NBA basketball to allow shirt sponsorship
The NBA has announced for the 2017-18 season it will start allowing teams to put a small logo patch on their jerseys. This is estimated to generate about 4 million per season per team. This is the first sport of the main 4 in America (NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB) to allow this. This is common among foreign professional teams, particularly for big time soccer clubs in the English Premier, La Liga and many more. US professional teams have been hesitant to do this because of concern with turning away fans. There may be some truth to this, and some people feel cynical about the NBA already and how it's all about the money and not a team sport, particularly during the regular season. Many viewers prefer college sports because they maintain some level of purity (however fleeting that may be nowadays). This may not make much of a difference to viewers ultimately, it may frustrate some people, but I am not sure if it's enough for people to dwell on. We will see...For full article click below:
I read about this before it actually got voted on, and I have mixed feelings about it passing. I don't necessarily feel turned away by this as a fan, as I think it has become an essential part of a uniform for the soccer clubs that use this method of advertising and it will in basketball eventually as well. I think one thing that the teams will have to take into consideration is who they decide to let advertise on their uniforms, as these teams and companies become synonymous with each other and can have a big effect on reputation for both the team and advertiser.
ReplyDeleteI also have mixed feelings about this. I don't mind so much maybe one logo on a jersey, but if this has good reviews it may spiral out of control. Next thing we know many other sports will have logos on their uniforms and one logo may turn into fifteen logos on a jersey.
ReplyDeleteWhile yes this is a good opportunity for the industry to make extra money, I feel like we are already so surrounded by advertising, and this adding it to NBA jerseys just add to the nonstop ads. I could definitely see this getting a lot of negative responses from fans, but at the end of the day no one is going to stop watching because of some extra words on a jersey.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Phoebe regarding the amount of logos that will be seen on jerseys. European hockey and basketball leagues currently allow for multiple jersey sponsors and often have uniforms filled from top to bottom with corporate sponsors. I believe the idea would be successful if they stuck to one advertisement per team but I feel that if it is successful, we will start to see more an more appear on jerseys.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea from a business standpoint. However, I am concerned that it will ruin the aesthetics of the actual jersey. The European basketball jerseys look atrocious because they are covered with logos. However, if the NBA can make the jerseys look good, and add logos, then I am fine with it. Maybe if they can make model their jerseys after some of the European soccer teams... Although even some of those look bad due to advertisements (i.e. Man U + Chevy).
ReplyDeleteIf it makes money it makes sense. It helps the team with sponsorship and it helps the company get advertisement. both parties win. I think it is a very clever move.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely a tactic more commonly used in European sports leagues, but it will definitely be interesting to see how this will effect the sales of the companies lucky enough to earn sponsorships for the jerseys. I can already predict that the Clippers will have a Microsoft patch since their owner Steve Ballmer was the CEO of Microsoft from 2000-2014.
ReplyDeleteI like this a lot. I can see how people might not like this, as it is a huge way to make money for companies, but it can make jerseys unique and creative. Many professional soccer jerseys are very cool and have different colors and such because of the different companies they support on their jerseys. Many of the famous soccer teams such as Barcelona and Real Madrid only have one supporter on their jerseys, and they still look very nice. I would like to see if this will expand into different sports in the upcoming seasons.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes down to it, the NBA is still a business that needs to maximize profits. The addition of a small logo patch will help teams generate the needed money. I personally do not believe this will turn away fans with the addition of logo patches. If premier soccer teams can bring huge crowds to games, with logo patches, then the NBA will be able to do the same. I am interested to see what companies will have their logo on what team jersey.
ReplyDeleteI think that teams will definitely benefit from this. However, I think that there should rules as to how teams can use this new revenue. I don't think that they should use this to pay their players more. I am also interested to see how players are going to benefit from this. It is probable that NBA jersey's sold to fans will have these advertisements on them as well. Will some players like Steph Curry and LeBron James benefit more than other players from this?
ReplyDeleteI think that this was interesting read. but I don't think that people watching sports need to see even more advertising then they already do, people at sporting events are surrounded by advertising so I don't think they will really pay attention to what is on a teams jersey. I think that it wouldn't be productive to do so.
ReplyDeleteI can see this being very beneficial for the NBA. However I think for this to be truly effective is for the players to back it. Companies thrive on the celebrity status which players hold. It is the on court as well as the off court antics that makes the NBA so popular. The players need to truly embrace it and be advocates for these companies in order for it to work.
ReplyDeleteThis is a useful way to advertise. For the sponsors, if their logo appear in the team jerseys, since NBA is very popular, a large amount of people would see it. If people see the logo over and over during a long time, they would probably start to purchase their products, or consider their company’s products prior to other substitute goods.
ReplyDeleteFor the NBA team, they could have this money to purchase better training equipments, spend more on players’ health care, etc., so that they could have more chance to win NBA and at that time, more sponsors would be willing to sponsor their team.