Red Sox to wear corporate logo on sleeves

by Neifi Puppy on Jan 24, 2008 4:02 PM CST Comment 34 comments

http://www.redsoxnews.net/site/comments/red_sox_to_wear_corporate_logo_on_sleeves/

I'm sure there will be some extended debate about this one. Will this be the start of baseball players eventually looking like Nascar drivers? Will we soon see Cubs players with a Motorola batwing logo?

Poll

Should MLB allow corporate logos on Uniforms?

Yes. Whatever it takes to bring in revenue and better ballplayers

9 votes

No. Too tacky. Is nothing sacred anymore?

81 votes

Perhaps. Set some rules before it gets out of hand.

34 votes

124 votes | Poll has closed

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Comments

how NASCAR of them

by madtown on Jan 24, 2008 4:03 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

when you think about it,

it allows them to make revenue without selling the naming rights to fenway. which would we choose between ads on jerseys or a new name for wrigley? i'm not sure myself.

by philadelphiacub on Jan 24, 2008 4:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

NASCAR...Ugh.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Jan 24, 2008 4:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

lame

ads tend to turn me off. When I looked at the ads in Wrigley I didn't want to buy the product because its ruining Wrigley!

Live is boring until March 31st strolls by..

by Chanman25 on Jan 24, 2008 4:12 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

The Cubs did this...

... during their series in Japan, too -- on the batting helmets. I think BCB reader kaseyi posted some screen caps of this a while back.

I doubt this leads to anything further -- at least for now.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jan 24, 2008 4:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

i remember that

I don't see that as an issue. Heck as much as I'd like to not see corporate sponsors on uniforms, considering how much I've softened on issues regarding advertising at wrigley(I used to despise it) I have a feeling that if handled properly and given time they could probably get me to tolerate it.

AC 00 00 00 - BELIEVE

by mike on Jan 24, 2008 4:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

wow....

I'm not liking this...I don't want the Cubs to resemble Ricky Bobby and "Mike Honcho"

Chuck Norris is a Cubs fan...

by Walker71421 on Jan 24, 2008 4:24 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I doubt it'd ever get that far.

Unlike NASCAR, I doubt MLB sponsors would want to share space on any such ad possibility. You might see one small ad on the sleeve as the Red Sox are doing.

JMHO.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jan 24, 2008 4:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't mind.

Honestly, as much as I like the "old school" feel that the Cubs have (and, to a lesser degree, the NL), advertising on the uniforms is not taboo in my book. It allows a new source of revenue to the team that doesn't consist of jacking up my ticket prices.

Advertising is going to become a bigger part of the game for the Cubs, but will we ever see Derrek Lee sporting dozens of logos on his uni? I doubt it very much. But think about how much advertising is already there. Gatorade cups on the bench, Fifth-Third fifth innings, 7th Inning Stretches brought to you by an American Idol contestant.... It's a bit late for the purists to be drawing a line in the sand, IMO.

by Flatley on Jan 24, 2008 4:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Do you honestly believe

that corporate logos would stave off ticket price increases? The Wrigley BLEACHERS range between $22-45 depending on who they play! Are you kidding me??? As long as the World's Largest Beer Garden sells out every game, I really don't think the bean counters actually sit there and go, "wow, we increased revenue by $2 million this year, let's not raise ticket prices." Sure, the extra money potentially adds to the player payroll budget, but ticket prices will always go up. Just my 2¢...

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Jan 24, 2008 8:10 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I know they don't...

...stop ticket prices from going up. But I shudder to imagine how much a bleacher seat would cost if there was no advertising in Wrigley.

by Flatley on Jan 25, 2008 10:00 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Ticket prices keep going up...

...because there are more people that would like to see a ballgame than can fit in the stadium. Baseball teams actually hold ticket prices well below what the market can bear, which is why the secondary market for tickets (scalping, StubHub, Replay, etc.) is so vibrant.

I would suggest you learn to truly interrupt all stats before using any selective stats. -- cubswin

by cwyers on Jan 25, 2008 10:17 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

This is only

for the games in Japan and the Cubs did this when they played there. It's to underwrite the costs of the games in Japan and is nothing to the Japanese, where the teams themselves are named after corporations instead of cities. There is nothing new here.

It's a girl! Born 1-18-08. 2246 PST. 8lbs. 1 oz.

by Josh77 on Jan 24, 2008 5:35 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Yankees

Right, and it was only debated a bit when Yankees put AIU logo on their sleeve and RICOH logo on their chest in Japan, back in 2004.

What I remember is that MLB All-Star Japan tour in 1996, it was sponsored by Sun Microsystems and all star players put their logo on their helmet, but some of those helmets with logo were still used for spring training and exhibition games in next year. I think those guys just didn't throw away those helmets right away, but it should be a bit strange for US audiences even Sun is an American company.

by dragonsfanatic on Jan 24, 2008 8:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Re:

I'm a big fan of European soccer and unless you consciously look for the shirt sponsors they just blend into the look. If this would make it's way on to the fields here, you'd soon grow to overlook it.

by hauss007 on Jan 24, 2008 6:07 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

What team is he on?

I have no response to that.

by stelmodad on Jan 24, 2008 7:18 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Real Madrid

You gotta look at the badge. ;-)

Of course, he's with LA now.

GOATBUSTERS! - I ain't afraid of no goat!

by gjdow on Jan 24, 2008 7:47 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I know :)

but for those who've never seen a Real Madrid jersey you'd think they were playing in a comapny sponsored softball league.

I have no response to that.

by stelmodad on Jan 24, 2008 8:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

re:

I'd still argue that it's the most well known jersey on earth.

by hauss007 on Jan 25, 2008 8:56 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually,

When I see a European soccer game, I'm not familiar with the teams and consciously look for the team name on the jerseys, and instead find nothing but sponsors. Is that the Manchester Vodaphone? The Liverpool Carlsberg? The Chelsea Samsung?

I honestly couldn't tell you otherwise.

There is no place like Nebraska - Go Huskers!

by sanantonecub on Jan 24, 2008 7:19 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Some Japanese teams......

... are actually named after corporations. Current teams include the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters (I used to think the team name was the "Ham Fighters", but they're the "Fighters", owned by Nippon Ham), and of course, the Yomiuri Giants (owned by the newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun).

It'd be like having the Chicago Tribune Cubs. Or, years ago, the Atlanta TBS Braves. In fact, Ted Turner wanted to put advertising on the BACK of one of his players' shirts. When the Braves signed Andy Messersmith, whose # was 17, the same as (then) WTCG's channel number, he wanted Messersmith to put "CHANNEL" on the back of his shirt. Messersmith said he would, but Bowie Kuhn nixed it.

Turner could have done it if he'd had Messersmith legally change his name to "Andy Channel". But maybe that would have been going too far.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jan 24, 2008 8:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

ahh I can see it now

The Chicago Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Cubs at Tums Stadium are facing the San Diego Overstock.com Padres. Pitching for the Padres is Mark Prior in the new uniforms :
http://www.circletrackplus.com/2006_02/photos/preview/JeffGordon_WC.jpg

Live is boring until March 31st strolls by..

by Chanman25 on Jan 24, 2008 8:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Lol

"Look mommy, its Jeff Gordan!" "No son, thats Ryan Theriot......it kills daddy inside when you mistake them."

Chuck Norris is a Cubs fan...

by Walker71421 on Jan 24, 2008 8:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

it only seems like yesterday

when he was booed during the seventh inning stretch when he called it Wrigley Stadium..

Live is boring until March 31st strolls by..

by Chanman25 on Jan 24, 2008 8:45 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

hey...

I work for BCBS, so if I get an employee discount, I'm good with that. :D

I think that if the advertisements were discreet, it would be ok. Of course, if the advertisements were discreet, the money wouldn't be as good.

Let's just not end up like Captain Amazing.

Worst to First in 2007, brought to you by Lou, Sori, A-Ram and D-Lee.

by drewishdrewid on Jan 25, 2008 9:35 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Looking back....

...the history, it's quite natural to ware company name instead of city name. Actually Dragons was actually Nagoya Golden Killer Whales when it began (back in 1936-1942), but it started to be called with the name of Chunichi Newspaper. BTW, unlike our public enemy Yomiuri (Tokyo) Giants, "Chinichi" itself means Central Japan (Nagoya area), so it's much better. Anyway, it's nothing more than parent company's convenience in Japan.

Some ballclubs like Yokohama and Hiroshima, stopped using their parent company name (Hiroshima sometimes called with their company name - Toyo Mazda - but mostly not), but in Yokohama's case, the parent company (Taiyo, a fishery company) thought it's unnecessary to use ballclub as their advertising pillar any more, and dismissed Taiyo from their name. And it was finally sold to TBS - Tokyo Broadcasting System, even still located in Yokohama, then obviously they couldn't rename it as Yokohama Tokyo Baystars - it's too confusing ;-)

Here is some good reading and watching of Japanese baseball history at mlb.com.

by dragonsfanatic on Jan 24, 2008 8:33 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Nagoya's Golden Killer Whale

BTW, this is it...

The couple are jumping on top of Nagoya Castle, considered as Nagoya's simbol, other than Dragons.

by dragonsfanatic on Jan 24, 2008 11:33 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm told

in football (soccer) that it's actually considered a little bush league not to have a sponsor's name prominently displayed on the uniform. It's one (of course not the only) reason why the LA Galaxy uniforms now say "HERBALIFE" in huge letters and the Galaxy logo in a tiny shield.

It's a girl! Born 1-18-08. 2246 PST. 8lbs. 1 oz.

by Josh77 on Jan 24, 2008 9:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Dont Forget...

THe Chicago Best Buys (I mean the Fire)

Kasey

See the Cubs 2008 schedule at http://ignarski.tripod.com/sched2008.html

by kaseyi on Jan 25, 2008 6:57 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

There ain't no such thing

as being a little bit pregnant. Look me in the eye and tell me the sponsors wouldn't push the envelope until we end up gagging on their commercialism.

And please, don't try to convince me that the owners need to do this to compete. If none of the teams are allowed to use the uniforms as billboards, none of the teams will have an unfair advantage and they'll all have to operate within a lesser budget.

If you like Selig's handling of the steroid issue, you'll love his choice for next Cub owner.

by tharr on Jan 24, 2008 11:26 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but we could charge a lot more...

...than a lot of other teams. Large fanbase, national broadcasts, major media market? We could certainly take in more from such things than, say, the Twins.

I would suggest you learn to truly interrupt all stats before using any selective stats. -- cubswin

by cwyers on Jan 25, 2008 10:18 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You're absolutely correct

but simply because we can benefit greater than others doesn't convince me it's in the best interest of baseball. How many of us have complained about the inequity in salaries, particularly those of the Yankees?

Every other major sport tries to promote a level playing field with some sort of cap. Baseball does not. This would merely further the imbalance in the the leagues.

If you like Selig's handling of the steroid issue, you'll love his choice for next Cub owner.

by tharr on Jan 25, 2008 11:51 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs