Pittsburgh Pirates, Sheetz Sued Over Uniform Marketing Dispute

PITTSBURGH, PA — The Major League Baseball Players Association is suing the Pittsburgh Pirates and Sheetz over a sponsorship agreement announced in June that involves a Sheetz patch appearing on players' uniforms.

It's not the patch itself that prompted the litigation by the union that represents major league baseball players. It's that the Pirates and Sheetz allegedly used the likenesses of multiple players for the joint promotional campaign without a licensing agreement.

The union wants the Bucs to quit using the Sheetz patch on the jersey sleeves and pay its players monetary damages.

A Pirates spokesman told WTAE-TV that the team has been in discussions with the union and expects the lawsuit to be withdrawn. Sheetz has yet to comment.

In addition to the uniform patches, the multi-year Pirates-Sheetz partnership includes ballpark signage, in-game activations and unique social and digital content.