If you watched the playoffs and the World Series, you couldn’t miss it—the word “Strauss” emblazoned on the sides of the batting helmets of all players. The name Strauss wasn’t there in tribute to a guy named Joe Strauss, who played in the 1880s. Instead, it was pure advertising.

It was the first time fans saw anything like it, because it was the first time MLB had allowed advertising on helmets. If fans bothered to give it any thought, they probably wondered, “Who is Strauss and what’s going on?” Here’s some information to clear things up.

Who is Strauss?

Strauss is a German-based workwear manufacturer looking to expand its market to the U.S. If you go to us.strauss.com, you can get an idea of its brand and product line. Last year, Strauss and the Major League Baseball Players Association struck a deal to bring in income for the MLBPA. For Strauss, this is a way to increase brand awareness and get millions more sports fans to see their logo on telecasts, sports shows and social media.

Without getting into the weeds on the contractual arrangement, it’s fair to say both sides are happy with this new sponsorship development. Here is what the Deputy Commissioner of MLB’s Business and Media unit had to say:

"We are proud that STRAUSS selected Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball as the marketing platform to introduce its brand to the U.S. market. The fact that our two organizations have so much in common — generational legacy, teamwork, dedication to a craft, celebrating a job well done — is a key to what made this partnership so compelling and we're looking forward to working together for years to come."

In short, it’s an advertising deal that will generate long-term revenue for the Player’s Association and Strauss. The multiyear partnership was launched with the 2024 playoffs.

The official helmet sponsor.

As the first official sponsor of MLB batting helmets, the Strauss logo decal will be around for a while:

• The decal will reappear for the MLB postseason through 2027.

• It will be on players’ batting helmets during regular season games in Europe.

• Starting in the 2025 season, all MLB Minor League teams will have the Strauss logo on their helmets.

The goal of any business’s sports advertising campaign is the same: increasing brand exposure with the hope of increased sales.

So it didn’t really matter if fans didn’t rush online to order Strauss work pants and shirts during the playoffs. That’s not how Strauss and other sports-minded advertisers measure the success of a campaign.

Strauss was projected to “earn” plenty from the helmet sponsorship.

Strauss knew its logo would gain significant exposure and visibility through its MLB playoff deal. It also helps boost the brand’s image globally, as its name becomes linked to Major League Baseball, which continues to grow in popularity worldwide.

It looks like Strauss lucked out with the timing of their new arrangement. Think about it: 

• The playoffs culminated with the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees, two of the biggest global brands in sports, not just baseball.

• The series had enormous global viewership. Games 1 and 2 captured more viewers in Japan than ever before.

• In addition to the televised games, consider all the attention that sports talk shows, newscasts and podcasts generated about the Series. Remember that the Strauss logo would be seen millions more times.

As advertising experts explain, Strauss generated huge “earnings” from its first postseason sponsorship. However, those earnings are described in terms that are different from what you would think.

Cashing in, from an advertising standpoint.

The way marketing and brand promotion are looked at these days, the 2024 postseason helmet sponsorship earned Strauss around $15 million. But not in stacks of cash or money in the bank.

Those earnings are estimates of the brand exposure’s value compared to other brand advertising. For example, during the MLB Wild Card telecasts alone, the Strauss decal was “on-screen” for nearly 45 minutes, worth almost $800,000 in EMV, or “equivalent media value.”

In other words, Strauss would have to spend that amount on other advertising to generate that level of visibility. Baseball analytics has become uniform advertising.

It’s enough to make your batting helmet spin.

Did you notice the arm patch advertising too?

MLB has quietly allowed advertising on team uniforms for the past two seasons. Jersey patches, usually on the players’ sleeves, are now on 80% of Major League Baseball team uniforms. The advertisers vary by team and industry. Of course, a patch sponsorship costs more for a big-market team than for a small-market one.

Here’s a quick look:

• MLB gave teams the okay to allow advertising patches on uniforms in 2023.

• The average sponsorship cost for an advertiser is around $8 million annually.

• The highest annual sponsorship cost? The New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays are in the mid-$20 million range.

• Two of the least costly sponsorships are for the Cincinnati Reds and the Miami Marlins.

Click here to see if your team has a jersey patch sponsor and who it is.

Resources: modernretail.co/marketing/it-goes-beyond-the-patch; analyticsblog.blinkfire.com/blog/major-league-baseball-jersey-patch-sponsors; cbssports.com/why-mlb-batting-helmets-have-advertising-logos; nielsen.com/insights/2022/sponsor-patches-on-mlb-jerseys; sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/10/08/strauss-mlb-helmet-ad-total-media-