Sponsors on team uniforms?
 

Ok, Football (soccer) players all ready have corporate logos on their uniforms... do you think it will ever happen with US sports?

I remember a debate a few years ago about ads on baseball players sleeves... what do you think would happen if this did go through?

What would happen if it went through? Teams would get more money.

doesnt this already happen?

nike seems to have their logo on bascially everyone playing a sport these days.

and of course, nascar drivers do.

It's already happening at the college level, the Nike Swoosh™ is on several teams' uniforms.

The thing that will likely keep it off professional player's uniforms is the fact that several players have promotion deals separate from the team's. Conflicts between teams and star players over brand-sponsors is a quick way to kill a championship run.

Additionally, would you want your product associated with the Detroit Tigers, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Nuggets, or Carolina Hurricanes?

I think it'll happen sooner or later as team owners look for new sources of revenue on top of their new stadiums and TV contracts.

It's already happened in a bit of a round about way. Look carefully the next time you watch the Denver Broncos play. When they get into a 3 point stance, take a good look at the side of the uniform. Nike designed the uniforms if it wasn't already obvious by the visible Nike swoosh that is formed when in the 3 point stance. It's very subtle, and you probably wouldn't notice unless someone pointed it out to you.

When they came out with those uniforms that was the first thing I noticed on the first play of the first game they had those uniforms. It's been 6 years now and I still hate those uniforms.

So is Reebok's and Adidas's logos. It depends on who makes the uniform.

Same with the NFL. Every uniform has that Reebok logo somewhere on it.

i think it'll happen within a couple of years. Look at Nascar, they're outta control!

May not be on the uniform but this phrase encompasses one team now:
"Bears football presented by Bank One"

That was because they wouldn't rename Soldier Field. How do they collect ad revenue? Use tack the sponsor onto the name. Even though no one says the name and the sponsor.

A tasteful patch on your uniform is a lot better than a corporate name over you ground, or over your team name.

But where would you put the sponsor logo on the NFL uniform ? Can't put it on the front or the back, because the giant numbers would get in the way, can't put it on the shoulders because it would be too small.

Oh, and the bears could have called it "Soldier Field - presented by Bank One" which sounds less stupid than "Bears football.." imo.

The Baltimore Spirit indoor soccer team used to be sponsered by Jolly Rancher candy. In fact, that was the ONLY thing on the uniform other then the player name/number.

i can´t believe that Gridiron players don´t already have advertising on their chests and backs.

in Australia, each team in every football code is adorned with advertising. even the cricket has advertising now. in some cases, this sponsorship is the only thing keeping some football clubs around.

i imagine if these massive NFL clubs get this extra sponsorship, they´ll be able to lower the game and added costs for the fans (but that ain´t going to happen is it).

There are more contractual obligations with the stadium name. Besides, with the team name, they are the only ones that have to say it, no one else ever does. Ever hear any group of fans get together and talk, "Man, those Bears presented by Bank One sure could use some help this year."

Reebok makes the Denver uniforms. Is this a recent change? and did they modify them if it is something new?

actually...reebok owns all rights to nfl uniforms. nike didnt want to sponsor any nfl team unless they sponsored all the teams (i.e. college uniforms). the nfl didnt want this so they gave exclusive rights to reebok.

Nike originally designed the current Broncos uniforms in '97 but Reebok acquired the rights to all NFL uniforms. I wish they would have modified the Broncos uniforms.

It happens in Auto Racing. College Bowl games. Fences in Baseball. Boards in Hockey. Why not? You try to watch the game, who cares if someone has a Coca Cola patch on thier sleeve? You know what team is playing. I have no problem watching Soccer games and except for Internationals, every team has a sponsor.

Hockey players in Europe are also covered in advertising (on helmets, jerseys, and of course the boards and ice). It's bound to cross over to North America in every major sport. It wouldn't bother me; it's more money to the teams for a product placement that I don't care about.
On the other hand, I'm not a 12 kid who might (will) be influenced by watching their sports idols wear product logos when they perform.

i think it would look really stupid

I'd never heard of that. Can someone put an image of that in this thread?

You're right, Reebok does make the uniforms for the Broncos, but whenever one of the players bends his leg at a perpendicular angle to the rest of his body, that orange stripe looks very similar to the Nike swoosh.

Here's the best I could find:
http://www.screensavershot.com/sports/denver2.jpg

Minor league hockey teams often have sponsor patches on their uniform. The AHL's Norfolk Admirals have a Stihl (local tool and machinery company) patch on their shoulder, at least they have for the past few years. I just checked their website, and it costs $22,000 a year to put the patch on the jersey and helmet. You do get 4 season tickets, though.

-Mikey