When the Atlanta Braves take the field for their home-opener on Friday, they'll be greeted by the Washington Nationals, 50,000 fans and 40-foot-tall cow.

Outlandish sponsorships are nothing new to baseball -- who can forget the "Spider-Base" incident of '04 -- but this 15,000-pound, tomahawk-chopping addition to Turner Field is pushing stadium advertising into uncharted territory.

Bearing a sign that has "DU THE CHOP, EAT THE CHIKIN" scrawled across it, the four-story mechanical cow is part of Atlanta-based restaurant chain Chick-fil-A's current marketing campaign. Looming large in left center, the bovine is turning heads and drawing laughs. And while that may be great for Chick-fil-A, what is it doing to the "ballpark" experience?

The cows have been put out to pasture elsewhere in Atlanta; A pair of heffers also hang from each of the foul poles at the home of the Gwinnett Braves, Atlanta's AAA squad. These cows are calling for fans to, "EAT MOR FOWL." Ha.

While I understand that advertisements are necessary to keep ticket prices down and teams operating, you've got to wonder if these sponsored spectacles will start to detract from the game. Fans will be forced to weed through a branded, theme-park-esque stadium just to watch a game.

And the cow? He's got the best seat in the house... and if he gets thirsty, he can just take a swig out of the giant Coke bottle on his right.