Ads On Goalie Jerseys?
Sunday · Feb 17 · 2008 | 10:24 AM PSTI've gotten several emails this morning about an article appearing in today's Toronto Star. It discusses the possibility of a future in which NHL goaltenders don sweaters laden with corporate advertising. The article included a concept image of its own.
Yeah, in terms of aesthetics and the general will to, you know, not whore ourselves out to corporate greed, it's really rather horrific. Personally, I think there are better ways of marketing the NHL to keep the money coming in, and if Gary Bettman has any sense at all — and there's been little evidence of it so far — he won't even allow a second of consideration for this notion.
I applaud the players, however, for backing a play they know won't be popular for the sake of a game they love. Thing is, though, most hockey players don't have business degrees — nor do I. But ads on goalie jerseys? That's gotta cross a line somewhere.
By the way, if you haven't become disturbed by this idea yet, just look up again at that picture of Martin Brodeur. Then tell me he doesn't look like Jeff Gordon.
Reader Comments (25)
if/when this get green lit, it will look like the euro leagues. sponsors on the socks, pants, helmet, and all over the jersey.
why not use ads on the referee instead no one cares how they look.plus everyone think they are sell out already :P
It's bad enough that RBK is plastered all over the players, do we really need Sobë or Fed Ex or Labatt's logos on the players?
"Thing is, though, most hockey players don't have business degrees — nor do I."
Yeah, but just because you don't have a business degree doesn't mean that they don't know what they're talking about. I'm sure a lot of players have their own businesses on the side and are quite saavy when it comes to money. Plus this is a simple enough marketing ploy that really doesn't require a higher education.
Apparently, advertising on goalie jerseys could bring upwards of $30 million a year in extra revenue for the NHL. That's enough money that should at least get the attention of Bettman.
Of course I hope that this never happens. I think there's just something wrong about selling advertising space on any part of a player's uniform. But it's quick, easy money and with things such as naming right for stadiums and other forms of advertising/sponsorships taking over not just sports but everyday life, I wouldn't be surprised if they went ahead and at least gave it a shot.
It's sad, but as we're so often reminded, hockey is a business. So whatever is profitable for the owners is good for hockey, history and integrity be damned.
There was a time (it seems to me) when a team's uniform was sacred. As a fan, you wore your their colors because they represented something larger than yourself or the players on the ice: a team, a city, a history.
But as it becomes increasingly evident to me that the teams themselves see their jerseys as just one more way to bring in revenue, it's hard to remember why they used to mean something to me.
Maybe I'm just growing up.
i'm from europe and i tell you guys something: one of the things that makes me love the nhl so much is that THERE IS NO ADVERTISEMENT ON JERSEYS AND VERY LITTLE ON THE ICE! go on google and search for any picture of the swiss hockey league (national league a or NLA) and you'll be horrified. There's advertisement all over the place, on the jerseys on the ice, heck even in the face-off circles. So please, please don't let Bettman or anybody go that far, because it really destroys a big part of the sport.
What Is this!?! A Junior A Hockey League or Something!?
The Only thing that Should really be on an NHL Jersey is the Team's Colours Stripes and numbers, The Team's Primary/Secondary Logos, The NHL's Logo, and The Logo of the Company that made the Jersey. Other than that there should only be patches for various events such as the Stanley Cup or the All Star Game.
The NHL Shouldn't Have to Put Corporate Advertising on their Players. This is why you don't stuff as much as you can onto a NHL Jersey, It would make the Jersey an Eyesore. If Bettman Agrees With this, He's Sunk to a New Low.
Keep the Ads Off The Players!
Put them on the Referees/Linesmen, There's more of them than Goalies..."wink wink".
As a relatively young hockey fan (been following the game since 1994), I have a question for the elderstatesmen here: Was there a big outcry when they started putting ads on the boards?
bastardizing the jerseys and alienating fans for 30 million? are you kidding me? being from europe, ad-free jerseys are what I have always admired about this league...
besides, what's next? are we gonna have sponsors' names figuring in the name of the league like they have in czech republic, for instance?
Come on...the damn corporate advertising on teh boards isn't enough?
As awful as the idea is, it unfortunately could be even worse. Look at the UK Elite hockey league sometime, even the team names aren't sacred enough to avoid corporate sponsorship. Yes, there could potentially even be a future where team names are officially called things like the Nokia Buffalo Sabres or BCHydro's Vancouver Canucks.
wow....just wow
if that happened, id have to abandon the NHL altogether
as blasphemous as that sounds right now
No.
"As a relatively young hockey fan (been following the game since 1994), I have a question for the elderstatesmen here: Was there a big outcry when they started putting ads on the boards?"
Yes. in fact, ABC refused to show the ads on tv because they wanted part of the revenue for advertizing. they just cut to a shot of the skates and hoped for the best when a player was near an ad. it's wrong to have those ads there, but at least a board isn't as sacred as the player's sweater.
http://www.hc-slavia.cz/foto_sla/2008_33_PCE/IMG_2110.jpg European hockey. i DARE someone to find the team's logos on that jersey.
IS NOTHING SACRED?!
I think the game would look so empty without ads the boards. But the jersey thing is just stupid. Gary Bettman can taste my gitch if he's gonna do that.
ummmm
THATS BULL!!
"Apparently, advertising on goalie jerseys could bring upwards of $30 million a year in extra revenue for the NHL. That's enough money that should at least get the attention of Bettman."
Worst part is this only translates to up to $1M/team, thats peanuts.
Thanks johnious. Those Euro sweaters are absolutely hideous, too.
johnious - What a joke. And Roloson has the audacity to say that ads dosen't take anything away from the European jerseys
I actually called and left a voicemail for Gary Bettman at NHL offices today saying that this is a bad idea
they're out today because of president's day, but it was pretty cool that you could do that.
the number is 212-789-2000
Not that I am for such an idea, but soccer has done it for years, and it's the most popular sport in the world. It can't be all bad.
Rules can be put in place, only one sponsor per team. That way you'd end up with something similar to soccer shirts rather than Euro hockey shirts.
As for the ref's why not follow the lead of the Scottish soccer league, the ref's are sponsored by a national chain of opticians.
I'm either either on this to be honest. I recently watched a EPL gsme with no sponsors on the shirts and the kits looked great, but once you get used to seeing the sponsors name on the shirt, you hardly notice it till it changes.
Europe started advertising on the boards and on the ice, and now they plaster uniforms with sponsors. NHL will follow. You can't deny the all mighty buck.
Wow, i can just imagine:
"The Prudential Red Wings narrowly defeated the TCF bank Avelanche four to three in Nike overtime. They will now play the Dominoes Rangers in the Allstate NHL finals, the winner gets the Mcdonalds Challenge Cup.