Perhaps the “B” in NBA should stand for brands, not basketball.
The league approved today a three-year test program that lets team sell advertisements on basketball jerseys. Starting in 2017, NBA teams can sell brands a tiny 2.5-by-2.5 inch space under the player’s left shoulder.
While it’s a small space, it has the potential to bring in big revenue for the NBA. Bloomberg reports that ads from the league’s 30 teams could reel in $150 million in yearly revenue. Under the guidelines, the teams will keep half of it and the other half will be dispersed to players in a revenue-sharing pool.
“Jersey sponsorships provide deeper engagement with partners looking to build a unique association with our teams,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “The additional investment will help grow the game in exciting new ways.”
The ad’s introduction begins next year when Nike’s $1 billion contract of producing the NBA’s jerseys begins its eight year run, taking over Adidas’ agreement. The NBA follows European soccer leagues, which have ads on its kits for several years, along with NASCAR, Major League Soccer and the WNBA.
Ad position: web_incontent_pos1
Some fans are already creatively reimagining the new jerseys:
lakers jerseys next year , after the NBA approved ads on jerseys pic.twitter.com/AM3qd0Mcy4
— cake (@CaleJackson17) April 15, 2016
I thought the ads on jerseys were going to be kind of gross, but they’re actually pretty subtle. pic.twitter.com/6h4RsMzqWg
— Steve McPherson (@steventurous) April 15, 2016
Ad position: web_incontent_pos2
This Ads on NBA jerseys thing could end up being quite funny@KySportsRadio @ryanlemond pic.twitter.com/EeACs35u50
— John Robic's Hair (@JohnRobicsHair) April 15, 2016
Images via Shutterstock.
More in Marketing
In the marketing world, anime is following in the footsteps of gaming
As marketers look to take advantage of anime’s entry into the zeitgeist, they might be wise to observe the parallels between the evolution of anime as a marketing channel and the ways brands have learned to better leverage gaming in recent years.
With the introduction of video ads and e-commerce, Roblox looks to attain platform status
Roblox is expanding into more areas than just ads in 2024. Much like platforms such as Amazon and Facebook have transcended their origins to evolve from their origins as online marketplaces and social media channels, Roblox is in the midst of a transformation into a platform for all elements of users’ virtual lives.
PepsiCo wants to remain a ‘driver of culture’ as it turns to influencers and activations amid rebrand
The soda-maker says it can translate cultural relevance into sales volume.
Ad position: web_bfu