ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers will take the field Thursday night with two new additions on their jerseys: A World Series champions patch and an Energy Transfer patch.
Wait, Energy Transfer?
Yes, the Rangers have joined the ranks of pro sports teams with sponsor patches on their jerseys. In fact, 18 other Major League Baseball teams already had jersey sponsorships before Texas announced its multi-year deal with Energy Transfer.
Even the New York Yankees have added a Starr Insurance patch to their famed pinstripes in recent years. So it was probably just a matter of time before the Rangers joined the club.
It's not clear how much the Rangers will be getting paid for the sponsor patch, but reports surrounding the San Diego Padres' Motorola patch deal is worth around $10 million per year.
Energy Transfer, a Dallas-based oil and gas infrastructure company, already had strong ties to the Rangers. Team owner Ray Davis was the former chairman and chief executive officer of the company.
Dallas billionaire Kelcy Warren is the current executive chairman of the board for Energy Transfer. North Texans might be more familiar with the name of Warren's son, Klyde. Klyde Warren Park in downtown Dallas was named in Klyde's honor after Kelcy Warren made a donation toward the park's construction.
Energy Transfer has been involved as a Rangers sponsor since 2018, when it helped fund the Rangers' MLB Youth Academy in West Dallas. The company will also be "expanding its marketing presence with the Rangers," according to a Rangers press release.
“Energy Transfer is proud to be the first jersey patch partner of the world champion Texas Rangers,” said Energy Transfer co-CEO Mackie McCrea. “Our shared commitment to supporting youth programs throughout North Texas makes our longstanding partnership with the Rangers a natural for us. Expanding our partnership to include the jersey patch creates an opportunity for us to show our support for the team while aligning our brand with Rangers fans throughout the Metroplex and across the country.”