Major League Baseball (MLB) announced a multi-year partnership with German apparel STRAUSS, making them the first-ever sponsor to have their logo displayed on MLB and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) helmets in the United States.
Ads of 5-by-0.92 inches will be on each side of every helmet featuring “STRAUSS” in capital letters in white alongside the company’s ostrich logo silhouetted by a red square, with an alternate color for red helmets. Strauss’ logo will also be displayed on the helmets of all 120 affiliated minor league teams from 2025 to 2027.
MLB previously had helmet ads in select international games and has allowed jersey ads since 2023. The general use of ads was agreed to by the players’ association in the 2022 labor contract. Today, 23 of the 30 teams have jersey patch ads.
“Whether on the field or in the field, your gear is a source of pride. We know that fans of America’s pastime are loyal, dedicated, and value a job well done — just like the STRAUSS fans around the world who love our family’s iconic ostrich logo,” says STRAUSS CEO Henning Strauss.
‘Build brand awareness among American baseball fans’
STRAUSS entered the U.S. market in late 2023 and is aiming to build brand awareness among American baseball fans. This partnership grants them not only helmet placement during the 2024 MLB playoffs and regular-season games in Europe, but also exposure across all 120 MiLB teams starting in 2025. STRAUSS will also present a new digital content platform on MLB platforms, focusing on the thrill of stolen bases.
“We are proud that STRAUSS selected Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball as the marketing platform to introduce its brand to the U.S. market,” said Noah Garden, MLB Deputy Commissioner, Business & Media. “The fact that our two organizations have so much in common — generational legacy, teamwork, dedication to a craft, celebrating a job well done — is a key to what made this partnership so compelling and we’re looking forward to working together for years to come.”
‘Another step in the increasing commercialization of sports’
The deal marks another step in the increasing commercialization of sports, following the trend of jersey ads already seen in MLB and other leagues. Major League Soccer was actually the first of the major North American leagues to allow jersey ads in 2007. The NBA started selling sponsorship logos for the 2017-18 season, and the NHL launched helmet ads for the 2020-21 season and began jersey advertising the following season.
Last month, Oklahoma State football became the first team to incorporate QR codes onto player helmets during regular-season games, in an effort to boost the team’s NIL earning potential and engage fans in a new way.
Whether fans embrace the new logo on their favorite players’ helmets remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure – baseball is entering a new era of brand partnerships.
