2025 Blue Jays Offseason Thread

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Japanese boxing ring festooned with Toronto Blue Jays logos broke MLB’s marketing rules - The Athletic

After millions of Japanese fans watched the Toronto Blue Jays in last month’s World Series, someone inside the team thought it was the right moment to capitalize. On Monday in Tokyo, Blue Jays logos were splashed across the mat for a world-title boxing match. In one Kyodo News photo from the bout, bantamweight boxer Tensuhin Nasukawa knelt down with a red maple leaf — part of the Jays’ logo — and some of the team’s lettering situated over his right shoulder.

The only problem? The Blue Jays went rogue.

Major League Baseball teams are not supposed to place ads abroad without the league office’s blessing, which the Jays did not have. Japan is a scorching hot market for MLB, but commissioner Rob Manfred’s office controls international branding there and elsewhere. That’s in no small part because MLB wants to avoid a free-for-all between teams trying to grab a slice of a given market.

The Blue Jays said they were aware of the sponsorship in advance of the logo being used and that it was not a paid sponsorship. The league office was not involved, people briefed on the advertisement’s placement who were not authorized to speak publicly said.

The commissioner’s office declined comment. It’s unclear how MLB will follow up on the matter or whether it would consider any punishment.

But teams have guidelines in place for recruitment of both fans and players abroad. The league’s international efforts, from the TV rights MLB sells to the games the league holds abroad, are intended to benefit all 30 clubs.

MLB will sometimes give teams standing discretion to advertise in certain markets, but Japan is typically not one of those markets. Sometimes, as well, MLB and teams will effectively pool their branding rights together. The Dodgers, for example, started a fan club in Japan.

[JN]

Japanese boxing ring festooned with Toronto Blue Jays logos broke MLB’s marketing rules - The Athletic

After millions of Japanese fans watched the Toronto Blue Jays in last month’s World Series, someone inside the team thought it was the right moment to capitalize. On Monday in Tokyo, Blue Jays logos were splashed across the mat for a world-title boxing match. In one Kyodo News photo from the bout, bantamweight boxer Tensuhin Nasukawa knelt down with a red maple leaf — part of the Jays’ logo — and some of the team’s lettering situated over his right shoulder.

The only problem? The Blue Jays went rogue.

Major League Baseball teams are not supposed to place ads abroad without the league office’s blessing, which the Jays did not have. Japan is a scorching hot market for MLB, but commissioner Rob Manfred’s office controls international branding there and elsewhere. That’s in no small part because MLB wants to avoid a free-for-all between teams trying to grab a slice of a given market.

The Blue Jays said they were aware of the sponsorship in advance of the logo being used and that it was not a paid sponsorship. The league office was not involved, people briefed on the advertisement’s placement who were not authorized to speak publicly said.

The commissioner’s office declined comment. It’s unclear how MLB will follow up on the matter or whether it would consider any punishment.

But teams have guidelines in place for recruitment of both fans and players abroad. The league’s international efforts, from the TV rights MLB sells to the games the league holds abroad, are intended to benefit all 30 clubs.

MLB will sometimes give teams standing discretion to advertise in certain markets, but Japan is typically not one of those markets. Sometimes, as well, MLB and teams will effectively pool their branding rights together. The Dodgers, for example, started a fan club in Japan.

I'm sure the Dodgers follow all the rules (cough)

[Randle McMurphy]

Sounds like some other team (perhaps the Dodgers) found out, got upset and had that story posted.

I’d just keep doing it and dare MLB to do something about it.

[WuTang_CMB]

I like it from the Jays. Don't fk with us - we got the $$$$ cashola too