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When it was announced in 2022, as part of the new collective bargaining agreement, that Major League Baseball would begin to allow advertising on uniforms and helmets, fans were not thrilled.
The change came after a 99-day lockout and some contentious negotiations, and resulted in fans of teams like the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves absolutely hating the new advertising patches that were added to players’ uniforms.
The good news, however, was that for the next three Major League Baseball regular seasons no teams put any advertising on the players’ helmets.
That all changed when the 2024 playoffs began and Major League Baseball announced that it had signed a deal with German workwear company Strauss allowing the company to put its logo on batting helmets during the playoffs.
This is the first of four postseasons where the STRAUSS helmet decal will be on the batting helmets pic.twitter.com/NAVOocOsKZ
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 1, 2024
MLB also announced that Strauss will will have its logo on every players’ helmet during regular season games in Europe, as well as on all batting helmets in every Minor League Baseball game, beginning in 2025 and running through 2027.
“Whether on the field or in the field, your gear is a source of pride. We know that fans of America’s pastime are loyal, dedicated, and value a job well done — just like the Strauss fans around the world who love our family’s iconic ostrich logo,” said Strauss CEO Henning Strauss after signing the deal. “We are proud to be the first brand featured on MLB batting helmets in the U.S. We are excited to join the baseball tradition and help the American pastime grow back home in Europe.”
Fans, naturally, didn’t like it.
“The helmet decals, the patches on the sleeves, all of it is tacky, tacky, tacky,” one fan complained, echoing the sentiments of many. “It’s a baseball game, not a phuking TV commercial. Whose stupid idea was this?”
“Nothing says great American pastime like advertising a German workwear brand on the heads of baseball players. Right on MLB!” another baseball fan wrote.
“Watched one inning and was like what is that? Thought maybe an owner had died and it was a memorial, or there was some noble cause they wanted to call attention to. Nope, just for more money.”
Henning Strauss, on the other hand, loves it.
“The attention has been immense,” Front Office Sports reports Strauss said about the move. “This is reflected in traffic to our website, social media followers, and sales. Our U.S. business is at full speed, ramping up in order to meet very high demand.”
According to Front Office Sports, Strauss’ U.S. Instagram account now has 23,900 followers, an increase of 455% since April, so yeah, totally worth it.