Orioles announce jersey patch deal with T. Rowe Price

A Baltimore-based company will be the first to have its brand placed on the Orioles’ uniforms.

On Monday, the O’s and T. Rowe Price announced a marquee sponsorship agreement centered around a branded uniform patch that will be located on the sleeves of Orioles jerseys for all regular-season and postseason games. It will first appear there on Tuesday night, when the O’s open a three-game series vs. the Braves at Camden Yards.

“We’re super excited to be working with a company like T. Rowe Price, a global brand that is also based in Baltimore, like the Orioles,” O’s senior vice president/chief revenue officer T.J. Brightman told MLB.com. “It’s two brands coming together for the benefit of our fans and the community. We are truly excited. When Baltimore-based companies win, all of Birdland wins.”

T. Rowe Price will be the exclusive investment and wealth management sponsor of the team. The global investment management organization -- which was founded in 1937 by Thomas Rowe Price Jr., a Baltimore native -- is set to open new corporate headquarters at Harbor Point in late 2024.

In addition to the jersey patch, the sponsorship agreement includes ballpark signage, media, hospitality assets, in-game activations, community programs and a brand presence at the Orioles’ Spring Training facilities in Sarasota, Fla. It is a multiyear, community-driven partnership supported by Elevate and Allied Sports.

“It makes sense for us, because we’re both local,” T. Rowe Price head of global marketing Theresa McLaughlin told MLB.com. “We both care about the community and invest in the community in a big way.”

Timing played a big factor in the expanded relationship between the O’s and T. Rowe Price coming together.

The defending American League East champion Orioles are having on-field success during a 2024 campaign that marks the start of the franchise’s “next chapter.” Prior to the season, an ownership change took place, with a group led by private equity billionaire and Baltimore native David Rubenstein purchasing the control stake of the team. Rubenstein now operates as the club’s control person.

T. Rowe Price is one of the largest corporate philanthropies in Baltimore and Maryland, with the T. Rowe Price Foundation making more than $170 million worth of community investments into the city.

“I would say definitely momentum on both sides with both organizations,” Brightman said. “We’re going through a resurgence, the team is super competitive on the field. They’re going through a rebrand themselves. The timing just worked out quite nicely, and we were really excited to pull this partnership together.”

The jersey patch -- which will be included on all of the Orioles’ uniform combinations -- features the bighorn sheep that is synonymous with T. Rowe Price’s branding.

“It’s been around for a long time at T. Rowe,” McLaughlin said. “We loved the symbol of agility, of moving forward, of climbing hills, of getting right. And so, there’s a lot of good association with that.”

The Orioles explored various options before landing on the agreement with T. Rowe Price. This ended up being the one that made the most sense for the club.

The local ties and the similar visions make for the right partnership.

“The fact that they have a strong global brand and they invest in the community, much like we do. We saw a lot of synergies there,” Brightman said. “And we continue to reinvest -- not only with the ballclub, but also with the community, and we felt like that was something that resonated with both organizations.”

As T. Rowe Price raises brand awareness to highlight its standing as a premier active asset manager, the Rubenstein-led O’s will carry the company logo with them as they hope to make a deep run through October and try to seize their first championship since 1983.

“The future of the Baltimore Orioles and the City of Baltimore is bright,” Rubenstein said in a statement. “We are delighted to welcome T. Rowe Price to Birdland at such an eventful time on and off the field. Our organizations share a dedication to hard work, innovation, professionalism and integrity, and we have committed our long-term futures to this city. We look forward to a long, successful partnership as we work to bring the World Series trophy back to Baltimore.”

“We are very excited to invest in our hometown team and our community, and we believe this partnership will help us attract more clients in the years to come,” T. Rowe Price CEO and president Rob Sharps said in a statement.