Caesars gets name on Capitals NHL jersey

One month after the NHL'S board of governors unanimously approved advertisements on game jerseys beginning in the 2022-23 season, the Washington Capitals on Friday became the first team to announce its jersey sponsor.

While providing a lucrative new revenue stream for the team, it's a safe bet the change, which is still a year away, will take some getting used to.

A 3-inch-by-3½-inch Caesars Sportsbook patch, including the gaming company's goblet logo, will appear on the upper right chest of Washington's red home and blue alternate sweaters next season.

The team is still in talks with potential sponsors for its road white jerseys; Sportsbook ads may only be worn at home by franchises in markets where sports betting is legal.

Financial terms of the multiyear deal were not disclosed, but league and team executives have suggested jersey sponsorships could be at least as valuable as arena naming rights deals, which in the case of Washington's Capital One Arena amounts to US$10 million per year.

Jim Van Stone, Monumental Sports and Entertainment's president of business operations and chief commercial officer, didn't dispute that notion, calling the Caesars jersey partnership “significant in terms of value.”

While European sports leagues have featured advertising on uniforms for years, North American leagues have been more resistant to using their players as billboards.

MLS and the WNBA began allowing teams to sell ads on uniforms in 2007 and 2009, respectively. To recoup some of the revenue lost to COVID, the NHL permitted teams to sell advertising on players' helmets last season.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the initiative, which launched as a one-year trial, helped retain more than $100 million and will continue this season and beyond. The Capitals, who have worn a sponsor patch on their practice jerseys since 2016, have a multi-year deal with Capital One as their helmet sponsor.

Van Stone said the jerseys will be available for sale with or without the sponsor patch. He understands some fans will want to wear exactly what players are sporting on the ice, while others might prefer the more traditional, ad-free design.

“The NHL understands the value of the iconic look of team uniforms and brands,” Van Stone said. “I see this as a really great starting point.”