Sports nutrition company CytoSport, parent company to Muscle Milk, announced that it has signed an exclusive partnership with Cy Young Award winner and two-time All-Star Clayton Kershaw. As part of the partnership, Muscle Milk has committed $100 for every strikeout he throws during the program period to Kershaw’s Challenge, a nonprofit organization founded by Kershaw and his wife, Ellen, to assist at-risk children and provide valuable resources for underserved communities in Zambia, Los Angeles and their hometown of Dallas.
“Muscle Milk shares my vision and passion for making a difference, and I’m excited to join their team,” said Kershaw. “I’m not only thankful for their part in my daily fitness and nutrition routine, but also that they’ve taken this partnership to the next level by supporting Kershaw’s Challenge, an initiative very important to me.”
Motivated by his desire to use the platform of baseball to make a difference in the lives of others, Kershaw himself will donate $500 per strikeout as part of his #PITCHING4PURPOSE social media campaign. Individuals who also want to contribute can go to his website, www.kershawschallenge.com, and make their own pledge.
Kershaw enters his sixth season in the big leagues with numerous accolades and honors to his credit, including the Cy Young, Gold Glove and Pitcher’s Triple Crownin 2011 and also was named the 2011 Sportsman of the Year by the Los Angeles Sports Council. He led the National League in ERA each of the last two seasons and was honored with the prestigious 2012 Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes his dedication to philanthropy.
“Clayton is one of the best pitchers in the league, which makes him a great fit for the Muscle Milk brand, but we’re equally interested in what he stands for off the field,” said CytoSport Senior Vice President of Marketing John Peirano. “He is an amazing athlete, role model and philanthropist, and we’re proud to support his personal and professional goals.”
Kershaw will be featured in Los Angeles-specific marketing and advertising programs to coincide with Muscle Milk’s exclusive partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He will also be highlighted as one of the brand’s marquee national athletes.
He joins an elite roster of Muscle Milk athletes including basketball big man Tyson Chandler, linebacker Clay Matthews, tight end Aaron Hernandez, second baseman Ian Kinsler, supercross champion Justin Barcia and snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler.
