The idea behind corporate sponsor patches on NBA jerseys isn’t a new one. The topic has been discussed for years and is a major turn-off for those who don’t want to see NBA uniforms covered with the kind of corporate patches found on FIBA or WNBA jerseys.
The debate might come to a close if the financial windfall NBA franchises would see from corporate sponsors is too great for the league (and its owners) to ignore. The Chicago Bulls are one team that could see a substantial amount of additional money in their pockets, according to Crain’s Chicago Business:
“As the NBA weighs allowing corporate sponsor logos on the front of its uniforms, one local expert estimates that such a deal for the Chicago Bulls could net the team an extra $8 million to $10 million in annual revenue.”
The Bulls are already one of the most profitable and popular teams in the NBA. An additional $8-$10 million of what's essentially pure profit would be very hard to turn down for a team with large corporate sponsors such as Verizon Wireless, BMO Harris Bank, Anheuser-Busch and Kia Motors Corp.
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The league's initial plan is to have the patches be as minimally intrusive as possible and not disturb the traditional look of the jerseys that fans have become accustomed to.
The NBA Board of Governors will vote on the jersey sponsorship measure in September. Once approved, a small, 2-by-2-inch patch would be affixed onto the shoulder area of the jerseys beginning in the 2013-2014 season.
