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Everyone who follows Major League Baseball closely knew they were coming: uniform sponsor patches on jerseys.
It was a little over a year ago that Major League Baseball’s owners and players finally came to an agreement, ending the 99 day lockout.
One of the more controversial components of the agreement was that the league’s teams would now be free to add advertising on the players’ uniforms and helmets.
Pitch clock? Okay. Bigger bases? Fine.
BIGGER BASES pic.twitter.com/xlZz0wIvEa
— Jay Cuda (@JayCuda) March 6, 2022
Sponsor patches on Major League Baseball uniforms? That concept was not endorsed by many baseball fans.
“Can’t wait to see the uniform advertising MLB teams whip up with their partners in gambling, d*** pills, and crypto,” one fan tweeted after the announcement.
Advertising on @MLB uniforms. What could go wrong! ht @jessespector pic.twitter.com/aJhXrNmMdu
— Saul Kaplan (@skap5) March 11, 2022
So far we have yet to see any Major League Baseball team go the E.D. pill route. The Padres have Motorola on their jerseys. The Marlins have ADT. The Red Sox are going with MassMutual. And the Atlanta Braves just announced on Thursday that they too will be adding sponsor patches to their jerseys.
Their sponsor? Quikrete.
It did not go over well.
Not because Quikrete isn’t a fine product or company. Fans roasted Atlanta because the logo for Quikrete looks pretty hideous on the sleeves of Braves jerseys.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 18, 2023
“The Atlanta Braves on Thursday announced Atlanta-headquartered concrete and cementitious products manufacturer QUIKRETE as the team’s official jersey patch partner for the next five seasons,” read a press release announcing the uniform sponsorship. “An expansion of the long-standing partnership between the Braves and QUIKRETE, the QUIKRETE logo, including the famous yellow bag, will be stitched on the Braves’ jersey sleeve, marking the first time a partner has appeared on the Braves’ uniform. The QUIKRETE jersey patch will be debuted on-field Friday, May 19 when the Braves take on the Seattle Mariners at Truist Park.”
I looked it up. Cementitious is actually a real word. It means “having the properties of a cement.”
No one cares.
— LonkFromATL (@LonkFromATL) May 18, 2023
“Disrespectful to the Braves organization, the history and our fans,” one very passionate fan commented. “Can’t believe y’all stooped to this low level. Tear up the contract at all costs and remove those patches before it ever sees the light of day. Sincerely, every Braves fan everywhere.”
— hutty (@j_hutty) May 18, 2023
“What’s the deal worth? I need to know if this ugly yellow patch is worth it,” someone else inquired.
— RotoWear (@RotoWear) May 18, 2023
Then there was this guy on Twitter…
“I thought I was supposed to look for Quikrete fast setting concrete in the RED bag?! This one is yellow! Let me know because I have a fence post and deck footing to set this weekend and I was going to look for it in the red bag.”