Padres to add Motorola advertisement to jersey starting 2023

It started in sports like soccer and cycling. It will now be a fixture in major American sports.

The marketing trend of branding logos on team jerseys has now officially reached Major League Baseball, with the San Diego Padres leading the charge.

Not to anyone’s surprise, MLB is starting to take advantage of a deal made in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement that allows teams to sell jersey and helmet space to sponsors as a way to make money.

On Tuesday, the Padres and telecommunications giant Motorola announced a partnership that will effectively begin starting next season.  The most notable aspect, of course, will be the Motorola jersey patch that the Padres will sport on different variations of their uniform, which will be located on the right arm of the jersey.  The patch will serve as the first real commercial advertisement patch in Major League Baseball, even though Nike added their logo to every team’s jersey starting in the 2020 season.

Along with the jersey patch, Motorola will also make itself a known partner of the Padres in other avenues.  Motorola will work with the Padres’ Hall of Fame exhibit, adding a technological component to the exhibit that has never been seen before.

“Motorola and the Padres share a commitment and passion towards creating meaningful consumer experiences,” said the VP and General Manager at North America at Motorola.

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On top of that, Motorola will have signs around Petco Park, in left field, as well as in spots designated around the stadium.

Padres’ third baseman Manny Machado unveiled the new look uniforms on Tuesday in a virtual fashion show.  While nothing much is different with the jersey, the patch is certainly noticeable.  However, it seems to work well with the brown and yellow.

Kevin Modafferi

Kevin is a San Diego Native covering the San Diego Padres and their affiliates