MLB wah-wahs over Bryce Harper’s Wawa gear and gooses him with a fine

Bryce Harper, who leans into Philly culture as hard as he leans into homers, apparently ran afowl of MLB this summer when he donned custom-made Wawa cleats and a headband during a game.

Harper, the Phillies star hitter and first baseman, told Front Office Sports in a story this week that the MLB goosed him with a fine for improper advertising after he wore game-day gear featuring the Delaware County-based convenience store chain’s logo and Canada goose mascot.

“Obviously I understand why,” he told the outlet, “but also I think kids love it.”

The headband, which resembled Wawa’s hoagie wrappers, and the cleats, which featured a barcode on the heels with the phrase “Gottahavea Harper,” were created in collaboration with Under Armour (sneakers with a similar design went for $120 on Under Armour’s website and sold out). Harper debuted the gear during Wawa’s annual Hoagiefest promotion in June.

According to NBC10, the barcode paid homage to Harper’s favorite customized Wawa hoagie, which he orders before games. The details of Harper’s hoagies’ contents were not released, but are rumored to involve bread, cheese, and possibly lettuce.

It was not clear how much Harper was fined by MLB, but given this occurred during Hoagiefest, $5 for a minor (a.k.a. Shorti) infraction or $6 for a standard (classic) infraction would be appropriate.

Since joining the Phillies in 2019, Harper, ever “The Showman,” has ingratiated himself to Philadelphians on the field and off by leaning into what we love — big plays, sports radio, calling out our haters, and repping things we’re passionate about like the Phanatic, all of our sports teams, and, yes, even Wawa.

Getting hyped about a convenience store may seem weird to some people, but those people obviously don’t live near a Wawa. Just this week, the chain was named the best convenience store in the country, according to a study from the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

Like Harper, Wawa knows how to pander to its fans in Southeastern Pennsylvania by giving away free coffee on Wawa Day, free hoagies on Hoagie Day, and by partnering with Philly’s most beloved sports celebrities like Harper, his Phillies teammate Kyle Schwarber, and recently retired Eagles center Jason Kelce and his wife, Kylie.

In fact, many were hoping that when the Phillies went looking for a uniform sponsor earlier this year, that Wawa — which also sponsors Philly’s July 4th Made in America festivities — would step up to the plate, but Independence Blue Cross got the rights.

Hopefully, Harper’s MLB fine for his Wawa gear won’t impede future collaborations between these two beloved Philadelphia institutions because one day, the people of Southeastern Pennsylvania need to know what’s in Harper’s hoagie.