In 1989, Back To The Future Part II predicted the Chicago Cubs would win the 2015 World Series. They didn’t quite do that, but the real-life Cubs ended the franchise’s 108-year championship drought a year later by winning the 2016 World Series.
The iconic film series also showed a future where humans navigated city streets on hoverboards. The 2018 version of those devices isn’t quite what we were promised—they don’t actually hover—but in keeping with the Back To The Future theme, the Cubs are now partnering with hoverboard maker Swagtron. The Cubs announced on Thursday that Swagtron will be the team’s official electric bike, scooter, skateboard, and hoverboard partner for the 2019 MLB season.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Swagtron to our team and look forward to showcasing their products starting this Holiday season,” said Vice President of Marquee Sports & Entertainment Alex Seyferth, in a press release. “Their innovative bikes and scooters are perfect for riding locally to and from Wrigley Field and around the neighborhood.”
The Cubs’ free bike valet service at Wrigley Field will include an official Swagtron electric bike and scooter charging station in 2019. Swagton will also begin designing Cubs-branded electric scooters and bikes for fans to purchase from official Cubs team stores in 2019.
“Even though electric bikes and scooters are practical, efficient modes of transportation, there’s something just plain fun about riding them that I think the kid in all of us really connects with,” Swagtron CMO Jason Wakefield added in the press release. “I think it’s a lot like baseball in that way.”
SportTechie Takeaway
Swagtron’s hoverboards started to gain popularity a few years ago. The company was originally called Swagway, but rebranded to Swagtron after it announced a recall in 2016. Versions of its hoverboards from then had been found to catch on fire due to battery overheating.
Alternate forms of transportation have been growing in popularity in metropolitan areas and to get to and from sports events in recent years, starting with bike sharing programs. Now, electric bikes, skateboards, and hoverboards have become common on city streets, and Elon Musk’s Boring Company is even planning a tunnel to Dodger Stadium.