The company served as the title sponsor of All-Star Village from July 11–14 in Philadelphia, filling roughly 500,000 square feet with interactive exhibits, youth baseball activities, player tributes, food vendors, and a family party-like atmosphere. For the Capital One, it reflected a broader strategy of sports partnerships to deepen customer relationships through experiences rather than traditional advertising.

MLB reported attendance of 111,616 at this year’s All-Star Village—the event’s highest since 2022, when it was held in Los Angeles. Perks for Capital One customers included early access, complimentary admission for eligible cardholders, and premium experiences tied to its Venture X Business card.

Capital One (No. 63 on the Fortune 500) became MLB’s official bank and credit card partner in 2022, and committed roughly $125 million to a five-year MLB deal, according to reports. The company did not comment on the financial terms of the deal. Amit Desai, Capital One’s senior brand and sponsorships director, told Fortune: “We look forward to being partners with MLB for a long time.”

This year marked Capital One’s fifth All-Star activation and fourth as title sponsor of All-Star Village. The sponsorship is a small piece of a much bigger bet: as credit cards become increasingly interchangeable, issuers are racing to buy loyalty rather than earn it through rewards alone.

Capital One wagered that a marquee sports partnership can do something a rewards multiplier can’t: make a bank feel personal. The math backs the bet—research finds the loyalty-rewards market is on pace to nearly double to $44.73 billion by 2029. And competitors, like Amex, are also focusing on upping perks.

“Beyond the financial products, it’s really about creating unique experiences,” Jason Krieger, VP of customer management, business cards and payments, told Fortune in Philadelphia. The partnership with MLB is an opportunity to connect with entrepreneurs, fans, and cardholders, he said.

Experiences drive usage and loyalty, Desai said. One such experience was an exclusive meet-and-greet with former Phillies stars Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins.

Capital One also used the event to highlight local small businesses. A fleet of branded electric Moke vehicles, open-air, low-speed electric vehicles, transported fans between All-Star destinations while featuring Philadelphia small businesses, including Fontana Candle Company and The Ceramic Shop. Riding in a Moke around the busy convention center evoked a range of reactions: some people smiled, waved, or even took photos as the vehicle passed by.

Krieger said the initiative comes as many small businesses continue to face economic uncertainty, making visibility and customer acquisition increasingly valuable.

“In a time of uncertainty, anything you can do above and beyond just financial tools is a value-add,” he said. This gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to advance their brand and drive traffic locally, he added.

From MLB’s perspective, partnerships have evolved beyond sponsorships into collaborative fan experiences.

“We’re not just aligning with a brand to help that brand tell its own story,” Uzma Rawn Dowler, MLB’s chief marketing officer, told Fortune. “We also want that brand to help us tell MLB’s story.” She added, “I know that Capital One delivers that for MLB in the way that they activate the partnership.”

Capital One is also the presenting sponsor of the World Series. “There’s an integrated marketing plan throughout the season,” Desai said, pointing to ads featuring MLB great Derek Jeter.

As competition among financial institutions increasingly centers on customer engagement rather than products alone, Capital One’s MLB partnership illustrates how live sports have become a platform for loyalty, exclusive access, and community connection—not simply brand visibility.