The Los Angeles Dodgers, reigning back-to-back World Series champions from North America's Major League Baseball (MLB), have confirmed their partnership with Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo, which has become a presenting partner at the iconic Dodger Stadium.
While not technically the naming rights partner of Dodger Stadium, which will retain its iconic name, Uniqlo has sponsored the turf at the stadium, which will now be known as 'Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.'
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That name will be displayed across the venue, alongside a prominent branding presence for the clothing brand, including above center field, beneath the press box, and on the grass along the baselines around the turf.
The pair will collaborate on in-person events and activations around the deal, both at Dodger Stadium and at Uniqlo locations across the state of California (with Los Angeles naturally a focus market), as well as community-focused charity initiatives.
Speaking on the deal, Dodgers chief executive and president Stan Kasten said, “Uniqlo is as distinguished in their field as the Dodgers are in ours. Both organizations aspire to be global leaders and to set the standard in our respective industries and communities.
Uniqlo will become the latest Japanese brand to capitalize on the back-to-back World Series champions’ burgeoning popularity across both sides of the Pacific.
Indeed, the presence of elite pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, young talent Roki Sasaki, and three-time back-to-back reigning MVP Shohei Ohtani has helped attract a myriad of Japanese brands to sponsor the Dodgers.
Japanese brands partnered with the Dodgers in the 2025 campaign included Daiso, Nippon Airways, Toyo Tires, Kose Corporation, Toei Animation, and Kowa Company.
For Uniqlo, this represents the brand’s first major sponsorship agreement in the US market.
Although it has never been a particularly major sponsor of team sports, Uniqlo has long supported prominent individual athletes, perhaps most notably tennis stars Rodger Federer, Kei Nishikori, and Emma Radacanu, wheelchair tennis players Gordon Reid and Shingo Kunieda, snowboarder Ayumu Hirano, and golfer Adam Scott.
With this new agreement, Uniqlo has easy access to a new high-class of high-profile Japanese talent that can allow it to bolster its strong brand equity in its home market, while similarly supporting the growth of its US business.
Back in January, Uniqlo revealed that it is targeting around $20 billion in US sales as part of an ambitious push into the market, which is not one of its major international territories currently, although it would like it to be, which is likely why the brand has targeted the LA Dodgers as a vehicle to expand that.
The LA Dodgers begin their 2026 MLB campaign later today against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Elsewhere in MLB, reports suggest that US investor Tom Gores, owner of the Detroit Pistons NBA basketball franchise, is the latest to join the race to acquire the San Diego Padres.
Gores is reportedly leading a consortium that has entered the race to acquire the California franchise, with a purchase price potentially exceeding a record $3.5 billion.
Despite his high net worth, reportedly around the $10 billion mark, Gores will face significant competition from three others that are reportedly also in the running to acquire the team.
José E. Feliciano, co-founder of investment fund Clearlake (which owns English soccer side Chelsea), Dan Friedkin (who owns English soccer side Everton and Italian team Roma), and Joe Lacob (owner of basketball’s Golden State Warriors and Golden State Valkyries).
The future of the Padres has been in question for several years since the passing of owner Peter Seidler in 2023.
A group including Peter Seidler, his uncle Peter O’Malley, and businessman Ron Fowler first purchased the Padres in 2012, and Seidler himself became majority owner and chair in 2020 when he bought out part of Fowler’s stake.
Since his passing in 2023, Peter Seidler’s trust and estate have been managed by his brothers Robert (November 2023-May 2024) and then Matthew (May 2024 onwards).
Across 2025, Matthew and Robert have been locked in a legal battle for control of the franchise with Peter’s wife, Sheel Seidler.
In January 2025, Sheel Seidler sued Robert and Matthew Seidler for control of the team, alleging that the brothers had sidelined her and her and Peter’s three children from the franchise.
Furthermore, the suit, lodged in the probate court of Travis County, Texas, accuses the brothers of “fiduciary breaches of trust, fraud, conversion, and egregious acts of self-dealing,” suggesting that they had sold assets from the trust to themselves and had utilized trust funds for personal payments.
Sheel and her three children are still the largest single shareholders in the team, holding around 25% of it.
In February 2026, Sheel dropped the majority of her claims against Matthew and Robert, settling with the pair privately, a move that likely opened the door for the fast-moving sales process that is now underway.
The Padres franchise will begin its 2026 MLB season today against the Detroit Tigers.
