It’s been announced that Celtics will join the ranks for the Sixers and Kings and become huge sellouts. The Celtics’ classic, simple jerseys will now incorporate a corporate logo sponsor. I can’t even describe how much I hate this move by the NBA in general. But, especially the Celtics. There’s something pure about the green jersey with the white lettering across it.
But, this Trump’s America and slapping a shitty logo over your heart is easy money for the owners / organizations. Players have been cashing in for a logo time on corporate sponsorships and to be fair so have the organizations. But, this is a way for the ownership to make more money off their business assets (the players). At this point it’s probably only fair that I point out that I’m not a Celtics fan. But, I do have red hair, blue eyes, fair skin and I’m an Irish-American guy. So, when push comes to shove, if there’s a sweet piece of Celtics gear available, chances are I’m buying it. Full disclosure: if you throw a shamrock on anything, people like me are attracted to it like a moth to a flame.
Is nothing scared anymore? Some things you mess with. Some things you don’t. If we were making the Bobcats, Thunder or Pelicans corporate whores, I’d be 1,000% fine with it. To be honest, I’m such a casual NBA fan that I’m not 100% sold that those teams are real (really the Pelicans?). But leave sacred history alone. No one should touch the jerseys of Boston, Los Angeles, Phoenix or Chicago. I’ll even toss the Philadelphia 76ers in there too, even though they have always been hideous. Actually, someone cool should sponsor them, like Urban Outfitters. I’d be OK with that. Let’s have Joel Embiid rocking an American Apparel cut jersey.
I have one concern (I guess, more of question, as concerns have real life significance since the inauguration). Where does it end? Has the NBA set any kind of rules or regulations on this? Sans Googling that and getting an actual answer, let me just speculate. Are that only allowing one chest patch sponsorship per jersey or are they going full-on Euro/Asian league mode and making the players a walking billboard?