NBA to allow ads on jerseys, fan freakout ensues
The Chicago Red-Bulls? The Houston SpaceX Rockets? How about the New York Knicks, brought to you by Showtime?
All these terrible pun ideas and many more are now on the table.
NBA owners have finally approved putting ads on jerseys, the culmination of years spent considering the move.
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Don't freak out just yet. There's not going to be any gigantic ads (at least for now). Each team's jersey will have a patch that is about 2.5 inches by 2.5 inches.
The ads will start showing up in the 2017-18 season and are planned to last for three years under a pilot program. The league will then be able to consider whether to continue having ads on the jerseys.
Each team will be responsible for selling the ad space on its jerseys.
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"Jersey sponsorships provide deeper engagement with partners looking to build a unique association with our teams and the additional investment will help grow the game in exciting new ways," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement on Friday.
"We're always thinking about innovative ways the NBA can remain competitive in a global marketplace, and we are excited to see the results of this three-year trial."
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Jerseys sold to fans wont necessarily have the ads. Teams will be able to decide whether to include the patches in their own stores, while jerseys bought elsewhere will be devoid of the ads.
While the ads will be small for now, that didn't stop many from worrying that NBA jerseys will eventually look more like the suits worn by a NASCAR pit crew.
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Topics Advertising
Jason Abbruzzese is a Business Reporter at Mashable. He covers the media and telecom industries with a particular focus on how the Internet is changing these markets and impacting consumers. Prior to working at Mashable, Jason served as Markets Reporter and Web Producer at the Financial Times. Jason holds a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University and an M.A. in International Affairs from Australian National University.
