The Pittsburgh Pirates and Sheetz entered a multi-year partnership in which the convenience retailer will serve as the club’s first jersey patch partner, the convenience retailer and the MLB team announced.
As part of the marquee partnership, the Pennsylvania-based retailer will have its logo featured on the sleeves of Pittsburgh Pirates home and away jerseys, beginning last Friday, June 21, when the team hosted the Tampa Bay Rays.
“The city of Pittsburgh has been an essential part of the growth of Sheetz for more than 40 years,” said Sheetz President and CEO Travis Sheetz. “We are so excited to take our partnership with the Pirates to the next level with this new jersey patch. Like the Pirates, we are dedicated to giving back to our communities and providing great experiences for our customers in Western Pennsylvania and beyond.”
According to an MLB press release, this strategic partnership will feature marketing efforts and collaborations that will engage Pirates fans and Sheetz enthusiasts, including ballpark signage, in-game activations and unique social and digital content.
“We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Sheetz and the Sheetz family,” said Bob Nutting, Pirates chairman. "Like the Pirates, Sheetz is an iconic local brand that is a part of everyday life in Pittsburgh and throughout the Western Pennsylvania region. Sheetz is a family-owned company that shares in our strong commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of others in our community. Sheetz is the perfect partner to be featured on our first-ever jersey patch.”
Meanwhile, Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies partnered with Under Armour and Wawa to create Wawa-themed cleats, commemorating his pre-game tradition of visiting the c-store, reported Sports Illustrated.
The player exclusive cleat, “Gottahava Harper,” features a mix of gradient colors from the original Wawa branding and a Wawa barcode logo on the heel, which is similar to the barcode for Harper’s favorite summer Hoagie.
In addition to the custom player exclusive gear that will be seen on-field, Under Armour will launch "Gottahava Harper" t-shirts online and Harper 9 turf shoes, which will be sold at Dick’s Sporting Goods in July.
Earlier this year, the Kansas City Royals and QuikTrip announced a multi-year partnership in which QuikTrip will become the official jersey patch partner of the Kansas City Royals.