SAN DIEGO — The Padres and Motorola: Get used to that pairing.
The team Tuesday announced a multiyear partnership that will place the logo of the Chicago-based telecommunications company on the sleeve of the Padres' uniforms, beginning next year.
The deal, another revenue stream in the post-pandemic world, is the first announced following Major League Baseball introducing the ability to sell advertising on uniforms in the new collective bargaining agreement last month.
"Being woven into the San Diego Padres jersey is an exciting and pivotal moment for the Motorola brand and our innovative product line," Rudi Kalil, vice president and general manager of North America at Motorola, said in a statement, "and we're thrilled to connect with the Padres and worldwide baseball fans through this first-of-its kind MLB partnership."
The length and the value of the partnership was not immediately known.
The Los Angeles Lakers, who play in the No. 2 media market in the country, last fall signed a five-year, $100 million jersey patch deal with a South Korean line of dumplings, sauces and frozen meals, according to the Los Angeles Times.
San Diego ranks just outside the top-25 TV markets, according to newsgeneration.com, and the Padres have 542,100 followers on Twitter and more than 784,000 on Facebook.
The Lakers, for comparison's sake, have 10.7 million followers on Twitter and another 21.7 million on Facebook.
The Athletic in 2020 reported patch deals in the NBA ranged from $7 million to $10 million per season.
Motorola will also become the presenting partner of the Padres Hall of Fame and immediately serve as the official smartphone partner of the Padres, as well as become the sponsor of the club's annual back-to-school shopping event to provide supplies and clothing to underserved youth in the area.
"We are thrilled to partner with a quintessential and innovative brand like Motorola to bring cutting-edge technology, design and performance to Petco Park," Padres CEO Erik Greupner said in a statement. "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."
