Advertisements on the jerseys of your favourite National Hockey League team are imminent.
According to a TSN report, the NHL has signed Adidas to a long-term deal to produce the uniforms of all 30 teams in the league.
The change goes into effect for the 2017-18 season and will include a redesign of the jerseys to fit advertisement and sponsorship logos on the front, back and sides, similar to the jerseys of European hockey league and football leagues as well as Major League Soccer. The new designs could even include Adidas’ famous stripes.
The deal would generate approximately $4 million per team or $120 million annually across the entire league.
Rebook, which is owned by Adidas, has held the exclusive rights of the supplier of NHL jerseys. The company paid $35 million per season, and there are reports that Adidas is paying twice as much for the rights.
To coincide with the jersey deal, Adidas is also reportedly ramping up its advertisement plans in the NHL, and this upcoming season’s marketing could feature Sidney Crosby.
An NHL executive first hinted the arrival of advertisements on jerseys in November 2014. With this week’s developments, a formal announcement by the NHL is anticipated in September.
Twitter reaction
NHL If you think I’m going to buy a jersey with an Ad on it your #crazy I won’t even watch hockey if you do that #greed #canadasgame
— Charlie Henderson (@SaveChildren1st) August 19, 2015
Now that Adidas has the NHL jersey contract, this will likely be the last one I buy. #NoAdsOnMyJerseyThanks
— EdmOilers4Ever (@jpetovello) August 19, 2015
Can you see yourself walking around with a Bruins/NHL Jersey with McDonald’s, Honda, Verizon etc patches all over it?
— THE BOSTON STRANGLER (@chrisjoyce68) August 19, 2015
If a company put their ads on an NHL jersey they would probably lose profits #travesty
— Connor (@cshirtliff) August 19, 2015
@adidas don’t screw with #NHL jersies. They’re fine the way they are. And nobody is going to buy a jersey with ads on it.
— Keenan Clarry (@KeenanClarry) August 19, 2015
NHL jersey advertising is a disgusting idea. Why not just put the ads on the back of seats, there are almost 20,000 in each arena…
— Andrew Brown (@BrownSauces) August 19, 2015
Im fine with jersey ads if prices for them fall as a result. All the money the NHL gets from the deals should be plenty to drop prices a bit
— Oh So Mighty Ducks (@OhSoMightyDucks) August 19, 2015
But I’m opposed to advertisements on NHL jerseys. Please believe I’ll never buy an NHL jersey trashed with advertisements
— The Real Peterman (@4OrrEverALegend) August 19, 2015
@NHL HOCKEY IS NOT SOCCER WE DO NOT WANT ADS! Putting advertising on a jersey would be a disgrace to the NHL & Hockey itself
— P.K. (@DaNucksFan) August 19, 2015
If ads are put on the jerseys I will never buy an NHL jersey ever again.
— Cam Easton (@Cam_East11) August 19, 2015
If any @NHL jersey has ads on them I will be so mad. I will personally figure out a way to stop this madness. #StopAdidas2016 #KeepItAdFree
— Benito Posa (@BullPosa44) August 19, 2015
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