Garrett Crochet pitched an idea in July.
The Boston Red Sox pitcher had a new marketing deal with menswear company State & Liberty, which included a product allotment for Crochet to fill his closet.
The former Tennessee baseball star had other plans.
“Garrett was like, ‘You know what? I’ve got a lot already. I would love to repurpose this and gift it to the Vols,’ ” said Carl Faraon, the head of brand partnerships at State & Liberty.
It was a bit of a curveball, but State & Liberty loved it.
Every Tennessee player is getting a custom-fitted suit in February thanks to Crochet and State & Liberty. The suits are a light grey lightweight with stretchy material. They include a custom white liner covered with orange power Ts and “I will give my all for Tennessee” in a state-shaped outline.
Crochet’s relationship with State & Liberty dates back to his tenure with the Chicago White Sox, who drafted him in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Tennessee.
He linked with the company to become a brand ambassador around the All-Star Game in Atlanta in July. That deal included the product allotment for Crochet, which he quickly posed using for the program that catapulted him toward the big leagues.
It took a little bit of thought for the Ann Arbor-based company, but everyone latched on.
“When he came up with it, we were like ‘Wow, we should probably pitch this more,’ ” Faraon said. “It is a way for them to provide value back to their alma mater and it is a heartwarming thing because not a lot of guys think like that.”
Faraon and a State & Liberty store manager from Columbus, Ohio, came to Knoxville in mid-January. The store manager did the sizing for all the players in the Tennessee team room at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
“While it’s not the sexiest thing in terms of gifting, it was cool to see the guys put on the gear for the first time and have that a-ha moment,” Faraon said.
Faraon noted the “I will give my all for Tennessee” signs around the facility. He suggested using it in a liner on the suit coat, which the Vols loved. The players also are receiving a white dress shirt to wear with the suits.
State & Liberty has had about a dozen brand ambassadors across all sports. He is the first to use his product allotment to give back to his college program, Faraon said.
It wasn’t a hard sell for the company from a marketing perspective due to Tennessee’s standing in the sport. But it came back to Crochet’s love for Tennessee that sparked an idea.
“Garrett is a great dude and however we can support him and support what he is supporting, we are here for,” Faraon said. “It is extremely thoughtful — a we before me mentality. It’s just extremely thoughtful and generous of him to do that.”