MLB clubs formalise 'Tarps Off' fan movement as superstition spreads across league
Following the St Louis Cardinals’ official designation of a high-energy section, the shirtless rallying trend has expanded to include league-leading teams and clubs in crisis, challenging assumptions about its applicability to underperforming franchises.
Major League Baseball is witnessing a rapid institutionalisation of a grassroots fan tradition known as "Tarps Off," where supporters remove their shirts and wave them to generate momentum for their team. The movement, which originated in college football during the 2025 season, has gained significant traction across MLB stadiums since its debut in the professional league on 15 May.
The MLB iteration began at Busch Stadium, where fans, including members of the Stephen F. Austin University club baseball team, went shirtless to support the St Louis Cardinals. The effort coincided with an 11th-inning walk-off victory, prompting the club to formally endorse the practice. The Cardinals announced that the upper right field bleachers would be designated as a dedicated high-energy fan section, effectively codifying a spontaneous fan behaviour into the stadium’s operational framework.
While the trend has historically been associated with teams struggling on the field, its adoption across the league suggests a broader cultural shift. The St Louis Cardinals were seven games over .500 when the shirts first came off, dispelling the notion that the superstition is exclusive to losing franchises. This was further evidenced by the Tampa Bay Rays, who held the best record in baseball at the time of the trend’s spread. The Rays’ organisation engaged with the movement, tweeting "TARPS OFF RAYS UP" as fans joined the rally.
The phenomenon has since appeared at games involving the Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers, and Los Angeles Angels. On 19 May, Seattle fans occupied three nearly full sections behind home plate wearing shirts, while Detroit supporters gathered in the upper deck at Comerica Park. The trend also manifested at Angel Stadium, where fans waved shirts and chanted "Sell the Team" during a game in which the Angels were no-hit into the ninth inning, before eventually securing a walk-off win.
The origins of "Tarps Off" trace back to 2025, when an Oklahoma State fan was dared to remove his shirt in an empty section of the stadium. The team finished the season with a 1-11 record and had dismissed head coach Mike Gundy before the trend gained momentum. However, the MLB version demonstrates a divergence from its collegiate roots, with teams of varying competitive standings utilising the ritual to energise their fan bases during the 162-game grind.
As temperatures rise and the season progresses, the trend is expected to continue spreading. The combination of weather conditions and the desire for fan-led superstitious rituals has created a new layer of stadium culture that clubs are increasingly acknowledging and, in some cases, structurally accommodating.
