shirts for trainers, plus in-game special avatar items can be picked up. It is also common to see special missions appear in the game for trainers to try and complete before time runs out, all adding to the user’s gaming experience.

Collabs are a Slam Dunk

The massive integration and exposure that Pokémon GO gets from sports partnerships are immense. The game also has links with Overtime Elite, which is a basketball league for young players. During the 2025 play-offs, which began in February, all eight participating teams wore custom Pokémon GO jerseys, and of course, the collab also had special merch up for grabs for game-goers. For many Pokémon GO trainers, the real thrill of these partnerships is simply the end-user experience and the exclusive in-game content that can be collected.