Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Andrew Joseph

Why MLB teams have STRAUSS ads on their helmets during the World Series

MLB Mets Strauss (Organization) United States Rob Manfred

While uniform sponsors have long been prominent in international sports, the American sports landscape has gradually seen more and more ads make their way onto the uniforms. In baseball, jersey sleeve sponsors have been in place for a couple seasons.

But MLB waited until the postseason to make quite the league-wide change.

As the NL and AL wild-card series got underway on Tuesday, fans noticed that all the batting helmets had a massive “STRAUSS” ad on both sides. This evidently was a partnership between Major League Baseball and the German workwear brand that was finalized back in September. Yet, unless you were paying attention to MLB press releases, Tuesday was the first time many fans saw the sponsored helmets.

MLB — particularly under Rob Manfred’s leadership — has never been one to turn down a quick buck. We remember the FTX debacle where the scandal-ridden, now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange had its logo on all the umpiring uniforms. So, we shouldn’t be surprised that Manfred would let a brand with minimal awareness in the U.S. be plastered all over helmets in the sport’s biggest games.

According to Sportico, the placement could be worth $15 million in brand exposure.

But it was safe to say that MLB fans were not enthused with the sponsored helmets.

This was how Twitter/X reacted

More MLB

Freddie Freeman instantly knew he hit the Dodgers' World Series Game 1-winning walk-off grand slam

World Series fans made the same joke after umps ruled fan interference on a possible Yankees home run

Even Freddie Freeman had to marvel at Giancarlo Stanton's mammoth World Series home run

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Arcane creators say it'll be a long time before the next League of Legends adaptation lands on Netflix: 'We're not in production on those yet'
Arcane season 2 is almost over, but the award-winning Netflix show's creators "can't say" what they're working on next – and it's the internet's fault.
TechRadar
TechRadar
Melania and RFK Jr join forces to try to improve Trump’s diet: ‘Think fewer Big Macs and less KFC’
Incoming first lady and Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services secretary are apparently lobbying the president to make healthier choices
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
What are ‘Pink tote lid moments’? Dark TikTok trend explained
The dark trend has seen both young people and adults sharing troubling stories
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Cruel Intentions review – this generic remake of the 90s classic is utterly mindless
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe’s movie gets a melodramatic YA remake – with a pair of actors who aren’t a patch on the originals. Just dig out the original instead
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
US moves to list giraffes under Endangered Species Act for first time
Climate crisis, habitat loss and poaching have reduced its numbers – but will Trump put the kibosh on protections?
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
“Who’s The One Actor That You Hate But Everyone Else Seems To Love?” (50 Answers)
No matter how popular they are, most celebrities have haters, too. Actors are no exception. The post “Who’s The One Actor That You Hate But Everyone Else Seems To Love?” (50 Answers) first appeared on Bored Panda.
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play