Included in the NBA’s newest CBA is language allowing for a small corporate logo to be worn on team uniforms for advertising purposes. The Celtics are in agreement with GE on a deal that will involve a jersey logo starting next season.
The Kings and 76ers have already signed up corporate sponsors (StubHub and Blue Diamond, respectively), but the Celtics become the first tradition-soaked team to take the plunge:
The NBA allowing teams to start selling a 2½-by-2½ inch space on jerseys corresponds to the first year of the league’s deal with Nike, which takes over for Adidas next season.
The league has said that jerseys sold nationally will not include the logo patches, but that teams have the right to sell jerseys with patches inside the arena.
The Kings’ and the 76ers’ deals were said to be each worth $5 million annually.
This could be a post about how nothing is sacred anymore, or how the Celtics jerseys should remain pure, or some other stupid take that the general Boston sports media will most likely be supplying in droves. But it’s not! Because, frankly, this is obviously the direction the sport is heading.
Ads are already all over the court. It’s not really a departure to throw a small patch on the jersey. Is it unfortunate? Sure. It’d be nice if those profiting off of the game preferred aesthetics over advertising dollars. But holding your breath waiting for that to happen is a surefire way to pass out.
More of these deals will be announced going forward; Darren Rovell notes that Golden State is seeking between $15 and $20 million annually for jersey sponsorship. So your favorite team is likely going to be getting on board this particular train as well. Hopefully they pick a better sponsor than GE, though.
Seriously, why is GE doing this, aside from the fact they’re moving their headquarters to Boston? Are Boston fans really going to buy different light bulbs, or appliances, or, uh, jet engines, or whatever? How is this a wise investment, asks a guy who has done zero research?
Though it did lead to this great AP quote:
General Electric is in the process of moving its corporate headquarters from Connecticut to an old candy factory on the Boston waterfront.
That sounds like a heck of a Scooby-Doo setup.
Brad Stevens is totally a Fred.
[ESPN]
