Sports

Pittsburgh Pirates Surrender After 4 Days Of Criticism In Roberto Clemente Logo Replacement Debacle

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A Pittsburgh Pirates player runs onto the field at PNC Park on Roberto Clemente Day.

© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images


The Roberto Clemente honorary logo is back on the right field wall in PNC Park. It had been replaced, briefly, by an alcohol ad in the 2025 MLB season.

After a few days of criticism from the fanbase and the Clemente family, the Pirates reversed course. The logo has been restored.

Roberto Clemente is a Pittsburgh legend. The 3,000-hit club member helped the franchise win a pair of World Series while racking up 12 Gold Gloves, 12 All-Star appearances, and an MVP across an 18-year career.

He was tragically killed in a plane crash while doing humanitarian work in Nicaragua. His memory has since lived on, in part due to the Pirates and Major League Baseball.

One way the organization has chosen to honor his legacy is with a tribute in the outfield. A 21-foot wall stands in right field where the defender once roamed. No. 21 logos and memorabilia can be spotted throughout the stadium, as can a statue of the Hall of Famer outside the venue.

Attendees noticed a change at PNC Park this season. During the home opening series vs. the Yankees, fans saw that one of those logos had been replaced by an alcohol ad. Most were enraged, including Roberto Clemente Jr.

Criticism of the replacement followed. Initially, the Pirates defended the swap in a public statement.

“Roberto Clemente is more than a Hall of Fame player to us,” said Senior VP of Communications Brian Warecki. “His legacy helps define who we are as an organization. One would be hard-pressed to find a franchise that pays tribute to one of their historically great players more than the Pittsburgh Pirates do of Roberto Clemente…

“The temporary wall design in question was put in place prior to the 2022 season and was never meant to be a permanent tribute… We apologize that we didn’t directly communicate that fact to the Clemente family and our fans.”

The Pirates have surrendered after 4 days of criticism in the Roberto Clemente logo debacle.

Roberto Clemente Jr. responded to the Pirates’ statement with a statement of his own last week. He was “shocked” to learn that his father’s tribute had been replaced by an advertisement. A large portion of Pittsburgh fans felt the same.

After wrapping up a series with the Yankees, the Pirates played host to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Roberto Clemente logo returned to right field on Tuesday.

The calls for its restoration worked. Management ceded after just four days of backlash.

Surfside, the alcohol company whose ad replaced the initial logo, posted an update on the switch to its social media outlets. It fully endorsed the decision to return the logo to its original spot.

We are in full support of the Pirates’ decision to restore the Roberto Clemente No. 21 logo to its original location. We have worked proactively with the Pirates organization to ensure the correction.

We honor and respect the legacy of Roberto Clemente as his greatness extends beyond his contributions to the game of baseball.

-X / @DrinkSurfside

The tribute is back in its intended location. It would appear the Roberto Clemente logo is there to stay.