American Family Insurance and Milwaukee Brewers™
Protect the Plate at American Family Field™
[Christian Yelich]: Hey, Brewers fans, the next time you're at a home game, stop by section 113 to play the American Family Insurance batting game, Protect the Plate. Every player walks away some gameday gear, just one of the many ways life's better when you're under the American Family Field roof.
Bernie’s Chalet Experience
Visit the Concourse
Register for Bernie's Chalet Experience
Play Protect the Plate
Visit us at American Family Field™
Parking Lot Patio
Game Day Protection Merchandise
Family Yard Games
I(G)LoveMKE Photo Opportunity
American Family Field™
American Family Fields of Phoenix™
Teaming Up with Christian Yelich
Christian Yelich: Sometimes when you take the field and it's a big moment, you have a chance to step back and realize this was always your dream. Realize how far you've come from Little League to the Major Leagues, kind of step back at times and realize how special everything really is.
So we're headed over to Beckum - Stapleton Little League fields to surprise the kids. Say hello.
Coach: We have a surprise for you. Hometown hero, Mr. Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers!
Christian Yelich: I have people that supported me when I was your age growing up, supported my dreams. We want to do the same for you.
I played a little league growing up, it’s where my baseball journey started. That's where I learned the game, it’s where I made some of my best friends that I still keep in touch with today.
Team: Dream fearlessly!
Christian Yelich: And it's something that's always been special to me and looking forward to saying hello to everybody and getting to meet all the kids.
Good job guys! That was awesome.
Supporting Beckum Stapleton Little League with Christian Yelich
How to be a Fearless Dreamers with Christian Yelich
[MUSIC PLAYING]
CHRISTIAN YELICH: We're at Westlake High School, where I went to school about 10 years ago, 2010. Going to school here was cool. I mean, it was your average high school experience. Football games on Friday nights, playing baseball games here. It's cool to be back.
It's a pretty common dream and goal is to play pro sports, whether it's baseball, basketball, football, whatever it may be. As a kid, I had that dream. All my friends had that same dream.
[CRACK OF THE BAT]
Yeah, it was here, where you were just playing with your buddies for fun. Trying to make the team freshman year and then having a chance to go pro four years later as a senior, it's pretty cool that a lot of it just started right here.
I didn't know I was ever going to play in the big leagues until probably the year before I did. I was a first round pick and all that, but at the end of the day, that doesn't mean anything either. That just means that's where you're drafted, and now you're in the minor leagues like everybody else. I don't know if I ever knew that I'd play at an MVP level. But once you get there and you know you're capable of it, then that's the standard and that's what you hold yourself to.
[CHEERING]
My family, my friends, people that have known me forever, they've seen good, bad, all those moments since I was a kid. Not even just baseball stuff, just life things. After my injury, there's a frustration period. You have a couple day lull. And then once you realize there's no changing it, you have to put your focus into getting better. I know that I can do it. I've got all the confidence in the world to do that, and that's what's going to happen.
I think to be fearless means you acknowledge the fear, adversity, but push through it anyways. Sure, there's a sense of doubt there, but you have to have belief in yourself and kind of laser focus on what you want to achieve. And that's what makes it possible to achieve your dreams, and I've had that since I was a kid.
You get to play the game for a short amount of time, so why not get everything you can out of it while you can? I think you'd be cheating yourself, the game, the fans, the team, the organization if you didn't have that drive and you didn't want to be the best version of yourself.
Community Impact
American Family and the Brewers™ Celebrate #KindessinMKE
American Family and the Brewers™ Donate to the Urban Ecology Center
American Family and the Brewers™ Launch the Fearless Dreamer Scholarship Program
Our Commitment to the Brewers™
Reporter 1: It is official. Starting next year, the Brewers will be playing at American Family Field.
Reporter 2: Today's announcement comes almost exactly a year after American Family Insurance struck a 15-year deal with the Brewers as the naming rights sponsor.
Rick Schlesinger, President - Business Operations, Milwaukee Brewers: American Family has been a partner with the Brewers since 2001 and has made a definite footprint in Milwaukee in the last few years.
Jim Buchheim, Community and Social Impact Officer, American Family Insurance: The Brewers share our values, and we've made a mutual commitment to support programs and organizations where we live, work, and do business.
Narrator: It's a unique opportunity to associate our great name with the heritage and history of a like-minded organization, like the Brewers. And we couldn't be more proud.
Reporter 3: The new year marks the start of a new era for Milwaukee baseball.
Reporter 4: This is American Family Field.
Jack Salzwedel, Chair & CEO, American Family Insurance: When you think about what we hope to help to bring, it would be a championship to this city and to this ball club.
Narrator: Our field of dreams has become a reality, and we can't wait to share it.
Christian Yelich: I think the future's bright for Milwaukee, American Family, and definitely excited to be a part of it.
American Family Insurance and Milwaukee Brewers™
All references to the Milwaukee Brewers, its operations, and its marks and logos are the property of the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club, L.P. All rights reserved.