HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s flagship baseball team, Industriales, has debuted a jersey featuring a private sponsor’s logo — an eye-catching development in a country that for decades rejected professional sports, advertising, and private sponsorship.
It is the first time in the 65-year history of Cuba’s National Baseball Series that a team has taken the field with a sponsor.
Players and coaching staff from the Havana-based team recently wore their traditional white-and-blue jerseys displaying the logo of “A Granel,” a privately owned Cuban company specializing in fuel distribution.
In addition, the same advertisement now appears on the outfield wall at Estadio Latinoamericano, the team’s home stadium in Havana.
“I think it’s a good idea,” Industriales manager Guillermo Carmona told The Associated Press. “New measures are being taken, and there is a shift in many policies across the country. I believe this is something that will help.”
The shift away from amateurism
For years, Cuba championed amateurism in sports, arguing that professionalism commodified the game and exploited athletes’ talent. However, restrictions have begun to loosen over the last decade, and some players have been allowed to compete abroad or join lucrative leagues.
Last Friday, Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo, president of the National Baseball Federation, said private sponsorship is allowed under new regulations for Cuba’s sports system, which were approved last year.
Why it matters
Both Carmona and Pérez Pardo said the sponsorship — which supports the entire team rather than an individual athlete — will help improve conditions. The expected benefits range from essential equipment such as bats and uniforms to logistics, including fuel for transportation and player meals, as well as improvements to playing fields.
Details of the contract signed between Industriales and A Granel have not been disclosed.
Cuba is struggling with a severe economic crisis now in its fifth year. It worsened after an energy and financial blockade imposed by the United States began in January, bringing the island close to a standstill and heavily affecting daily life — including sports.
Sports authorities acknowledged that, due to the country’s economic hardships, the current season of the 16-team series will be split into two zones, East and West, to reduce travel and fuel use amid the energy crisis. The tournament runs from October to December.
The worsening economic crisis has also pushed many athletes to leave Cuba to join major teams abroad.
“It is important that this step was taken,” Luisa Álvarez, a 55-year-old Industriales fan, told the AP. “We are aware of the situation the country is going through.”
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
Andrea Rodríguez, The Associated Press