NBA to include ads on All-Star jerseys this year
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver hinted that it would be only a matter of time before advertisements were placed on NBA jerseys. The new CBA which was announced last year included a deal with media-rights that allows for advertisements to be placed on jerseys to produce revenue for TV networks.
According to an article from the Wall Street Journal's Sara Germano, the league is planning on putting advertisements on the All-Star jerseys for both this year's game and next year's:
The National Basketball Association is planning to put a sponsored 3.25-inch-by-1.6-inch patchwith a Kia Motors Corp. logoon the upper left chest of player jerseys for both the 2016 and 2017 All-Star games, according to the league.
The patch, part of an advertising buy between media rights holder Turner Sports and sponsor Kia Motors America, will also appear on All-Star jerseys available for retail sale. The companies declined to disclose financial terms.
The NBA will be the first professional sports organization out of the four major ones in America to include advertisements on their jerseys:
It will mark the first time that one of the four major American professional sports will displayanon-apparel logo on jerseys during a game. It is a marketing feature that is common overseas, such as in European soccer leagues and in Nascar, but has long stirred debate by U.S. sports executives.
Both players and fans have had mixed feelings about ads being placed on jerseys. Some feel as if it damages the purity of the uniform, while some argue that it can affect personal endorsements that individual players have if they're required to wear a certain ad on their gear. However, with the new CBA including ads to be placed on jerseys, it seems as if the thought has become reality.
It's good that the league has decided to experiment with advertisements during the All-Star game. Fans will be able to get a taste of what it would look like and would hopefully grow more accustomed to the idea. While the NBA hasn't announced or planned on including ads on jerseys full-time, it's only a matter of time before that happens.
Image Credit: Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports
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