While uniform sponsors have long been prominent in international sports, the American sports landscape has gradually seen more and more ads make their way onto the uniforms. In baseball, jersey sleeve sponsors have been in place for a couple seasons.
But MLB waited until the postseason to make quite the league-wide change.
As the NL and AL postseason got underway, fans noticed that all the batting helmets had a massive “STRAUSS” ad on both sides. This was a partnership between Major League Baseball and the German workwear brand that was finalized back in September of 2024. Those helmets have returned for the 2025 postseason.
The Strauss helmets are back for the 2025 postseason pic.twitter.com/WowPWrq4KC
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 30, 2025
MLB — particularly under Rob Manfred’s leadership — has never been one to turn down a quick buck. We remember the FTX debacle where the scandal-ridden, now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange had its logo on all the umpiring uniforms. So, we shouldn’t be surprised that Manfred would let a brand with minimal awareness in the U.S. be plastered all over helmets in the sport’s biggest games.
According to Sportico, the placement could be worth $15 million in brand exposure.
But it was safe to say that MLB fans have continued to complain about the sponsored helmets.
This was how Twitter/X reacted
@MLB These Strauss helmet stickers are really, really ugly and distract from the game. I’m all for advertising, but putting stickers on classic helmets of teams like the @Phillies, @Cubs and @Yankees really ruins it. We’re gonna look back 20 years from now and HATE this era. pic.twitter.com/QS9OnvxdEW
— Bret Jackson (@pitmanhitman) October 4, 2025
Old guy yelling at cloud, etc., but I HATE the Strauss logo on the helmets.
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) October 8, 2025
It’s odd that this Strauss company has been the helmet sponsor for the playoffs this year and last, yet I’ve never seen anything about that company outside of these helmet stickers. Ever.
— Mike Sause (@TheMikeSause) October 12, 2025
I hate that these batting helmets have giant “Strauss” on the side. Looks cheap
— Erik Lutz (@eriklutz) October 12, 2025
Sports owners can never have too much money. MLB now has an agreement with German apparel company Strauss to have their name on batting helmets in this year’s playoffs and all next year (& 2027). Is nothing sacred? It looks bush league. Greedy. Greedy. Greedy. pic.twitter.com/k0Vh9mX4Jp
— Paul Wealleans (@bythelake6) October 4, 2025
I forgot how much I hate the playoff “Strauss” helmets.
— Courtney Finnicum (@courtney883) September 30, 2025
The agreement is set to run through the 2027 postseason, so we might as well get used to it.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why MLB teams have STRAUSS ads on helmets during the 2025 postseason
