Billboard Central: Yankees, Mets, Knicks, everyone buy up space
This is where we are today...teams trying to find any way to make a dollar as their seats remain empty and coffers depleted. The WNBA recently implemented a policy allowing teams to make their uniform space available to advertisers. The Phoenix Mercury became the first team to take advantage of the new rule, signing a three year, more than $1 million deal with identity-theft company, LifeLock. Now I am not opposed to the billboard concept but you can't even tell who the team is...get out the magnifying glass, a small little Phoenix Mercury symbol is on the front there...somewhere.
Now international teams have had this type of advertising for a while. Here in the states, soccer has linked with corporate sponsors. Hello, it's the NY Red Bulls, BUT that's the name of the team too. It's not the Phoenix "LifeLocks"! You still need to be able to recognize who is on the court. (The sponsor name will be placed on the front of the uniform jersey and warm-up.) The WNBA is struggling and in the offseason, lost the Houston Comets, a team with one of the most recognizable names in the game, Sheryl Swoopes. Speaking for all young female athletes, the last thing I would want is for any ladies professional team to go under. I wish I had had that coming out of college. So, if it takes some extra, non-traditional advertising then so be it. However, let's do it more sensibly and not forget that the TEAM and the SPORT come FIRST! This begs the question though: when does it go too far?
Remember the bases experiment in the MLB back in 2004. A proposal to put the Spidey logo on several bases to promote "Spider Man 2" was scrapped after hundreds signed petitions protesting the move. Commissioner Bud Selig then called himself a "traditionalist" and insisted baseball (because of its rich history) will always have a difficult time in the sports marketing world. Have you been to a stadium lately? Anywhere you look in Citi Field and Yankee Stadium, there are ads; every section has its own sponsor. Would a Nike swoosh on a base really affect the game you are watching? I am not quite sure. For me, it's all about NOT taking away from the play on the field or the ice or the court. If the huge Knicks logo on center court doesn't bother me, then maybe I could get used to a Pepsi bottle on a base or the back of a backboard. Could baseball or basketball be like NASCAR (the players walking logos) and would it bother me? I am on the fence on this one...your thoughts? I do know this: the way things are going financially for our teams and leagues NOTHING is out of bounds. Just thank your lucky stars, you aren't in Miami, watching a Marlins game at LandShark Stadium. Really?!?
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Comments: 4
Advertisers have had their logos on uniforms in the Winter Leagues in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Mexico for a number of years. This is apparent for all to view during the Caribbean World Series every February.
In Japan, teams have advertisements on their uniforms. When the Mets and Yankees played there, they also had an advertisement on their jerseys.
NASCAR has advertisements plastered over everything they wear and drive.
The fact that the financially struggling WNBA has agreed to have teams wear these logos is not a surprise. It is business in our economically challenged times.
It is true, everything is sponsored at the new Yankee Stadium and Citi Field. In fact, the name Citi shows up more in Flushing than the name Mets.
I have surrendered to the reality of logos on uniforms. I only wish this would result in more affordable ticket prices at our stadiums and arenas, but I am not holding my breath on that item.
Commissioner Bud Selig is a "traditionalist" until he realizes new ways to provide income to Major League Baseball (MLB).
Lolita, I hate the whole concept of adding commercial ads to sports uniforms. Nothing is sacred anymore, it's just marketing and sales. Pretty soon all sports uniforms will look as gaudy as Stock Car racing jump suits. This wouldn't be necessary if sports figures were paid salaries more in line with reality. Maybe we could pay sports figures the same as, let's say, a heart or brain surgeon. Whoops, that's dumb. Sports personalities are far more important in our lives than those that save lives. How did I mistake stuffing a ball into a basket as being less important than removing a tumor or replacing a heart valve. I take it back, pay those jillion dollar salaries and wear those ads. Go Phoenix Lifethingies! Lolita, even if you disagree with me, you stil do a great job with the sports and all the other things you do at WPIX.
Bring Sal back, Lolita is terrible at sports
You don't need in depth studies to recognize that people that make negative comments are always named, "Anonymous!"