For the first time in the 65-year history of the National Baseball Series, a Cuban team features the logo of a private sponsor on its uniform: Industriales showcases in the 65th edition of the tournament the logo of A Granel—a private Cuban fuel distribution company—printed on its traditional white and blue jerseys.
The same announcement appeared on the billboards of the central garden of the Estadio Latinoamericano, home of the Havana team, as reported by the AP agency from Havana.
The irony of the moment is not lost: the regime that for decades demonized professionalism and "capitalist" advertising—abolishing professional baseball after the 1960-1961 season and creating INDER in February 1961 to establish amateurism—now needs a private fuel company to supply gasoline and food to its flagship team.
The manager of Industriales, Guillermo Carmona, supported the agreement straightforwardly: "I think it’s a good idea. New measures are being adopted and there is a change in many policies in the country. I believe this is something that will help."
Sponsorship is possible thanks to the new regulations of the Cuban sports system approved last year. The previous Friday, Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo, president of the National Baseball Federation, confirmed that contracts of this type are expressly authorized under this legal framework. National agreements must be channeled through Cubadeportes S.A.
The economic terms of the contract have not been disclosed, but both Carmona and Pérez Pardo outlined what the team will receive: bats, uniforms, transportation fuel, players' meals, and improvements to the playing fields. The sponsorship covers the entire team, not an individual athlete.
A Granel has been operating since approximately June 2026 in Arroyo Arenas, La Lisa municipality, in Havana. It sells imported diesel from the United States to registered private Cuban companies at $2.50 per liter, from facilities of Cubalub, a subsidiary of the state-owned Cupet.
A promoter from A Granel stated that it has foreign capital and pays taxes, although its partners and the specific origin of the funds have not been publicly identified. Its exact legal status has also not been officially confirmed.
The context in which this sponsorship occurs reflects the depth of the crisis in Cuban baseball. The 65th National Series kicked off on October 4 with the schedule reduced from 75 to 44 games per team and the competition divided into East and West zones, to avoid interprovincial travel and save fuel. The logistical cost of a national tournament exceeds 600,000 dollars according to official figures.
Scarcity reached remarkable extremes during the preparations: only 300 balls were distributed for the 16 participating teams, and each province had to secure its own bats.
In May, the regime suspended the national youth championships for U-12, U-15, and U-18 due to a lack of fuel for interprovincial transportation. The exodus of players to foreign leagues is also ongoing: at least 103 athletes had left the country in recent years.
Luisa Álvarez, a 55-year-old fan of Industriales, expressed the sentiment of many Cubans regarding the news: "It is important that this step has been taken. We are aware of the situation the country is facing."
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