Article: MLBP batting out sales at a $2.5-billion-a-year clip: baseball's licensing arm handles everything from mugs to leather jackets. (Major League Baseball Properties)

Baseball's licensing arm handles everyting from mugs to leather jackets

NEW YORK -- Step off the elevators into the offices of Major League Baseball Properties and there's a replica ticket office, a section of seats from Camden Yards and home plate from Shea Stadium.

To the uninitiated, it might seem like fun and games. But in actuality, it's business -- big business.

MLBP, the licensing arm of Major League Baseball, is responsible for marketing over 4,000 products -- everything from mugs and pens to leather jackets and caps. All told, the merchandise racks up sales of well over $2 billion annually.

And it's a growing business. In 1990, sales were $1.8 ...

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