Angels partnering with FBM on jersey patch

ANAHEIM -- With Major League Baseball permitting clubs to wear sponsored patches on their jerseys for the first time in 2023, the Angels announced Saturday that they entered a three-year agreement with Foundation Building Materials as their official jersey patch partner.

Foundation Building Materials (FBM) is a local company founded in neighboring Orange, Calif., in 2011 and has 280 locations across the United States and Canada, including in every Major League market. Their rectangular logo, which features a Cypress Tree and the FBM initials, shares the same red and blue official colors of the Angels and will be worn on the sleeve of the jersey.

“They’re a local company with a national footprint that has operations in every MLB market, which was appealing,” said Angels executive vice president Dana Wells. “And we liked the values, especially with the family and being rooted in the community. We feel like it can evolve into a bigger partnership. We felt they were the absolute No. 1 fit for us.”

The process of finding a patch sponsor started more than a year ago, with the Angels eventually hiring Excel Sports Management to help them find interested companies, narrow down the search process and eventually negotiate the deal. More than 100 global companies showed initial interest, and the Angels narrowed it down to roughly 20 companies after a two-month process.

The Angels ended up feeling most comfortable with FBM, and it being a local company made it even more appealing. They also liked the family aspect of FBM -- it was founded by Ruben Mendoza, who serves as the company’s CEO and president.

“The fact we ended up with a local company is a very positive thing,” Wells said. “We just feel like there is a lot of synergy with Ruben and his vision on his business. It’s a lot of the same core values we have. We’d love to build it into a bigger long-term opportunity.”

Mendoza said he’s excited about the partnership with the Angels and has always been a huge baseball fan. It’s the biggest sponsorship deal in FBM’s history, but the partnership comes with a lot of exposure. The patch will be seen in every MLB market because the Angels play all 29 other clubs this year, and the deal also includes in-stadium and television signage.

The FBM logo will be stenciled in behind the mound and will be shown on the digital boards in the stadium, including behind home plate. The patch is also removable, as it will be displayed on whichever side gets more exposure. For example, it will be worn on the left shoulder of a right-handed hitter and on the throwing arm of a pitcher.

“It’s fantastic,” Mendoza said of the partnership. “We're in every MLB market, including Toronto. This year, the Angels play every other team in MLB, and that’s exciting for us because we can leverage that with our customers. We have over 35,000 customers. We’re kind of a pro building material company, but we have a lot of customers who are Major League Baseball fans. So, wherever the Angels play, we’re there, and that’s good for us.”

FBM is a leading distributor of building materials and construction products such as gypsum wallboards, metal framing, door and window frames, ceiling tile, drywall, insulation, suspended ceiling systems, fasteners and stucco. They deliver building materials for both commercial and residential construction. Mendoza had prior experience in the industry before founding FBM in Orange.

“We’re an Orange County business and we have been since the beginning. I think that’s meaningful,” Mendoza said. “These guys were looking for a local partnership. I didn’t know the Angels guys before, but they’re fantastic. They’re really good people and really good to work with.”

The Angels are the fourth club to announce a jersey patch partnership, joining the Padres, Red Sox and D-backs. They’ll first wear the patch on Feb. 25 against the Padres in their Cactus League opener in Peoria, Ariz.

“I think this is a great start for us to grow our marketing and will help us grow social-media wise,” Mendoza said. “We’re just excited to partner with the Angels.”