CHICAGO — January 28, 2026
Executive Summary
CME Group has been named the first-ever jersey patch sponsor of the Chicago White Sox under a new multiyear agreement that also establishes the derivatives marketplace as the team’s Official Global Exchange Partner. The partnership places the CME Group logo on all White Sox uniforms, including home, road, alternate, and MLB Nike City Connect jerseys, across Spring Training, regular season, and postseason games. In addition to uniform branding, the agreement includes fixed in-stadium signage and other promotional placements at Rate Field. According to the organizations, the partnership is designed to connect two Chicago-based institutions with global reach, aligning CME Group’s expanding international and retail presence with the White Sox’s growing domestic and global audience.
Announcement Overview
The Chicago White Sox have announced a multiyear commercial partnership with CME Group, naming the financial services company as the franchise’s inaugural jersey patch sponsor. Under the agreement, CME Group’s logo will appear on the team’s uniforms beginning with the 2026 season, marking the first time the White Sox have featured a corporate partner on player jerseys.
The agreement also designates CME Group as the White Sox’s Official Global Exchange Partner. Beyond uniform placement, CME Group will receive prominent fixed signage behind home plate during home games at Rate Field, along with additional promotional opportunities tied to team assets and platforms.
According to the teams involved, the partnership is structured to reach audiences at both local and global levels. The White Sox cited the importance of selecting a Chicago-based organization with international recognition, while CME Group highlighted the opportunity to align its brand with a major professional sports franchise that continues to expand its reach across younger and global fan demographics.
The jersey patch will debut during Cactus League Spring Training play in February 2026 and will continue throughout the regular season and postseason schedule.
Key Announcement Details
- Announcement type: Multiyear sports sponsorship and commercial partnership
- Parties involved: CME Group and the Chicago White Sox
- Sponsorship designation: First-ever White Sox jersey patch sponsor
- Additional designation: Official Global Exchange Partner
- Uniform coverage: Home, road, alternate, and MLB Nike City Connect jerseys
- Game coverage: Spring Training, regular season, and postseason
- In-stadium assets: Fixed signage behind home plate at Rate Field
- Effective debut: February 20, 2026 (Spring Training)
Strategic Context
According to the organizations, the agreement reflects a broader trend across professional sports toward jersey sponsorships as a high-visibility commercial asset. Major League Baseball has expanded uniform sponsorship opportunities in recent seasons, allowing teams to establish long-term brand partnerships that extend beyond traditional stadium signage.
CME Group described the partnership as aligned with its efforts to broaden awareness among global audiences and emerging client segments, including retail participants. As a derivatives marketplace operating across multiple asset classes and regions, the company indicated that association with a globally recognized sports brand offers an additional platform for brand visibility.
From the team’s perspective, the White Sox emphasized the significance of selecting a partner whose headquarters and corporate heritage are rooted in Chicago. According to the club, the jersey patch represents more than a branding placement and is intended to symbolize a shared connection to the city while extending the White Sox brand to international markets through broadcast and digital distribution.
The partnership arrives as Major League Baseball continues to report strong media engagement and record league revenues, contributing to increased visibility for uniform sponsors across global broadcasts.
Leadership Statements
“Partnering with a team known for grit, achievement and perseverance is a natural fit with the CME Group brand, and we are pleased to become the first jersey-patch sponsor of the Chicago White Sox,” said Terry Duffy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CME Group. “In our own ways, both of our organizations are strong contributors to the greater Chicago community. Yet our reach goes well beyond the city we share, appealing to key constituents around the world. The White Sox are reaching younger, broader and increasingly global audiences, as evidenced by the league’s record revenue and increasing viewership. CME Group is similarly expanding into new markets and client segments, particularly in retail. Together, we’ll deliver a compelling experience that appeals to our current and prospective clients while elevating both brands.”
“Throughout this process, we understood the importance and significance of joining forces with a Chicago-based partner whose brand we would literally be sporting every day,” said Brooks Boyer, Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer of the Chicago White Sox. “The White Sox uniform designs represent so much to our organization, our fans and Chicago, and a bold partnership with CME Group—a Chicago-born company with a global footprint—was a perfect fit. Our organizations share a mentality that is built on ambition, pride and a strong work ethic, and this jersey patch is more than branding; it reinforces the power of Chicago both here at home and around the world.”
Uniform Design and Branding Placement
Under the agreement, the CME Group logo will be integrated across multiple White Sox uniform variations, with design adjustments to align with each jersey style.
On the home pinstripes uniform, the CME Group logo will feature a blue mark set against a white background with a black border, with “CME” rendered in black lettering. The road gray uniforms will display the blue logo on a gray background, again with black lettering.
For alternate black uniforms and the MLB Nike City Connect jerseys, the logo will appear in blue on a black background, with “CME” presented in white lettering. According to the team, these variations were developed to maintain consistency with existing uniform aesthetics while ensuring visibility across broadcast and in-stadium contexts.
The uniform integration applies to all official game settings, including Spring Training exhibitions, regular season contests, and any postseason appearances.
Debut Schedule
The White Sox will debut the updated uniforms featuring the CME Group jersey patch when Cactus League play begins on Friday, February 20, 2026, in a matchup against the Chicago Cubs scheduled for 2:05 p.m. CT.
The patch will appear during the team’s first regular season game on Thursday, March 26, 2026, when the White Sox open the season in Milwaukee at 1:10 p.m. CT. The home debut at Rate Field is scheduled for Thursday, April 2, 2026, when the White Sox host the Toronto Blue Jays at 3:10 p.m. CT.
These games mark the first official appearances of the White Sox uniform featuring a jersey patch sponsor in the franchise’s history.
In-Stadium and Promotional Assets
In addition to uniform branding, the agreement grants CME Group prominent fixed signage behind home plate during White Sox home games at Rate Field. According to the announcement, this placement is designed to maximize broadcast visibility during live game coverage.
The partnership also includes other promotional opportunities across team-controlled channels, though specific activation details were not disclosed. These opportunities may include digital integrations, hospitality assets, and co-branded initiatives aligned with league and team guidelines.
The organizations indicated that the partnership structure is intended to deliver consistent brand exposure across multiple platforms and touchpoints throughout the season.
Chicago-Based Institutions With Global Reach
Both organizations emphasized their shared Chicago roots as a foundational element of the partnership. CME Group traces its history to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, while the White Sox are one of the city’s most established professional sports franchises.
According to CME Group, the partnership reflects its longstanding presence in Chicago while highlighting its role as a global financial marketplace serving participants across major asset classes, including interest rates, equities, foreign exchange, energy, agriculture, metals, and cryptocurrencies.
The White Sox noted that the team’s broadcast footprint and digital engagement extend well beyond the Chicago region, allowing corporate partners to reach national and international audiences through televised games, streaming platforms, and social media.
About CME Group
CME Group is the world’s leading derivatives marketplace, enabling clients to trade futures, options, cash, and over-the-counter markets. The company operates exchanges offering a broad range of global benchmark products across major asset classes, including interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, cryptocurrencies, energy, agricultural products, and metals.
CME Group provides futures and options trading through the CME Globex platform, fixed income trading via BrokerTec, and foreign exchange trading through the EBS platform. The company also operates CME Clearing, a central counterparty clearing provider.
CME Group serves market participants worldwide and supports portfolio optimization, risk management, and data analysis through its trading and technology infrastructure. Additional information is available on the company’s website.
Media Contacts
CME Group
Source: CME Group announcement
For additional information regarding the Chicago White Sox partnership, visit whitesox.com/cme.
Source Attribution
Source: Company announcement
