MLB Debuts Umpire Uniform Ads During All-Star Game

[Lindsay]

Major League Baseball unveiled its new partnership with cryptocurrency exchange FTX with ad patches debuting on umpire uniforms during the 2021 MLB All-Star Game, a notable choice for MLB's first-ever umpire uniform sponsor given Joe West's 2018 comment, regarding money and gambling in baseball:...

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[LRZ]

This is pathetic. It's bad enough to have commercial logos painted all over the foul line areas. Did the umpires' union have any say about this? 

[Richvee]

Not sure what’s worse. Ads on the umpires ,or the hideous player uniforms. 

[SeeingEyeDog]

I think America has confused what professional sports are...and what amateur sports are.

Professional sports imply the players are being paid to play. What it really means, what it has ALWAYS meant is...professional sports is a business.

Take money and put logos on player uniforms, the field (remember Spider-man bases at Yankee Stadium?), billboards, programs, etc...but, please...the umpires' uniforms should never be used for advertising. I don't care if it's cryptocurrency or "Crypt Keeper" mortuary services. It's disgusting, inappropriate and dare I say...UNPROFESSIONAL.

~Dawg

[The Man in Blue]

I dunno ... a sandwich board saying "Will call strikes for food" doesn't seem so bad ... I hope it is a NOCSE certified sandwich board so I don't have to wear a chest protector under it.

[agdz59]

How soon before they're wearing "Should have gone to TLC Lasik Eye Center." on the back of their shirts?

Manfred has been terrible for baseball IMO.

[SeeingEyeDog]

10 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

I dunno ... a sandwich board saying "Will call strikes for food" doesn't seem so bad ... I hope it is a NOCSE certified sandwich board so I don't have to wear a chest protector under it.

I think I need to start buying up all the available outside balloon protectors and cook up an elevator pitch and long form presentation for MLB...

~Dawg

[The Man in Blue]

9 hours ago, agdz59 said:

How soon before they're wearing "Should have gone to TLC Lasik Eye Center." on the back of their shirts?

Manfred has been terrible for baseball IMO.

I quit MLB cold after the 1994 strike ... after many years, I was ready to go back, but I couldn't stand the fact that Bud Selig, an impartial owner, was in charge.  I said I would come back after Selig was gone (I believe my actual words were "I need Bud Selig's head on a pike.").  I said nobody could be worse than Selig.  I need to quit saying things like that.

Side story ... I have a friend who used to work media in Milwaukee and is friends with Selig.  My friend and I have agreed not to talk about that subject.

[The Man in Blue]

10 hours ago, agdz59 said:

How soon before they're wearing "Should have gone to TLC Lasik Eye Center." on the back of their shirts?

Manfred has been terrible for baseball IMO.

Target sponsorship on the back?

[The Man in Blue]

1 minute ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

I think I need to start buying up all the available outside balloon protectors and cook up an elevator pitch and long form presentation for MLB...

~Dawg

I actually just bought one ... 😁  Trying to get up the courage to use it one day.

[SeeingEyeDog]

Pardon the hi-jack, @The Man in Blue...

What are the proper mechanics of those? I used to use one last century but, I always Captain America-ed it in my left hand so my right was free for signalling...

Now I'm wondering if the straps should've gone over the shoulders...but that seems like it hog ties you that way...

~Dawg

[The Man in Blue]

7 minutes ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

Pardon the hi-jack, @The Man in Blue...

What are the proper mechanics of those? I used to use one last century but, I always Captain America-ed it in my left hand so my right was free for signalling...

Now I'm wondering if the straps should've gone over the shoulders...but that seems like it hog ties you that way...

~Dawg

I don't recall off the top of my head.  It seems to me there was a discussion here about the mechanics ... yep ... 

 

My daughter was at a garage sale where a couple had retired from umpiring and were selling all their stuff, so I took the whole lot to help new umpires get started.  This was in with it.  Having worked most of the year in the Mississippi heat, I have really considered trying to use it.  Not sure if it would come as "a neat novelty" or if it would be "what is this dork doing?"

Back when I ran the rec league, the guy who umpired for us used one (he still does, I went and watched last week!).  He does the same "Captain America" style.  I would have thought that was the way, but it looks like it is designed to be worn.  I guess?

[Mudisfun]

Why would you not use the balloon? They are great... they provide better protection, including your arms, are cool since all you're wearing is a shirt and if worn correctly, provide all of the normal range of motion, including running, as you have with an inside protector.

I try and use them whenever possible, especially lower levels where the battery and their ability to throw and catch is in serious question!

[BLWizzRanger]

Circle K would be a good logo to put on the balloon or back of the shirt.  Maybe transpose it to be a backwards K.

[Mudisfun]

2 hours ago, BLWizzRanger said:

Circle K would be a good logo to put on the balloon or back of the shirt.  Maybe transpose it to be a backwards K.

That, or as mentioned before, the Target logo!

[StatsUmp]

Umpires are supposed to be impartial arbiters of the game. A uniform covered with corporate sponsor logos gives the appearance that the necessary/expected impartiality may no longer exist due to corporate influence. In short, it looks bad even if it's done with the most harmless of intentions.

It's not something I personally would want to do if at all possible..

[dumbdumb]

19 hours ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

Pardon the hi-jack, @The Man in Blue...

What are the proper mechanics of those? I used to use one last century but, I always Captain America-ed it in my left hand so my right was free for signalling...

Now I'm wondering if the straps should've gone over the shoulders...but that seems like it hog ties you that way...

~Dawg

an older gentleman who was taught both ways inside and outside protector at the umpire school, since you still had the option back then, told me when i asked.

straps go over the shoulder. you put the protector under your chin by pulling the bottom inside of the protector with your hands and pushing the protector up to your chin, and you leave your fingers pinched up against the inside part of the protector closest to your belly. you do not put your whole hand and fingers holding the bottom, like a batter should not put his whole hand around the bat to bunt exposing his fingers.

when the ball is hit, you reach up with your left hand to take the mask off, and as you do this the right strap drops off your right shoulder. you clamp the mask against the protector at your left which should now be on your left side. your right hand is free for the out call. when you have to make the safe sign, you extend your left arm and mask with the hand out. if the strap is still on your shoulder okay, but if it slides down that is all right also. i forget whether he said the strap must stay on your shoulder or you got dinged if it did or did not, as long as both arms were out for the safe sign you were all right. if ball gets by and you have to start running again, you just clamp the protector to your left side with the mask again and start running. many protectors did not have that Captain America strap in the middle to hold back in the day he said. they also worked directly over the catcher back in the day (directly over the kill zone if you have not figured that out yet). you can do it any way you want, as long as you get the pitches right, what do the players care. i think you could go into the slot and use it, even though you were not allowed back then when i asked the older gentleman. the slot would give you maximum protection from the kill zone. p.s., still wear your mitch kupchak. there is no getting out of that piece of equipment, balloon or not.

or, put in a call to joe west, jerry davis, bob davidson, rich garcia, joe brinkman etc, etc, and maybe they could send some instructions. with a little googling, jerry neudecker in 85 and bill kunkel in 84 (yes, the former KC, and Yankee pitcher) were the last 2 to wear the balloon, with neudecker being the very last person and his outside chest protector is in the hall of fame.

[LRZ]

dumbdumb describes what I was taught. The balloon is not wielded like a shield. Used properly, you have both hands free to carry an indicator, remove your mask, signal, point, and do other umpire-like things.

Bookmark it, as I recall dumbdumb (I think) answering the same question several years ago. 

[Aging_Arbiter]

[LMSANS]

Here are some action shots of my uncle and his balloon mechanics. These go back to the early 80s.