April 19 (UPI) -- The San Diego Padres on Tuesday became the first MLB team to strike a sponsorship deal to feature ads on their uniforms.
The Padres revealed the advertisements in a short video posted to social media. The team will wear Motorola logo patches on the sleeves of their jerseys starting next season.
"We are thrilled to partner with a quintessential and innovative brand like Motorola to bring cutting-edge technology, design, and performance to Petco Park," Padres CEO Erik Greupner said in a statement. "Motorola's iconic logo on our jersey is a perfect alignment with our Padres brand, and we look forward to teaming up to provide a great experience for our fans."
The endorsement deal was made possible after MLB amended a section of its rules that prohibited team uniforms from including designs related to commercial ads. That amendment was announced in the March 10 memorandum of understanding for a new collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players' association.
MLB opted to launch the uniform ads in the 2023 campaign. The league said it may start the helmet ads in this year's postseason.
Motorola, meanwhile, will serve as the Padres' smartphone partner and play a key role in the club's community service outreach. It remains unclear how much Motorola paid for the ad placement.
