Sycuan Begins its 28th Season as a Padres Sponsor

For more than a quarter-century, Sycuan has set a new standard for community support with its sponsorship of the hometown San Diego Padres. Sycuan’s initial partnership investment in the ballclub in 1995 was also revolutionary as it was the first Tribal Government sponsorship in Major League Baseball. In many respects the deal paved the way for Native American Tribes and their business enterprises to establish significant presence and sponsorship status throughout professional sports.

As part of a multi-faceted partnership, Sycuan began sponsoring Padres Opening Day and Opening Week in 1996. In 2000, Sycuan again made history by becoming the first company of any kind to be the Presenting Sponsor of a major sports team’s entire season.

This groundbreaking sponsorship, which was also in place for the 2001 season, included Sycuan’s name being incorporated within a specially designed Padres season logo that was used by the team in print, TV and ancillary advertising in English and Spanish, as well as on team letterhead, business cards and all aspects of the team’s day-to-day business operations. Sycuan’s involvement in Opening Day and each season’s Opening Series continues today and features a branded giveaway item.

Sycuan’s two seasons as a season-long Presenting Sponsor also marked the beginning of casino involvement in the relationship and signaled a significant change across Major League Baseball in that regard.  This major presence with the ballclub was designed as a springboard into a much larger and more encompassing sponsorship with the team’s move into its new ballpark.

When the team moved to Petco Park in 2004, Sycuan was officially recognized as one of four Founding Ballpark Partners. Though the sponsorship benefits on the field were significant, the Padres and Sycuan forged a partnership off the field as well. With a shared commitment to the San Diego community, Sycuan and the Padres were able to team up for even greater impact.

Naturally, Sycuan became the presenting sponsor of an annual Native American Day at the ballpark in addition to teaming up on several charitable programs. As presenting sponsor of the Padres Foundation’s annual Shirts Off Their Backs initiative, Sycuan gave fans the chance to win a game-worn jersey off the back of a Padres player or coach by purchasing $1 scratcher tickets. The proceeds from the sale of scratcher tickets benefitted the Padres Foundation’s youth baseball and softball outreach efforts.