The sports industry is saturated in advertising.
There’s been rumours a plenty among hockey fans in the USA that advertisements on jerseys (and apparently glowing pucks) could be just a couple of years away for the National Hockey League.
This revelation has caused quite the stir, with many stating how they are against such an idea.
Which brings about the question, should business companies be allowed to have their advertisements spread across a sports jersey, all in the name of marketing?
A sports jersey is a representation of a team and a nation. It is unique, and holds a special bond for the players wearing it and the team they play for no matter what sport is involved.
Businesses are aware they can make a lot of money for themselves by being involved with sports from the amateur level right through to the professional level. To make an impact they’ve thus employed clever marketing ploys along the way.
Sports fans, in some respects, can be easily manipulated. Their obsession with a sports team allows them to be so blinded by their dedication they will to do anything to became part of that world. Seeing as everyone in this day and age is a sports fans, businesses see a lot of potential dollars in investing in sports, hence paying for corporate boxes, naming rights and general advertising.
We see kids wanting to buy into something ‘new’ because their favourite player was seen using it, and companies promising over the top cheap deals because they are associated with a team.
It’s fine if they want to be the naming rights sponsor to a team, or a stadium, but on the jersey? We’ve seen how AIG has established itself with the All Blacks. Many were not too thrilled by such blatant advertising from the company considering how special and sacred the All Blacks jersey is.
In the NHL in the USA and Canada it’s already a mouthful for commentators to mention the sponsor of a replay, a power play and even when naming the Three Stars of the game. In rugby league, there’s so much advertising all over the jersey and shorts that no one really knows what the team colours are these days.
Most sports in America have so far avoided the jersey advertising leeches compared to the rest of the world and that is what makes it a valued product.
Everywhere we look business advertising has a stake in sports, and despite all the money it can inject into sports, it’s become so overwhelming and over the top it is now difficult to distinguish where marketing ends and sport begins.
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