MLB helmet stickers irritate fans as Strauss makes American debut

Playoff baseball is roiling fan bases from coast to coast with questionable strike zones and infuriating managerial decisions. Still, nothing has brought out the anger quite like the sponsorship of MLB helmet stickers featuring Strauss.

Three weeks ago, MLB announced it agreed to a four-year partnership with the German workwear company, not only making it the league’s “official workwear partner” but also electing it the first brand to benefit from a 2022 CBA carveout that it allows the league to sell helmet sponsorships in the postseason. Strauss will also be a helmet sponsor for the minor leagues starting in 2025.

More from Sportico.com

The MLB Wild-Card round, which concludes Thursday night when the Milwaukee Brewers host the New York Mets, drew the ire of fans who saw the helmet stickers for the first time. Meanwhile, the New York Yankees, the most traditional team of them all, are preparing to begin their playoffs against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday with the sponsorship.

Fans unsettled by the change will have to get used to the new look partnership, which runs until 2027. But that doesn’t mean they like it. “It’s a company that most people have never heard of, and it came out of nowhere,” marketing consultant Bob Dorfman said in a telephone interview. “It was a deal that was made a month ago. The same thing happened with the first patch on a jersey, the first stadium naming deal. Everyone was up in arms about it, and then you give it six months, and it’s like it’s always been there.”

Anjali Bal, an associate professor of marketing at Babson College, said Strauss may not have fully understood the nuances of the American sports audience. “I think from Strauss’ point of view, they’re basically following a playbook that they’ve had with other sports organizations in Europe, because of course it’s a German company,” Bal said in a telephone interview. “And in many ways I think it was a misjudgment of the US market. I saw a lot of comments like, you know, we’re not football, right? Because football is known for having a lot of sponsors on the jerseys.”

Bal also said that the logo’s prominence on a traditionally uncluttered part of the uniform played a significant role in both fan outrage and, as intended by Strauss, brand awareness.

“When we talk about sponsorship, the main thing we want to think about is the location where it will be shown,” Bal said. “We’re talking about the helmet that you can see up close and every time someone is working. That’s why Bauer is in very strategic parts in the NHL, because Bauer wants to be associated with the success of the play. From that point of view, this was a great choice for (Strauss), it clearly stands out.

Even if MLB and Strauss decide to make changes to the helmet decal, it’s unlikely that will happen this year. In the four-round postseason, Strauss could be featured in up to 47 national broadcasts. Strauss logos will also be featured on the batting helmets of 120 Minor League Baseball teams starting next year, bringing exposure to more than 8,000 minor league games annually.

Gaining such exposure, especially in such a prominent sporting venue, is a boon for a company that only entered the U.S. market a year ago.

“Without a doubt, MLB made this decision for money,” Bal said. “And the reason Strauss is making this decision is because they see it as a really good opportunity for them to buy a significant component that will be noticed and it won’t be cluttered with other posts like we see on other websites would see. parts of the jersey or on the shoes, or whatever it is.”

Reported with assistance from Jacob Feldman contributed to this report.

The best of Sportico.com

Sign up for the Sportico newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.