Jerry West logo moves to back of jerseys. Ads incoming?

[J Shuttlesworth]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24592822/report-nba-moving-logo-to-the-back-of-jerseys-are-ads-on-the-way

http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/visual/whatshot/HORNETS.jpg

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ESPN reports that after the Hornets unveiled their new uniforms Thursday, there's an element missing that's sure to cause some discussion. The logo of the NBA itself, featuring Jerry West, has been moved to the back. And while the league says it's a cosmetic adjustment, there's talk that it could be commercial in nature.

All NBA teams will be wearing the logo on the back for the 2014-15 season, the league confirmed to ESPN.com. A league official called it a "stylistic move" but declined to comment further.

Eighteen of the NBA's 30 teams have a team logo in the rear-neckline spot. The league official confirmed that those logos all will be replaced by the repositioned league logo.

The move is sure to fuel speculation that the NBA is preparing to move ahead with its long-planned program of jersey advertising. Removing the league logo from the front of the jersey will clear more space for an ad patch and remove what would otherwise be a competing visual icon.

via NBA to move league logo to back of jerseys - ESPN.

Back in March, Commissioner Adam Silver said that ads on jerseys were "inevitable." If this is indeed a move in that direction, it will be neither surprising nor widely supported. While players have been cautiously open to it (based on the potential for the revenue to be included in BRI, basketball-related income which they get a share of), media and fans have been pretty widely opposed to it.

Then again, the backboards were supposed to get ads two years ago, and that as yet to happen. The league's pretty careful with how they roll these things out. But it certainly seems like that's the direction.

While we're on the topic ... Jerry West is an all-time player, arguably top-20. But at some point it's time to revisit the image, right? I mean, there's a pretty strong argument that it needs to be Jordan. Would anyone, even West, object to that? Seems like something that should be explored for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that the logo of a league that is both historically and currently predominantly black or African American is based after a white player. I'm not saying West should absolutely be replaced, the image and brand value of the logo is iconic at this stage. But if we're moving things around to make money, might as well take a look and see if that's still accurate.

Or they can put LeBron on it and watch the world explode in outrage.

[navy]

I didnt even notice. Sneaky bastards.

[Marchesk]

Leela: Didn't you have ads in the 20th century?

Fry: Well, sure, but not in our dreams. Only on TV and radio. And in magazines and movies and at ball games, on buses and milk cartons and T-shirts and bananas and written on the sky. But not in dreams. No, sir-ee!

[TheMarkMadsen]

Hate the V neck for jerseys.

[alanLA92]

:kobe:

[Akrazotile]

Theyre planning to put ads on the backboard??

[navy]

Theyre planning to put ads on the backboard??
:oldlol:

[MP.Trey]

Theyre planning to put ads on the backboard??
Put a McDonalds logo there and I bet you Anthony Bennett leads the league in rebounding next year.

[tomtucker]

Put a McDonalds logo there and I bet you Anthony Bennett leads the league in rebounding next year.
:oldlol: :D

[russwest0]

lol with this "ads on jerseys" shit.

not even proud to be a fan of this sport at all. we rig outcomes in the playoffs and try to extend series to make as much money as possible, losing fans in the process, but I guess the cashflow is running low from that technique and now we're gonna stick ads all over our jerseys as well.

[SpanishACB]

It's silly that they do not do this yet.

I'm a hardcore Barcelona fan (soccer), we were the only club remaining without a shirt sponsor (because honor, principles, whatever), that changed a few years ago.

It's not a big deal. It's a no deal. Team's getting 100 more millions a year. I'll sign. Our shirt is still getting sold everywhere in the world. I think sales increased the moment we put in an sponsor because "woha new and exciting!"

Trust me people will still buy them shirts regardless of sponsors, some sponsors look cool and it can potentially make kits more different between each other from season to season (talking about a team in particular) giving more incentive to buy a new shirt even if you have last year's.

You guys think it's cool to care, it's pure to care. And yet you have arenas named after beers or sodas and no one is giving a **** is it.

[NumberSix]

I hope a dildo company or something puts an ad on a team's uniform just to ruin this stupid idea.

[senelcoolidge]

gosh the NBA is getting crappier and crappier. I hope this doesn't happen. The NBA is barely real basketball anymore..it's some sort of WWE/basketball hybrid now.

[raprap]

Hate the V neck for jerseys.
This

[Jon_Koncak]

It's silly that they do not do this yet.

I'm a hardcore Barcelona fan (soccer), we were the only club remaining without a shirt sponsor (because honor, principles, whatever), that changed a few years ago.

It's not a big deal. It's a no deal. Team's getting 100 more millions a year. I'll sign. Our shirt is still getting sold everywhere in the world. I think sales increased the moment we put in an sponsor because "woha new and exciting!"

Trust me people will still buy them shirts regardless of sponsors, some sponsors look cool and it can potentially make kits more different between each other from season to season (talking about a team in particular) giving more incentive to buy a new shirt even if you have last year's.

You guys think it's cool to care, it's pure to care. And yet you have arenas named after beers or sodas and no one is giving a **** is it.

Ads on euro jerseys are fvckin awful.You cant tell if you're supporting a team or a damn company.Fans dont care because unless you;re 90 years old you're used to it.They've always been there.But NBA fans who grew up with their jerseys being clean have every right to be pissed about this change.

[russwest0]

soccery jerseys have ads because they don't have commercials.

if we got rid of commercials in the nba, shit, I'd be all for ads on jerseys.

[Yankstar]

F**k they better raise the salary cap so Melo can join Miami if this goes ahead.

[SpanishACB]

But NBA fans who grew up with their jerseys being clean have every right to be pissed about this change.

This is because they probably don't have access to the minimal education needed to realize those things you grow up with aren't the absolute best and that learning can provide you with a perspective on the big picture. Pair tthat up with common sense and you'll eventually be able to make coherent decisions and have rational opinions.

Like someone already pointed out, you guys are eating commercials every 5 minutes a game. It's ironic you talk about clean.

[bagelred]

gosh the NBA is getting crappier and crappier. I hope this doesn't happen. The NBA is barely real basketball anymore..it's some sort of WWE/basketball hybrid now.

You know, I was wondering why TNT fired Marv Albert for Jim Ross.....

[ZenMaster]

This is because they probably don't have access to the minimal education needed to realize those things you grow up with aren't the absolute best and that learning can provide you with a perspective on the big picture. Pair tthat up with common sense and you'll eventually be able to make coherent decisions and have rational opinions.

Like someone already pointed out, you guys are eating commercials every 5 minutes a game. It's ironic you talk about clean.

"you don't realize that things you grew up with aren't the best" to me is a very bad argument for somebody else to accept more marketing.

I agree that when watching an NBA game you go from commercials to hearing about the Adidas stat of the 3rd quarter, or the Carls jr slow mo highlight, or the Chevy key points of the game etc is a pretty bad viewing experience.
But to say that because those segments of marketing is already in effect you should just accept more ads "because your club will get more money and that's ultimately good" is also a bad argument.
Conversely the adds on jerseys are GREAT advertising for the reasons you gave: "my team gets more money which makes me happy" and sometimes with a cool logo or name you might think of the jersey as even better looking than without.

[alexd]

I m from Europe so I don t really understand all this craziness about the ads.perhaps I was raised and got used to them but to me its not a big deal.why are so many Americans get so frustrated about that?I m not trolling or anything just curious.i mean the jersey will still be the same and the cash will flow like hell.perhaps it will help some owners who are t greedy enough to pay the luxury taxes in order to make a better team
Is it about honor of the jersey or something?or just cause you haven t got used to it and its something new?

[UK2K]

Should put a Harrah's casino ad on there...

[tomtucker]

I m from Europe so I don t really understand all this craziness about the ads.perhaps I was raised and got used to them but to me its not a big deal.why are so many Americans get so frustrated about that?I m not trolling or anything just curious.i mean the jersey will still be the same and the cash will flow like hell.perhaps it will help some owners who are t greedy enough to pay the luxury taxes in order to make a better team
Is it about honor of the jersey or something?or just cause you haven t got used to it and its something new?

One reason is that soccer jerseys cost around $70......authentic NBA, MLB, NHL jerseys cost $300...........nobody is gonna buy that with ads on ! ........jersey sales will plummet, i hope