Gary Bettman was right -- the NHL “won’t be the first” of the Big Four professional sports league to have advertising on their jerseys.
That’s because the NBA will be the first. The basketball league announced it today.
From the NBA’s press release:
The NBA Board of Governors approved the sale of jersey sponsorships, beginning with the 2017-18 season, as part of a three-year pilot program. The sponsorship patch will appear on the front left of the game jerseys opposite the Nike logo. Patches will measure approximately 2.5 inches by 2.5 inches and be adjusted to fit the dimensions of each sponsor’s logo.
Now, let’s face it, the NHL may go down a similar path in the future, because....money.
But for now, just keep in mind what the commissioner said in September when the league announced its deal with Adidas.
“There have been some suggesting this deal means it is inevitable there’ll be advertising on uniforms – and that’s just not true,” said Bettman, per the Globe and Mail.
“Our sweaters, among all the other sports, are I think iconic, which is why I’ve previously been quoted as saying, ‘we certainly won’t be the first’ and you’d probably have to drag me, kicking and screaming [to do it], which would take a lot – a lot, a lot – of money.”