San Diego Padres become first MLB team to strike a deal with a sponsor; players will don jerseys with the Motorola logo in 2023
The San Diego Padres have struck a deal with telecom company Motorola. The iconic Motorola "M" will be stitched on to their jersey sleeves beginning next season.
The San Diego Padres announced that they will wear a Motorola sponsorship patch on their uniforms in 2023 https://t.co/2m1PWNvdHy
"The San Diego Padres announced that they will wear a Motorola sponsorship patch on their uniforms in 2023" - @ FOX Sports: MLB
Motorola is a large American telecommunications company that was founded in 2011. It is currently headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The move will see Motorola make history as the first corporate sponsor to appear on a uniform of a Major League Baseball team.
San Diego Padres make history with giant telecom sponsor
Although a novelty thus far in baseball, corporate sponsors appearing on jerseys is not a new sight throughout the sports world. In Europe, football teams have been using corporate sponsors for years. Corporate logos are often much more apparent on European football jerseys, causing fans to sometimes associate the brands with the teams themselves.
The style has also been piloted in major North American sports leagues. Major League Soccer began jersey sponsorship in 2007. The NBA followed suit in 2017, and the National Hockey League began licensing sponsorship rights on helmets last year.
The Nippon Baseball League, Japan's premier baseball league, has had such sponsorships for years. In fact, Japanese teams are often named after their corporate sponsors.
When the Seattle Mariners took on the Oakland Athletics in a series in Japan in 2019, the two teams were seen sporting sponsorship patches on their sleeves and on helmets during the game.
In response to the news, some fans have taken to social media to bemoan and mock what they see as the over-corporatization of baseball.
Yoooooooooo the Yankees 2025 uniform looks SICKKK https://t.co/s2EncMFbyn
"Yoooooooooo the Yankees 2025 uniform looks SICKKK" - @ No More Fielders
As part of the rollout, Motorola will also refurbish Petco Park, the home stadium of the San Diego Padres. As the presenting partner, Motorola will reportedly install various interactive technological displays at Petco Park in San Diego.
Although this is a pilot project and no other teams appear to be following suit, it is possible that we could see sponsorship of this kind become commonplace over the next several years.