Nationals Aim to Sell Stadium Naming Rights, Jersey Sponsorships by End of Year

The Washington Nationals are the only team in MLB to never have a stadium naming rights deal or a jersey patch sponsorship—but they hope to change that by the end of 2025.

At long last, the Nationals have taken both sponsorship options to market, with initial convos having begun in January, per Forbes. The goal is that contracts for both opportunities could be signed this year—or better yet, by midseason.

“Summertime is when the Nats are top of mind for our fan base, and we think that’s the perfect time to make an announcement,” Nationals chief revenue officer Mike Carney told Forbes. In that event, jerseys would be outfitted with patches as soon as possible, while temporary signage would bridge the gap until permanent displays could be installed.

The team has attempted to nail down a stadium deal in the past, Carney clarified, but the "brands weren't the right fit." Whoever the club chooses to partner with this time must demonstrate "shared values," the CRO continued, like a commitment to the community and support for the military, per Forbes.

The hope is that the sponsorship cash—Forbes estimates both options could be worth more than $20 million—provides a nice windfall for the club, though Carney did not get into specifics as to how the Nats would plan to use it. That said, he did suggest the extra money could bolster player salaries, which Forbes notes have "ranked in the league's bottom ten for the past couple of seasons."

“We want to win championships, and we are really excited about the team we have on the field today,” Carney told the outlet. “We want to be that brand that is a consistent winner year in and year out, and this is going to help to do that.”

Meanwhile on Monday, the Nats regained their broadcast rights after 20 years under the control of the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, which is owned by the Baltimore Orioles. Per MLB, MASN will air Washington's games for the 2025 season under the terms of a new deal, but the Nats will be able to sell the rights after that.

Though the streaming and cord-cutting era has decreased the value of those rights, that sale should also serve as another new source of revenue for the team.