With increasingly rare sponsorship space available as teams add to their partner rosters season after season, brands and rights-holders are always looking for the next big trend to maximize value and exposure. For MLB most recently, it’s jersey patches.
In the latest collective bargaining agreement MLB agreed to allow teams to sell sponsor logo placement on uniforms. The new jersey real estate follows the lead of the NHL, who followed the lead of the NBA, who followed the lead of MLS, who followed the lead of international football.
MLB opted for sleeve placement, an optimal spot given batters’ and pitchers’ stances. Seven of 30 teams sold the jersey patch placement before the start of the 2023 season, and several more inked deals in 2024. These brands will receive visibility both during traditional game broadcasts and via social media pictures and video.
Social media data is based on team Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube content during the 2023 regular season, 3/30/23 – 10/2/23. Social value is calculated based on impressions, engagements and video views using industry standard CPM, CPE and CPV values. Follower count is combined Twitter, Instagram and Facebook followers as of 2/1/24 or day of announcement for teams in-season.
San Diego Padres: Motorola
The San Diego Padres were the first to jump at the new opportunity, inking a deal with Motorola in April of 2022 that’s reportedly $10 million annually. Rosters are always evolving, but at one point Juan Soto and Blake Snell repped the jersey, and current players like Xander Bogaerts, Yu Darvish and Fernando Tatis Jr. are likely to receive national MLB and sports media coverage on social and TV, boosting the value of the deal for Motorola even more.
Red Sox: MassMutual
A new look on a classic jersey! pic.twitter.com/xM3YsBmtxG
— Red Sox (@RedSox) December 1, 2022
In November of 2022 a major market team took advantage of the jersey patch sponsor placement. In a 10-year deal reportedly worth $17 million a year, the Boston Red Sox sold a spot on their iconic uniforms to MassMutual, a Massachusetts-based insurance company.
The Red Sox jersey patch sale was important for establishing the market value for big-name teams in the league. Red Sox social media alone surpassed 1 billion impressions in 2023. Other storied franchises with comparable fan base sizes are likely to reference the Red Sox deal if and when they sign their own jersey patch partner.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Avnet
FIRED UP. 😤 pic.twitter.com/BM7yXP1ByV
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 22, 2023
Arizona also went local, adding Avnet to their sleeves for 2023 and beyond. The Arizona-based global tech company will be a brand new partner for the Diamondbacks. Avnet couldn’t have joined at a better time, because the Diamondbacks roughly doubled their regular season social value from 2022 to 2023, and that’s before they made it to the World Series.
Avnet was a huge beneficiary of the Diamondbacks improved regular season and electric post season run. Although they came up short in the 2023 World Series, the Diamondbacks were in the national spotlight for over a month as the underdog story of October.
Los Angeles Angels: FBM
Ready to get to work 🛠️ pic.twitter.com/7pHDtI6vep
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) February 4, 2023
The Angels announced the addition of Foundation Building Materials (FBM) to their uniforms just before pitchers and catchers reported in 2023. Also going local, FBM was featured on two of the best players in the game in their first season on the jersey: Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani’s celebrity grew even bigger after a championship run with Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic.
Although Ohtani has left, he helped boost the brand of the Angels during his tenure with the team. Plus, a player like Mike Trout will continue extending exposure for a sponsor like FBM beyond the Angels media channels, which already boasts impressive numbers.
Cincinnati Reds: Kroger
Fierce 😤 pic.twitter.com/DjEdGaLPMf
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) February 24, 2023
In the NL Central, the Reds signed a reported $5 million/year partnership with Kroger shortly before 2023’s Spring Training began. Working with the Cincinnati-based grocery chain, the Reds followed the lead of other teams that partnered with locally relevant brands. Kroger was already a longtime sponsor of the Reds, so this jersey patch builds on that preexisting relationship for additional exposure.
In their 1st year with the patch fan-favorite Joey Votto was a big draw for fans in Cincinnati and beyond. Moving forward, the Reds are a young team on the rise with talent like Jonathan India and Elly De La Cruz, who captivated baseball audiences immediately upon promotion.
Houston Astros: Oxy Energy
Today, we announced an expansion of our partnership with @WeAreOxy to become our official jersey partner for the next seven seasons. pic.twitter.com/trDma0um7W
— Houston Astros (@astros) February 9, 2023
The 2-time World Series champions also stuck with an existing, locally based sponsor for their jersey patch, formally announcing a 7-year deal with Oxy Energy in February of 2023.
The Astros are a consistently dominate force in the AL West. With seven straight playoffs appearances that all made it to at least the ALCS, the Astros are a solid bet for a brand looking to work with a team that will likely make the playoffs, providing additional October exposure to their fan base and nationally.
Miami Marlins: ADT
FYI: This is the Marlins best start to a season since 1997.
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) June 15, 2023
Next Stop: D.C. then home. 💙✈️ #MakeItMiami pic.twitter.com/4aCbWtdUvi
The Miami Marlins were the last team to sign a jersey patch sponsor before the 2023 season started, unveiling the addition of ADT to their uniforms right before Opening Day. Based in South Florida, the estimated $5M-a-year deal with the home security company once again went regional.
A team looking toward the future, the Marlins entered the 2024 season with Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara and MLB The Show ’23’s cover star Jazz Chisholm Jr. They also had some of the biggest season-over-season growth from 2022 to 2023. ADT’s multi-year agreement got them in on the ground floor with a team aiming to boost their performance and profile in the next few years.
New York Mets: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
We are excited to show off our Amazin' partnership with @nyphospital. pic.twitter.com/fnpAdSMwH5
— New York Mets (@Mets) April 6, 2023
The Mets unveiled their NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital jersey patch for their home opener at Citi Field in 2023, shortly after the regular season started. After receiving some feedback from fans, the team changed the red-and-white patch to match the Mets colors better.
The expansive New York City hospital network is a new sponsor for the Mets, who always have high expectations and lots of media attention. With a roster that includes major MLB stars like Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor and a passionate fan base with high hopes, the Mets will likely be a big story in New York City and beyond.
St. Louis Cardinals: Stifel
A month into the 2023 season the St. Louis Cardinals unveiled St. Louis-based wealth management and investment firm Stifel as their jersey patch partner. Although their geographic market is considered small to mid-sized, the Cardinals consistently boast strong attendance, viewership and social media numbers, maximizing exposure for their partners.
Atlanta Braves: QUIKRETE
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 18, 2023
Another midseason addition in 2023, the Braves named Atlanta-based cement manufacturer QUIKRETE as their jersey patch partner. The Atlanta Braves have been incredibly successful in recent years, making six straight playoffs and winning the World Series in 2021. Striking a five-year deal, QUIKRETE’s investing in a franchise with proven sustained success. On social media the Braves are consistently one of the few teams with over 1 billion impressions season after season, not including the playoffs.
Detroit Tigers: Meijer
A couple of months into the 2023 season the Detroit Tigers announced grocery chain Meijer, another iconic Michigan brand, would be their official jersey patch partner. Unlike many other partnerships, Meijer agreed to change their logo color to match the Tigers home and away uniforms. This expansion of the Tigers relationship with Meijer follows the trend of working with a company located in the area, and partnering with a familiar consumer brand like Meijer is more likely to immediately resonate with local fans.
Cleveland Guardians: Marathon
The Cleveland Guardians chose Marathon as their jersey patch partner, debuting the gas station retailer’s patch the week of 4th of July festivities during the 2023 season. The team officially rebranded as the Guardians last year, making Marathon part of their new look relatively early.
New York Yankees: Starr Insurance
Our home and away uniforms with the Starr Insurance patch. pic.twitter.com/cakDuS5Mp7
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 12, 2023
In what’s predicted to be the biggest jersey patch deal for Major League Baseball (rumored to be around $25 million annually), at the 2023 All-Star Break the New York Yankees officially announced Starr Insurance would be on their jersey sleeves through 2031.
As the biggest brand in baseball, the Bronx Bombers have the largest social media following across all MLB teams. The Yankees are usually the #1 MLB team on social media for impressions, engagements and social value, earning over 2 billion impressions in 2023 alone. On top of these social numbers, the world-famous Yankees have high attendance, an engaged audience on their YES Network and more national broadcast opportunities than most MLB clubs.
Toronto Blue Jays: TD Canada
We're excited to announce @TD_Canada as our official jersey patch partner! pic.twitter.com/RVLsfbRG9V
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 15, 2023
The lone Canadian MLB team added TD to their jerseys as the second half of the 2023 season got underway. As the only team up north, the Blue Jays have a pretty strong monopoly of the Canadian market and finished the 2023 season as a top ten team for all major social media metrics. They were one of seven teams that had over 1 billion projected impressions.
As for other sponsor exposure avenues, post-pandemic attendance and viewership were both up last year for the Blue Jays. They also generate plenty of storylines with their roster, which in 2023 had three sons of previous major leaguers: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio. One of the league’s young stars, Guerrero Jr. won the 2023 Home Run Derby and continues to be a focus of national media attention.
San Francisco Giants: Chevrolet
The San Francisco Giants are onto their second jersey patch logo: Chevrolet. Driverless car company Cruise (owned by General Motors) appeared on the Giants uniforms starting late in the 2023 season, but for 2024 they switched to Chevrolet, another GM brand.
The new logo features the Chevrolet logo and name with EV highlighted, emphasizing their electric vehicle lineup. With their partnership, Chevy gets access to one of the biggest markets and will be featured in one of the most iconic ballparks in the country.
Milwaukee Brewers: Northwestern Mutual
For their jersey patch sponsor he Milwaukee Brewers expanded their partnership with Northwestern Mutual, adding them to their jerseys late in the 2023 season. Another local company, Northwestern Mutual’s logo will be adapted to the color scheme of Brewers uniforms for seamless integration into the Brewers brand.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Guggenheim Group
One of the most star-studded teams in the country with plenty of playoff experience, the Los Angeles Dodgers are a big-name franchise with lots of national coverage and over 1 billion social media impressions during the 2023 regular season alone. For their jersey patch partner, they selected their ownership group, Guggenheim Baseball Management.
With international stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto joining the all-star roster this season, they debuted the patch at the start of 2024’s Spring Training. With Ohtani’s ten-year deal and multiyear contracts for stars like Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers and Guggenheim are sure to get national and international exposure for years to come.
Kansas City Royals: QuikTrip
Royals 🤝 QuikTrip pic.twitter.com/XJzjqj1IVN
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) February 21, 2024
The Kansas City Royals signed a deal ahead of 2024 Spring Training with regional gas station brand QuikTrip. Kansas City’s fan base extends beyond their side of Missouri into surrounding states like Kansas and Nebraska. They also benefit from the excitement around the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes celebrity investment into the franchise. With a young team and potential plans for a new stadium, the Royals are an exciting group to keep an eye on in the AL Central.
Texas Rangers: Energy Transfer
The 2023 World Series Champions followed up their title with a jersey sleeve partner, which they announced right before 2024’s Opening Day. Energy Transfer is an existing partner expanding their sponsorship with the jersey patch placement. Headquartered in Dallas, the energy infrastructure company’s sports sponsorship roster also includes the Dallas Stars and Formula 1 United States Grand Prix in Austin.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Sheetz
Total Followers: 2.7M
Two iconic Pittsburgh brands coming together.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 21, 2024
Welcome to the family, @sheetz! 💛 pic.twitter.com/MyhYdY3pSe
Mid-2024 the Pittsburgh Pirates announced Pennsylvania-based convenience store Sheetz as their jersey patch partner. The announcement with the popular regional chain came just as hype around rookie All-Star Paul Skenes started heating up with an incredible beginning to his career.
Looking to build around the attention from Paul Skenes, the Pirates are set to be a team to watch in the years to follow, and Sheetz will be on their uniforms for this new era in Pittsburgh.
Philadelphia Phillies: Independence Blue Cross
Total Followers: 5M
Independence Blue Cross.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 31, 2024
Our hometown partner.
And now, our official jersey patch partner.@IBX x #RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/2ZJf4PO0HR
In the midst of a very hot 2024 season for the Philadelphia Phillies, the NL East team added long-time partner Independence Blue Cross (IBX) to their jersey sleeves in a long-term deal.
With World Series aspirations nearly every year and a devoted Philadelphia fan base, the IBX logo will be on one of the most consistently solid teams in the league that receives plenty of regional attention and several national time slots throughout a season. On social media, they’re one of handful of teams that consistently surpass one billion impressions a season.
Baltimore Orioles: T. Rowe Price
Total Followers: 2.8M
A look at our updated threads. pic.twitter.com/pyQZPxJfvk
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) June 10, 2024
Baltimore-based wealth management company T. Rowe Price will now be featured on Baltimore Orioles jersey sleeves, continuing the trend of adding jersey patch partners with regional roots.
Since the jersey patch deals began, the Orioles have been one of the most fun young MLB teams to watch. Going from last in their division in 2022 to AL East champions in 2023, the T. Rowe Price signed on with a lot of momentum building for the O’s.
Chicago Cubs: Motorola
Total Followers: 7.7M
Toward the end of the 2024 season Motorola signed a second MLB jersey patch deal with the Chicago Cubs, a storied franchise with a large midwestern fan base. For the patch, Motorola changed the color of the logo to match the Cubs uniforms.
The Cubs are consistently a Top 10 team on social media for engagement and exposure, regardless of on-field performance. They also have a Top 5 following, surpassing 7.7 million fans across their social media accounts.
The teams currently sporting jersey patch sponsors cover a range of market sizes and on-field success levels, which will provide key insights into the potential value and exposure of the MLB jersey patch. Ultimately, the goal will be for all 30 teams to benefit from this sponsorship asset.
Photo Credit: @Marlins Twitter
