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Padres unveil jersey advertisement, Dodger Stadium to get longer name as part of MLB's new era

Major League Baseball is about to become much more overtly commercial. Tuesday, the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers showed what that may look like in years to come.

The Padres became the first team to announce an agreement for advertising patches on their uniforms, which were approved by MLB and the Players' Association as part of the collective bargaining agreement ratified last month.

The club has partnered with cell phone provider Motorola on a multi-platform agreement that could serve as a template of sorts for the 29 clubs to follow.

Most notably, the telecommunications behemoth's logo will be prominently featured on the right sleeve of the club's uniforms, beginning with the 2023 season. The new look - and decidedly prominent logo - was modeled by Padres Manny Machado and Blake Snell in a promotional video released Tuesday. Motorola will also become the presenting partner of the franchise's hall of fame and be featured prominently in ad signage throughout Petco Park.

Meanwhile, the rival Dodgers announced a partnership with a marketing firm, Sportfive, that should have significant ramifications on and off their jerseys.

The firm is tasked with striking a deal for the club's jersey sponsor - but also a "field presenting sponsor" for Dodger Stadium.

That will mark a significant leap for the stadium, which is marking its 60th anniversary this year and is now the third-oldest park in the major leagues. It's also one of just six major league stadiums whose title is bereft of corporate sponsorship.

So, get ready for Dodger Stadium, presented by Del Taco, say – with a jersey patch to match, or not.

A view of Dodger Stadium before the 2021 NL wild-card game.
A view of Dodger Stadium before the 2021 NL wild-card game.

Both sponsorships will bring a significant windfall for franchises. Sports Business Journal reported last month that forthcoming patches for big-market clubs like the Dodgers and Yankees could be worth $20 million to $30 million annually, with the average team pulling in about $10 million. That could result in a new revenue stream of as much as $300 million leaguewide.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers can look to their neighbors to reach a ballpark figure on how valuable a presenting partner at Chavez Ravine may be. Crypto.com recently paid $700 million to slap its name on the former Staples Center, home to the Lakers, Kings and (for the time being) Clippers. SoFi Stadium, the sprawling new home for the Los Angeles Rams, was worth $625 million over 20 years.

Should the Dodgers keep the eponymous name for their stadium, the presenting rights may not be worth that much, particularly with a lack of ancillary events such as the Grammys. It will also leave the Yankees, Red Sox, Nationals, Angels and Royals as the only clubs without corporate connections to their ballpark name.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dodger Stadium to get longer name, Padres unveil Motorola jersey ad