There’s a fine line between acquiring corporate sponsorship and having players look like they are a walking advertisement.
The NBA hopes to toe this line as early as the 2017-18 season.
According to ESPN insiders Brian Windhorst and Darren Rovell, the NBA will likely pass a measure allowing teams to put ads on jerseys moving forward:
“NBA owners are scheduled to vote this week on putting ads on jerseys for the 2017-18 season, multiple sources told ESPN,” the report read. “The measure is expected to pass, according to sources. Several teams have begun testing the market to sell the potentially lucrative ads, which would be placed in a 2.5-by-2.5-inch patch on the left shoulder.”
What seems like a great idea in theory could end up causing some collective bargaining issues. The proposal is intended for teams to keep 50 percent of the revenue generated with the other half going to the revenue sharing pool between the league’s teams.
Nike takes over for Adidas as the face of NBA apparel starting in 2017-18, meaning that’s the first season this new format could be debuted. There is a real potential players might see an issue with the revenue split, especially if Nike jerseys on sale in the retail sector include the ads.
This is something that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has been pushing since he took over the mantle as the Association’s top dog:
“It’s manifest destiny,” Silver told ESPN back in March. “So let’s begin by saying this isn’t going affect the competition. What we’re talking about is a patch on the jersey. And one of the reasons we want to do it is that it creates an additional investment in those companies in the league.”
From a business standpoint, this makes a ton of sense. And in reality, a small patch on the shoulder isn’t going to make a jersey unattractive to the consumer.
The fine line here is what could potentially follow. What’s to stop the NBA from adding another patch, and then another one? That’s the issue some have with this.