Philadelphia is a city that famously takes pride in its local sports teams and cultural institutions. With countless social media accounts dedicated to consuming and ranking all of the area's best cheesesteaks, you would think that a clear and unanimous winner would have emerged by now. Like most things in life, answering that question is both subjective and a matter of personal opinion.
It's even cooler when athletes who play professional sports in Philadelphia make an effort to understand and embrace some of the things that are part of daily life in the tri-state area. For an example, look no further than former Eagles center and noted Delco resident Jason Kelce, who has a mural dedicated to him painted on a wall outside the Dunkin Donuts he frequents.
MLB fined Phillies' Bryce Harper for the most ridiculous reason
That's what makes Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper's connection to the city and its fans so special. Over the years, Harper has shown his dedication to the city and its fans through customized gear, and the two-time NL MVP has also spoken about his enjoyment of listening to sports radio stations when driving his the car. While Phillies fans take joy in Harper's Phanatic gear, it seems MLB recently took exception to one very iconic design.
According to Harper, per Tim Kelly of On Pattison, MLB fined the eight-time All-Star $5,000 for paying tribute to iconic PA convenience store chain Wawa on his headband and cleats. It seems that MLB draws the line when it comes to advertising businesses that fall outside of league-approved sponsorships. The incident in question took place on July 27.
Bryce Harper is wearing a custom Wawa headband and cleats tonight pic.twitter.com/F8gZMabTRC
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) July 27, 2024
During a conversation with Hannah Keyser of Front Office Sports about the growing trend of MLB players wearing customized gear, Harper seemed to understand why the league took exception with his Wawa tribute, but that doesn't mean he likes it, telling Keyser, “Obviously I understand why, but also I think kids love it.”
MLB has recently approved team sponsorship patches on jersey sleeves, with the Phillies joining a growing list of teams featuring the ads when they first debuted in July. The league took the practice of uniform advertisements a step further this postseason, with an exclusive ad located on all batters helmets throughout the playoffs.
It remains to be seen if the practice will expand further in future seasons, but Harper's recent fine for inappropriate advertising is proof that the league won't let players use or profit from ads or slogans that MLB doesn't first approve.