OT: NBA Makes a Deal with Nike

[HuskerFever]

Figured this would be worth sharing, as it could have an influence on college sports and current/aspiring student athletes. It's also usually a hot topic on this board.

 

For those of you who have a Wall Street Journal subscription: http://www.wsj.com/articles/nike-wins-nba-sponsorship-contract-1433969199

 

For those who don't...

 

- Contract with Adidas to end after 2016-2017 (was the sponsor since 2006); Adidas decided not to renew the contract (partially due to the deal not paying off and Adidas is now #3 behind Nike and Under Armour)

- Nike has an 8-year contract worth $1B with the right to supply jerseys, shorts, and warm-up gear

- Nike already controls 90% of the basketball footwear market

- First time ever for NBA: Nike will be able to display the company logo on the jersey

- Just speculation: will NBA jerseys eventually follow soccer and have sponsorships? (Adidas publicly said they were against it); NBA commissioner said he could see it happening eventually in the NBA

[hhcmatt]

- Just speculation: will NBA jerseys eventually follow soccer and have sponsorships? (Adidas publicly said they were against it); NBA commissioner said he could see it happening eventually in the NBA

 

[Donkey]

With how brand conscious the NBA is I would be very surprised to see sponsors on top level team jerseys (other than a small trademark such as the Nike Swoosh).  The NBA has been developing a global brand for over a decade now and allowing sponsors to place their brands front and center on jersey's would only (1) dilute the NBA brand; and (2) potentially create a long term association which may be hard to distance itself from in the event of the sponsor (a) becoming defunct or ( enduring a scandal.  

 

I could see NBDL teams having local sponsors on the jerseys.  The smaller market teams may drum up more interest when the teams are viewed as an extension of the community (think Green Bay Packers or Pittsburgh Steelers).  I remember when the Omaha Royals became the "Golden Spikes."  At the time, the team was owned by the Union Pacific Railroad and the new name was a reference to the corporate history.  I believe the team reverted back to the Royals after the UP sold its controlling interest.  

[Red Rum]

I can see them maybe allowing a small patch on a practice jersey or something. I believe the NFL recently started allowing this. But with the soaring player salaries and with them the soaring ticket/concession prices maybe they can get sponsors on the jerseys. You know so they can pass those savings on to us, the fans

[Huskerpapa]

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Show me the money$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[TheKamdyMan]

I can see them maybe allowing a small patch on a practice jersey or something. I believe the NFL recently started allowing this. But with the soaring player salaries and with them the soaring ticket/concession prices maybe they can get sponsors on the jerseys. You know so they can pass those savings on to us, the fans

 

only on practice jerseys though for the bolded part like you alluded to.

[Red Rum]

 

I can see them maybe allowing a small patch on a practice jersey or something. I believe the NFL recently started allowing this. But with the soaring player salaries and with them the soaring ticket/concession prices maybe they can get sponsors on the jerseys. You know so they can pass those savings on to us, the fans

 

only on practice jerseys though for the bolded part like you alluded to.

 

 

Yup, I forgot to include that bit thanks for picking me up.

[Norm Peterson]

Yep, I still remember the day back in 2025 that Kellogg's decided to stop making Cornflakes.  They'd already gotten rid of all of their other lines of breakfast cereal, what with Nike cornering 90% of the breakfast cereal market.  But Cornflakes?  I told the wife I never thought I'd see the day.  But once they bought out Wheaties and made Nikes the breakfast of champions, I shoulda seen it as inevitable.

 

Oh well, guess I'll take the Nike cruiser down to the market for some Java by Nike.  I'd order some over the internet but my Nike Thought Pad is on the fritz.  They just don't make 'em like the old iPads and iPhones we used to buy from Apple before Nike cornered the market on personal computing devices.

[HuskerFever]

Yep, I still remember the day back in 2025 that Kellogg's decided to stop making Cornflakes.  They'd already gotten rid of all of their other lines of breakfast cereal, what with Nike cornering 90% of the breakfast cereal market.  But Cornflakes?  I told the wife I never thought I'd see the day.  But once they bought out Wheaties and made Nikes the breakfast of champions, I shoulda seen it as inevitable.

 

Oh well, guess I'll take the Nike cruiser down to the market for some Java by Nike.  I'd order some over the internet but my Nike Thought Pad is on the fritz.  They just don't make 'em like the old iPads and iPhones we used to buy from Apple before Nike cornered the market on personal computing devices.

 

I actually prefer the newer model of the 6-cylinder Nike Swoosh better than the Nike cruiser.

[Norm Peterson]

 

Yep, I still remember the day back in 2025 that Kellogg's decided to stop making Cornflakes.  They'd already gotten rid of all of their other lines of breakfast cereal, what with Nike cornering 90% of the breakfast cereal market.  But Cornflakes?  I told the wife I never thought I'd see the day.  But once they bought out Wheaties and made Nikes the breakfast of champions, I shoulda seen it as inevitable.

 

Oh well, guess I'll take the Nike cruiser down to the market for some Java by Nike.  I'd order some over the internet but my Nike Thought Pad is on the fritz.  They just don't make 'em like the old iPads and iPhones we used to buy from Apple before Nike cornered the market on personal computing devices.

 

I actually prefer the newer model of the 6-cylinder Nike Swoosh better than the Nike cruiser.

 

Better wait for Nike to work the kinks out on the Swoosh's flux capacitor.  They've run into problems with people getting stuck in a time warp.  Either that or they were stuck in Minden.