PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The Philadelphia Phillies have made some minor changes to their jerseys. The nameplates are still in smaller font, but the club will now feature an advertisement on the sleeves of their jerseys. The Phillies named Independence Blue Cross (IBX) as their jersey patch partner on Wednesday.
The Phillies will wear an IBX jersey patch on their home, away and Connecting the city sweaters with the series finale on Wednesday against the New York YankeesThe team said the patch will also appear on spring training and postseason uniforms.
Philadelphia Phillies
“The Phillies were determined from the beginning to find the right top partner for our coveted jersey patch,” Phillies managing partner John Middleton said in a statement. “Independence Blue Cross has been woven into the fabric of our community for more than 85 years and is as much a hometown team as the Philadelphia Phillies.”
Philadelphia is now the 22nd MLB team to adopt a jersey patch. MLB began allow advertising on uniforms in 2023, when the San Diego Padres became the first team to land a sponsorship deal. Last year, the Yankees Add Starr Insurance as her signature partner.
The collective labor agreement agreed In March 2022, advertising patches for uniforms and helmets will be allowed.
Now that the Phillies have added a patch to their uniforms, the Eagles are the only Philly sports team not to have any form of advertising on their uniforms.
The Flyers introduced a IBX patch on their shirts last season. This year, the Union Independence Blue Cross also made their first jersey patch sponsor. The Sixers have a Crypto.com jersey patch.
In the United States, Major League Soccer became the first major North American league to allow jersey advertising in 2007. The NBA began allowing advertising in 2017-18, and the NHL allowed helmet advertising in 2020-21 and jersey advertising last season. The NFL still does not allow jersey advertising.
