The famously spartan uniforms of the New York Yankees have now added a flourish in the form of a sponsored sleeve patch on their home and road jerseys.
Such paid advertising on uniforms has become an increasing presence in Major League Baseball this year, and now the Yankees have joined that particular fray. According to Darren Rovell, the sponsor in question will pay the Yankees an annual sum of $25 million for said sleeve rights.
Here's a look:
The club noted in its press release that the new deal with the sponsoring company runs through the 2031 season. In that same release, team owner Hal Steinbrenner said:
"We are extremely proud to welcome Starr Insurance as the Yankees' first-ever Signature Partner. Having had Starr as an insurance carrier of ours for the last decade and having worked closely with their leadership team as part of our preestablished partnership, it is clear that Starr is the right company to embark with on this landmark relationship. There were many aspects of Starr that aligned with our organization, including their century-plus history, significant New York presence, worldwide reach and unparalleled commitment to the community. My father was also well-acquainted with Mr. Greenberg, whose devotion to philanthropy I deeply respect."
The Yankees will debut the patches at home on July 21 against the Kansas City Royals. The team enters the second half of the season, which gets underway on Friday, with a record of 49-42 and in fourth place in the American League East. At present, the Yankees are one game out of the third and final AL wild-card spot.
