Padres make history with Motorola uniform ad deal
The Padres will be the first team to have an official advertisement partner on their jersey sleeve
The San Diego Padres made history on Tuesday when they became the first MLB team to reach a uniform advertisement deal.
The Padres will wear a patch with the Motorola logo on the sleeves of their jerseys starting in the 2023 season.
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This photo provided by the San Diego Padres shows Padres third baseman Manny Machado gesturing towards the Motorola patch on his jersey in Peoria, Ariz., March 18, 2022. (Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres via AP / AP Newsroom)
"Motorola and the Padres share a commitment and passion towards creating meaningful consumer experiences," Rudi Kalil, VP and general manager, North America at Motorola, said in a news release. "Being woven into the San Diego Padres jersey is an exciting and pivotal moment for the Motorola brand and our innovative product line, and we’re thrilled to connect with Padres and worldwide baseball fans through this first-of-its-kind MLB partnership."
Padres CEO Erik Greupner added: "We are thrilled to partner with a quintessential and innovative brand like Motorola to bring cutting-edge technology, design, and performance to Petco Park. Motorola’s iconic logo on our jersey is a perfect alignment with our Padres brand, and we look forward to teaming up to provide a great experience for our fans."
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The San Diego Padres celebrate after defeating the Cincinnati Reds 4-1 at Petco Park on April 18, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Motorola will also be the "presenting partner" of the Padres Hall of Fame, the team said. The organization will have an all-new interactive technology display and other product integration at Petco Park.
MLB said it may start helmet ads in this year’s postseason.
Major League Soccer became the first major North American sports league to allow jersey ads in 2007. Real Salt Lake was the first to announce a deal with the dietary supplement juice company XanGo.
The NBA started selling sponsorship logos for the 2017-18 season. The NHL started selling helmet ads for the 2020-21 season and began jersey advertising this season.
Patches and logos have been seen in baseball before.
Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres hits a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park on April 18, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Denis Poroy/Getty Images / Getty Images)
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According to UniWatch, MLB adopted logo patches on sleeves for series played in Japan. The New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners were among the teams to adopt such items.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.