It’s been rumored for quite some time, but today the Philadelphia Phillies have made it official: they are finally adding a jersey sleeve ad to their uniforms.
While no ad is good, Phillies faithful were hoping the ad would be for local convenience store WaWa (especially after the Pirates recently added Sheetz to their jerseys).
The team has announced the team will have Independence Blue Cross as their first ever jersey “sponsor.”
As of this writing, there have been no images or mockups of how the patch will look on the Phillies jerseys.
However, the patch is expected to look something like this:
The Philadelphia Flyers already wear an IBC ad on their sweaters — here’s a look at that:
The team has also announced the patch will debut tomorrow on their jerseys, during the team’s game against the Yankees at Citizens Bank Park.
This means we’re now down to eight ad-free teams (a number likely to lower as the season progresses): the A’s, Cubs, Mariners, Nationals, Rays, Rockies, Twins, and White Sox. (The other 21 teams who’ve sold out their uniforms to advertisers, aside from the Phillies, are the Padres, Red Sox, D-backs, Angels, Astros, Reds, Marlins, Mets, Cardinals, Tigers, Guardians, Yankees, Blue Jays, Brewers, Dodgers, Giants, Atlanta, Royals, Rangers, Orioles and Pirates.)
F off ibx.
Proofreading: “The Philadelphia Flyers already wear and IBC ad on their sweaters”.
That blue ad will look terrible against the Phillies’ uniforms.
Atleast the blue will blend in with the city jersey. If anything I hope they change it to red on the white pinstripes
It’s actually an IBX ad. When I saw IBC I was thinking root beer.
Hence the proofreading. And I thought the same.
Whatever. Today’s uniforms are already garbage. May as well go all the way and put ads on the opposite sleeve and chest. Put one on helmets and caps too. We all know it’s coming.
Great to see health insurance providers spending money on uniform ads, surely as premiums go up and coverage decreases all customers will be happy know their money is being well spent to provide additional revenue to a lucrative sports franchise.
Our social and cultural system is circling the bowl.
This was my first thought.
Like most of the ad patches, the item being advertised isn’t getting business by ad patch. People get insurance through work in most cases or through insurance exchanges. So IBX is spending a small fortune on patches for the Flyers and Phillies while premiums are going through the roof and their coverage sucks. Oy vey.
It’s going to clash terribly with every jersey except the City Connect. And no, I won’t ‘get used to it’. I have accepted that jeradvertisements are now a part of the j
It’s going to clash terribly with every jersey except the City Connect. And no, I won’t ‘get used to it’. I have accepted that jersey advertisements are not going away but I have not accepted that teams are ok with said advertisements color clashing, which to me completely diminishes the team’s brand identity.
And IBX already had soiled one Philadelphia uniform, completely unclear what soiling another gets for them. Everyone already knows and most loathe their health insurer. Advertising isn’t going to change that.
I hate uni ads, and always will.
That said, the fact I thought we were down to 2-3 non-ad-clad MLB unis (my Cubs included), tells me that maybe they’re not as overwhelming and obnoxious as I thought.
Health insurance ads seem like a waste. I get whatever my company offers. Do many people actually shop for providers other than HR folks? Maybe I live under a rock.
For most people under 65 you are correct. But those of Medicare age can shop for supplements, drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans. And those under 65 who don’t have insurance through their employer will be shopping for individual plans.
But it still seems like a waste of money and effort, and jersey ads suck any way you try to spin them.
I hate ads in baseball. But Wawa would have been the most tolerable.
And just like that I will no longer watch the Phillies. Prices at the ballpark are absolutely asinine, the amount of ads in the ballpark has skyrocketed (even before the patch).
I have already stopped watching and going to the Flyers games due to their ad patch, and I will be doing the same for the Phillies.
I hope the insurance company money was worth it.
I’m right not there with you!
Attended a non-Phillies event at their park last week and was floored by the the cost to park and a wooder at the concession stand. I often say I miss the Vet…worth saying again!
I gave up on the Flyers after the Kate Smith statue disappearing act.
Both uniforms have been downgraded and not degraded with the ad patch. Oh well.
Any kind of ad all sucks. Rob Manfred has ruined baseball for fans everywhere. Ad revenue can be generated virtually..you don’t need to put it on a jersey. Don’t the powers that be give a damn about history or baseball aesthetics?
As a resident of Southern New Jersey and lifelong Phillies fan, I read the headline (“Philadelphia Phillies To Add Jersey Sleeve Ad”) and thought it was great that my team would acknowledge their NJ neighbors, maybe with a tribute to the Jersey shore. Then it hit me; it’s about making more money, not about promoting their regional neighbors. Sigh.
What can I say that hasn’t already been said? It’s yet another stupid and ugly jersey ad.
More like IBS, amirite?
I agree with everyone on here. Uni Ads are absolutely awful. That being said, My students do not care and actually even like them. I am almost 48, and MLB does not care what want, they care about the kids that they will need to keep the sport going when people my age are gone.My dad hated corporate named stadiums until the day he died. I do not care about that, but I do care about jersey ads. I think they do take the game down a notch for me. But, they are not worrying about me.
I’ll keep my old Chooch Ruiz gamer, thanks.
Better jersey. Better fabric. And sleeve numbers! FIBX.
Ugly. These teams keep finding way to generate more ad revenue. The ballparks are already cluttered with ads everywhere even in the restrooms. There can never be enough revenue.