When the Pirates take the field at PNC Park on Friday night for the opening game of a weekend series with the Tampa Bay Rays, something new will adorn their uniforms. That’s because early in the day, the Pirates and Sheetz announced a multiyear partnership in which the popular convenience store chain will immediately become the team’s first-ever jersey patch partner.

The Pennsylvania-based retailer will now have its logo featured on the sleeves of Pirates home and road jerseys. Pirates front office officials, outfielder Bryan Reynolds, pitcher Jared Jones and Pirates RBI players joined Sheetz executives on the field as part of the announcement.

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association approved the use of sponsor patches on jerseys at the beginning of the 2023 season as part of a new collective bargaining agreement.

The sponsorship agreement seeks to solidify Sheetz as an iconic staple in the Western Pennsylvania region while also raising its national brand recognition. It will also feature marketing efforts and collaborations that will engage Pirates fans and Sheetz customers -- including ballpark signage, in-game activations and unique social and digital content.

“If you take our market area and the Pirates’ fanbase and overlay those two, you’d be hard pressed to find many gaps,” Sheetz president & CEO Travis Sheetz said. “For sure, we think from a customer standpoint, a brand-awareness standpoint and a brand reputation standpoint, this is a great connection.”

Another important aspect of the partnership will focus on various community-based initiatives developed by the Pirates and Sheetz. The organizations share a proud interest in supporting local youth teams and other nonprofit organizations. Through the partnership, the Pirates and Sheetz will look to amplify their collective support of such efforts.

“We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Sheetz and the Sheetz family,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said. "Like the Pirates, Sheetz is an iconic local brand that is a part of everyday life in Pittsburgh and throughout Western Pennsylvania. 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. With so many commonalities, Sheetz is the perfect partner to be featured on our first-ever jersey patch.”

“The city of Pittsburgh has been an essential part of the growth of Sheetz for more than 40 years,” Travis Sheetz added. “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. That is why this partnership makes perfect sense.”

In conjunction with the announcement on Friday, the organizations also co-hosted a youth baseball team from the Moon Little League at a local Sheetz for a unique “Sheetz Run” experience with Pirates players Colin Holderman and Oneil Cruz as well as the Pirates mascots. The youngsters were treated to an in-store shopping experience where they were able to select their favorite Sheetz treats before enjoying them in a picnic setting while they interacted with Holderman and Cruz.

Sheetz, a major Mid-Atlantic restaurant and convenience chain with more than 730 store locations -- including approximately 70 in the Pittsburgh area -- and more than 25,000 employees, was founded as a small family business in 1952 in Altoona, Pa. (where the Pirates have had their Double-A affiliate since 1999). After 70 years, the company now serves more than 1.5 million customers a day across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina.

“Like the Pirates, Sheetz is rooted in family ownership and family values,” Nutting said. “Like us, they truly care about their customers, they truly care about their team members, and that commitment shows every time you walk into a Sheetz store. I love this brand, I love this company and I love this family. We’re coming together as two iconic local Pittsburgh brands.”