The independent baseball association the Atlantic League is going to experiment with something never seen in Major League Baseball. Baseballs used in the Atlantic League will soon include QR codes, per The Athletic. It will begin this season.

“We have a weekly communications call,” Atlantic League president Rick White said. “And during the call, one of us said, ‘Hey, have we ever tried a QR code on a baseball?’ … And literally within 60 seconds, we had decided we were going to move forward, and as long as it was feasible, we were going to do it.”

The QR code on baseballs is expected to help encourage fans to come to the ballpark. Fans who catch the balls, like a foul ball or home run, can use the QR code to get food and drink specials.

Other perks expected to be included with the use of the technology are free parking vouchers. The QR codes may also allow fans to have discounted tickets on future Atlantic League games.

“You can do all kinds of things with it,” White said. “And oh, by the way, you can also sell it to a potential sponsor.”

The Atlantic League contains 10 teams along the eastern seaboard. It is seen as an equivalent to MLB's minor leagues.

MLB is experimenting with all sorts of new technology

The Kansas City Royals draft Jac Caglianone as the sixth pick during the first round of the MLB Draft at Cowtown Coliseum.
Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

While MLB doesn't have immediate plans to put a QR code on a baseball, the league is experimenting with new technology. During spring training games, MLB used an automatic challenging system to help better determine balls and strikes.

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Interestingly, this challenge system also started in the Atlantic League. That independent league started using the challenge system in 2019, per MLB.com.

Analysts of the game think that this new system will lead to robot umpires. Other professional leagues, like the NFL, are starting to phase out having humans work on the sidelines. Baseball may soon be following.

Atlantic League President Rick White thinks that the QR code in baseball may soon be replicated by other leagues.

“We felt that this was a really interesting, novel and innovative next step,” White said. “And we expect it’s going to be copied relatively rapidly.”

Atlantic League teams will be allowed to use different QR codes, to give each team their own distinctive imprint. The Atlantic League has teams in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky.

Time will tell how this QR code craze works out.