The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
NBA UNIFORMS TO CARRY ADS IN 2017-18
Owners approve three-year trial starting in 2017-18.
The NBA will begin putting sponsorship logos on player uniforms in 2017-18, a move that could generate at least $100 million annually and a step that the NFL, Major League Baseball and NHL have yet to take.
The three-year trial was approved Friday by NBA owners and will take effect when the league’s contract with Nike begins. The patches will appear on the front left of the jersey, opposite Nike’s logo, and measure about 21/2 by 21/2 inches.
Logos appear on international and MLS soccer jerseys, and many athletes in individual sports wear sponsors’ attire in competition.
Commissioner Adam Silver had said going with logos was inevitable because of the revenue potential. WNBA and NBA Development League teams already have logos, and NBA clubs wear them on practice jerseys.
Silver called the plan an “experiment” and said it was hard to estimate how much revenue it would generate because teams would be responsible for their own sales, and some could decide not to participate. But he said it could be $100 million annually.
“I think the greatest impact will be on sort of this amplifying effect of a company choosing to associate directly with a team’s jersey, then going out and promoting that relationship in the larger market,” Silver said. “I think that will lead to greater engagement of our fans with these teams.”
Owners also discussed a North Carolina law that limits anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay and transgender people. Silver called it “problematic” for the league, but there was no decision on moving next year’s All-Star Game out of Charlotte.
Grizzlies: It’s difficult enough to face the San Antonio Spurs with a healthy roster, but Memphis has to play the West’s No. 2 seed without two key players — point guard Mike Conley (Achilles injury) and leading scorer Marc Gasol (broken left foot). The Grizzlies were 5-15 after they lost Conley on March 6.
Heat: Forward Chris Bosh will still play a role in the firstround series against the Hornets, though it apparently won’t include him returning to the court. The All-Star gave an emotional address to teammates before practice Friday, speaking about how it pains him to be unable to play right now. Bosh has been sidelined since the All-Star break because of a blood clot that started in his calf.
Replays get faster: NBA replays averaged 31.9 seconds this season and have been trimmed by more than a minute in the two years since the Replay Center opened. This season’s average was down nearly 25 percent from 42.1 seconds in 2014-15.