The indy league leads again with gamer innovation
As mentioned on these pages more than once since 2021 and the death of MiLB commemoratives, we collectors are looking to the independent leagues for new goodies and they are not disappointing!
The independent, MLB Partner Atlantic League has taken commemorative, unique game baseballs to a whole new level in 2025. Harkening back to 2015-2018 when each team used a unique ball, these will now also feature customizable QR codes.
From the league’s recent press release:
“The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) has become the first league to place a QR code on its official equipment, namely Drake Official Baseballs.
“In addition to the QR code, the Atlantic League baseball also features two signatures on its signature panel. The signature of each team’s Director joins ALPB President Rick White on the signature panel on that team’s official Drake baseballs. The QR code will reside in between the two signatures and just above the “Official Atlantic League” mark.”
We have photos and more details courtesy of Steve Shutt, Atlantic League Director of Communications:
Initially the codes will link to the team’s website but each team can also sell sponsorship opportunities or use the code for game-day promotions.
Mr. Shutt was also kind enough to provide more details on this feature.
TB: Are these sponsorships on a league-wide level or will each team have unique sponsorships?
SS: The sponsorships are all at the club’s availability to sell them. Each club received their allotment of balls with their specific QR code and their principal’s signature. So the Staten Island QR code is different than the High Point code.
Southern Maryland, I understand, has sold their QR code to a local law firm. Other clubs are pitching the idea to potential sponsors. In the meantime, clubs are able to direct their QR code to in-park promotions. High Point is offering a free soft drink for scanning the code and receiving a voucher. The default setting was each club’s website.
So, Maryland’s sponsorship links to the law firm. Lexington’s QR code links to the Lexington Clinic. York’s leads to membership in their Kids Club. High Point’s leads to the free soft drink offer. I do not know the specifics of any of our clubs’ sponsorship agreements.
Sponsorship would be solely up to the clubs. Each club has the ability to manage the QR landing page on their own. Theoretically, a club could link to a free soft drink today, a discount coupon for merchandise tomorrow and a buy one, get one free ticket offer the following day. It’s in the hands of each club. If they want to sell to a sponsor on a monthly, in-season, or annual basis, that would be up to the clubs.
TB: Will the new baseballs be available for retail sale to the public?
SS: Each club has the ability to sell the balls in their merchandise shop or online, that would be their prerogative. The league at this time is not planning to market them commercially.
Many, many thanks to Mr. Shutt for his time!
FotM (Friend of the Museum) Tyler Carrier snagged one in the wild from the brand-new Gastonia Ghost Peppers featuring CEO Andy Kaufmann’s stamp and President Rick White’s stamp bookending the QR code. This one takes you to the team website.
Word is that the teams will start using these after exhausting their supplies of last season’s balls. We’re getting reports that some teams are using them already, and that the QR codes are getting scuffed during game play, but we’ve been assured that the code will still work if even less than 25% of it is undamaged.
Kudos to the Atlantic League staff for yet another gamer innovation. Collect ’em all!
-Tony Baseballs