The 2024 MLB postseason has arrived. With it, so too has a brand new league-wide sponsor.
Visible on every team's helmets during the playoffs is the word STRAUSS, accompanied by a small logo. In September, MLB announced a partnership with the brand to advertise on postseason gear for the next three seasons.
Including MiLB, which will wear the stickers all year starting in 2025, the deal represents the first time batting helmets will promote a company league-wide. Additionally, major-league headgear for all Europe-based games will feature logos for the foreseeable future.
This isn't the first time a team has experimented with helmet decor. When the Mets and Cubs played in Japan on Opening Day in 2000, players donned "am/pm" logos. However, the MLB has never done a deal of this scale.
Here is everything to know about STRAUSS on MLB helmets, explaining the controversial ads added for the 2024 postseason.
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What is STRAUSS?
Based in Europe, STRAUSS is a workwear brand which first became available in the U.S. late last year. It was the company's decision to enter into baseball with the goal of reaching a new audience.
CEO Henning Strauss has personal ties to the sport dating back to when he first visited the States. Henning was drawn to the American passion for baseball, and it resulted in him partnering with MLB. Notably, the company already works with UEFA, German Bundesliga clubs and Liverpool FC.
"I was born in Germany. And on my first trip to the United States with my parents — I was eight years old — the one thing that I did take back was a baseball bat," Strauss recalled to the MLB. "I love the sport. And it reflects so much of the American identity. Coming here now, I think there's a really authentic and organic connection that we can see in the two brands coming together."
The STRAUSS logo features an ostrich, a reference to the word's meaning in German. As the Official Workwear Partner of the MLB, the brand will receive exposure simply from photos posted on social media and television broadcasts, not to mention video board moments at games themselves.
Helmet ads in baseball have officially arrived.
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) September 13, 2024
Major League Baseball has signed a deal with STRAUSS, placing the German company's logo on all MLB helmets (during the postseason) and all minor league helmets (during the regular season and postseason).
This is so, so bad. pic.twitter.com/lwifNkRyCd
"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," Strauss said. "We are proud to be the first brand featured on MLB batting helmets in the US. We are excited to join the baseball tradition and help the American pastime grow, back home in Europe.”
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Why do MLB teams wear sponsor logos on gear?
There are several reasons why baseball teams display brand logos on their uniforms. Other than exposure for the company, teams earn income off how much it costs to advertise on gear. In this case, MLB would benefit primarily, but it's possible teams receive individual cuts as well.
Placement of the brand name is pivotal as well. The helmet is probably one of the best possible locations for an advertisement, receiving the most visibility during at-bats when focus is almost entirely on the player at the plate. Fan engagement and connecting with international communities are also benefits of partnerships like STRAUSS.
It's very common for teams in leagues worldwide ton feature logos on their uniforms. European soccer is notorious for large displays on the front of their jerseys, in place of where NFL players might wear numbers. Nike, Under Armour and Adidas logos, among other team outfitters, are also technically advertisements for the athletic-wear brands.
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How much does it cost to sponsor an MLB helmet?
A third-party study conducted by the media intelligence firm Hive, per Sportico, revealed the STRAUSS x MLB deal could be worth more than $15 million over the course of this year's playoffs.
As a part of its foray into baseball, the company is working on expanding into North American markets and has recently opened a flagship store in Venice, Calif., as well as struck a deal with the Federación Mexicana de Futbol (FMF) in June. STRAUSS is also the official workwear sponsor of MLS club LAFC.
According to MLB, once STRAUSS logos are introduced to the minors in 2025, helmets worn during over 8,000 games every year will feature the brand name. Additionally, STRAUSS will be promoted further across both leagues' digital platforms.
Notably, MiLB is the second-highest attended professional league in North America, second only to its parent MLB. The Minors reach over 70% of the U.S. population, and more than 30% of MiLB markets are outside Tier 1 sports franchises. STRAUSS will also sponsor a new digital platform focused on stolen bases.
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