NHL Jerseys: No Ads on New Team Sweaters

For many fans – new NHL Jerseys from Adidas meant the end of something sacred, and the start of advertisements on jerseys. I mean why not, the NHL owners are going to do whatever it takes to squeeze every penny out of possible advertisers.

The game has seen changes in that regard. No long do you have memorial stadiums, but multi-million dollar billboards for companies to get in on the sports actions. Remember the days when the boards were simply white walls? Ok, so some of you might not be old enough to remember that, but YouTube some classic hockey games – and you will see what I am talking about.

More From Too Many Men – NHL Jerseys With Ads Not A Big Deal

Adidas and the NHL have just joined forces, replacing Reebok as the make of NHL jerseys – and if reports are true, there are no advertisements coming on the sweaters. I mean, Gary Bettman says it right in this article, so it has to be true right?

There have been some suggesting this deal means it is inevitable there’ll be advertising on uniforms – and that’s just not true,” Gary Bettman, The Globe and Mail.

How much can we take Gary Bettman at his word though? Just one year ago our buddy Gary told the world through the team owners that the NHL was not expanding anytime soon. Now here we are exactly one year after that report came out with two cities in the third phase of the NHLs expansion process, with possible franchises very close to happening in Las Vegas and Québec City.

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Having ads on jerseys isn’t exactly something the NHL would be breaking the ice on. We already have ads on sweaters in Europe, and the AHL has even gone to promoting corporations on their game day sweaters. Usually what happens in the AHL will eventually transfer over to the NHL.

So while Bettman wants us to drink the koolaid and accept this transfer from Reebok to Adidas (not really a big transfer, just an alignment with branding of the clothing provider), there are some within the NHL that say the ads are coming.

All of the major leagues – especially the big four have proven time and time again that they are going to do whatever the money tells them to do, and has little interest in hearing from their fans. Hell, the NHL has already warned its fans to brace for the possibility of another lockout. A league that is looking that far ahead at locking out its players over money issues, knowing that they will come back and spend money again, despite the number of lockouts – is going to put ads on NHL jerseys if they think the money is right.

There are limitless possibilities for the team and league to make revenue here. Road sweaters, home sweaters, alternate jerseys. Stadium series sweaters and of course the Winter Classic or Heritage Classic all have unique revenue generating options.

And you know what – people will buy them, with or without ads.

Next: NHL Jersey Ads Will Have High Price

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