If MLB Teams Went By the Name of Their Jersey Patch...
I've been watching a lot of Major League Baseball this season.
If you're anything like me, you probably noticed a big patch on the sleeve of many big league baseball player's jerseys.
This is the first season that the league has allowed MLB jersey sponsors, and a whole range of businesses have decided to get in on it.
Depending on the team's uniforms and the branding on the patch, they can sometimes really stand out.
And if you follow a particular team regularly, then those patches slowly start to become synonymous with the team itself.
This got me thinking.
How funny would it be if big league clubs were called not by their team name but by the name on their jersey patch?
That's what this article's about!
Meaningless? Probably.
But we think it's fun.
MLB Team Names Based on the Jersey Patch
Arizona Avnets
- Real Team Name: Arizona Diamondbacks
- Jersey Advertisement: Avnet
Atlanta Quikretes
- Real Team Name: Atlanta Braves
- Jersey Advertisement: Quikrete
Boston Mass Mutuals
- Real Team Name: Boston Red Sox
- Jersey Advertisement: Mass Mutual
Cincinnati Krogers
- Real Team Name: Cincinnati Reds
- Jersey Advertisement: Kroger
Cleveland Marathons
- Real Team Name: Cleveland Guardians
- Jersey Advertisement: Marathon
Detroit Meijers
- Real Team Name: Detroit Tigers
- Jersey Advertisement: Meijer
Houston Oxys
- Real Team Name: Houston Astros
- Jersey Advertisement: Oxy
Los Angeles FBMs
- Real Team Name: Los Angeles Angels
- Jersey Advertisement: FBM
Miami ADTs
- Real Team Name: Miami Marlins
- Jersey Advertisement: ADT
New York Presbyterian Hospitals
- Real Team Name: New York Mets
- Jersey Advertisement: New York-Presbyterian Hospital
San Diego Motorolas
- Real Team Name: San Diego Padres
- Jersey Advertisement: Motorola
San Francisco Cruises
- Real Team Name: San Francisco Giants
- Jersey Advertisement: Cruise
St. Louis Stifels
- Real Team Name: St. Louis Cardinals
- Jersey Advertisement: Stifel
Toronto TDs
- Real Team Name: Toronto Blue Jays
- Jersey Advertisement: TD Bank
Wait… Not All Teams Have Them?
That's right.
As of the date of publication, 14 (nearly half of) MLB teams have a sleeve patch sponsored by a company.
The other 16 teams do not currently have a sponsored uniform patch.
Those teams currently without MLB jersey sponsors include:
- Baltimore Orioles
- Chicago Cubs
- Chicago White Sox
- Colorado Rockies
- Kansas City Royals
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Milwaukee Brewers
- Minnesota Twins
- New York Yankees
- Oakland Athletics
- Philadelphia Phillies
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- Seattle Mariners
- Tampa Bay Rays
- Texas Rangers
- Washington Nationals
A Couple of FAQs About MLB Jersey Sponsors
Who is the Yankees jersey sponsor?
There isn’t one!
As of 2023, the New York Yankees have elected not to have a corporate sponsor on their uniforms.
What types of industries are sponsoring jerseys?
A wide variety of companies sponsor MLB uniforms. There aren’t any real trends - it’s a grab bag of industries that are in the mix.
Two of the 14 MLB jersey sponsors are construction-related companies, two are in banking, and another two are in the grocery business.
The other 8 sponsors represent the following industries: healthcare, technology, telecommunications, insurance, energy, household products, transportation, and security.
When did the MLB first allow jersey advertisements?
Major League Baseball allowed companies to begin advertising on uniforms starting with the 2023 season.
Why would companies want to advertise on a big league jersey sleeve?
Companies are interested in advertising on MLB jerseys because doing so would mean their branding would get lots of TV exposure.
In fact, a study by Nielsen found that a sponsored patch on an MLB uniform will, on average, get 13.8 minutes of screen time per game, which is the highest of any of the four major American sports.
Who is the Dodgers jersey sponsor?
No one!
As of 2023, the Los Angeles Dodgers have decided to not have a jersey patch sponsored by a company.
That’s A Wrap!
Thanks for coming by Catchers Home. We hope you enjoyed the article.
We're always happy to hear from readers, so feel free to reach out to us with questions or comments.
Scott Perry
Scott Perry is the owner and lead author at Catchers Home. He's a former baseball player, a current coach, a husband and a Dad. He remains as passionate about baseball today as he was as a kid.