Rawlings acquires leading training and accessories company, Tanner Tees

Rawlings, the official supplier of game balls, gloves, helmets, face guards and bases of Major League Baseball, announced its recent purchase of Tanner Tees. This partnership reflects a notable entry into the diamond sports training category by Rawlings. Tanner Tees, founded by former baseball coach Joe Tanner in Sarasota, FL, manufactures the “industry standard” in premium batting tees utilized by youth, high school and collegiate programs as well as professional athletes nationwide.

“Rawlings continues to bolster its premium product portfolio with the recent acquisition of Tanner Tees, and we’re excited to bring those items to our vast customer base comprised of athletes ranging in age and ability,” said Ron Ostrowski, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rawlings. “This purchase provides us with a vehicle to venture into new product categories while growing our leading market share within our competitive industry.”

“Joe Tanner built the first Tanner Tee with a vision for better training products, and my brother AJ and I never imagined that what he started that day in his garage would grow into the number one batting tee in the world today,” said Andy Menard of Tanner Tees. “Now as a part of Rawlings, the most iconic name in baseball, we’re thrilled to know the Tanner brand will continue to serve hitters and coaches for years to come with the most trusted training products that carry our grandfather’s name.”

Tanner Tees was founded by retired coach Joe Tanner after nearly fifty years in baseball. Today, Tanner Tees can be found in big league batting cages, thousands of college and high school programs, and training facilities all around the world. They are the industry standard batting tee, the only tee with 25 years of proven durability. Each tee is hand rolled in Sarasota, Florida by a skilled crew of tee technicians and sold through a network of local team dealers and baseball training facilities.