Atlantic League
The Atlantic League, one of baseball’s minor leagues, is putting QR codes on the baseballs it uses in games this season. In doing so, it will become the first league to place a QR code on its official equipment.
Based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (the league’s official name) is an independent baseball league. It has, however, as an official MLB Partner League, been used in the past by Major League Baseball to test various potential rule and equipment changes to the game.
Over the years, the Atlantic League has experimented with things like using an automated ball-strike calling system to assist umpires, banning mound visits, restricting infield shifts, increasing the size of bases, allowing designated pinch-runners, batters being able to “steal” first base, and moving the pitching rubber on the mound back 12 inches. Some of these trials were more successful than others with a few even making their way to the big leagues.
This new experiment, using QR codes on baseballs, shouldn’t have any effect on the play taking place on the field, but it could make things more fun for fans.
“Placing a bespoke QR code on our Drake official baseballs has tremendous potential,” said Atlantic League President Rick White. “Each club now has another opportunity to personally engage its fans, whether through guest incentive offers, sponsored promotions, or both. When a fan acquires a foul ball or a home run, they scan the QR code with their mobile device to receive special recognition. Since the team baseball QR codes are dynamic, offers and messaging can be customized every day. This is a fun way to maximize a team’s value by personally interacting with their fans.”
If this experiment using QR codes on baseballs goes well for the Atlantic League, fans could eventually see balls in Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball quickly follow suit.