The NHL is breaking new ground for U.S./Canada major leagues. I wonder how long before MLS does the same. https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-announces-sponsors-for-realigned-2020-21-divisions/c-319981824 • Scotia NHL® North Division (Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg) • Honda NHL® West Division (Anaheim, Arizona, Colorado, Los Angeles, Minnesota, San Jose, St. Louis, Vegas) • Discover NHL® Central Division (Carolina, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Florida, Nashville, Tampa Bay) • MassMutual NHL® East Division (Boston, Buffalo, New Jersey, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington)
I'm not sure how much demand there would be for MLS regular season, but we've been doing this with our playoffs for as long as I can remember. I prefer this over in-game commercials, but I know if anything we'll get both.
Yeah, leagues have done naming rights for the postseason before but this is the first time the major leagues have sold naming rights to the regular season league or divisions as far as I know. They are also allowing ads on players helmets in the NHL this year. The NBA went that way a while ago. The creep toward international standards of advertising seems inexorable.
What f---ing crap. As each league moves closer to Liga MX/ NASCAR standards I'm just going to back off. Rather than constantly exploiting every new avenue for revenue generation perhaps the NHL (and NBA, etc.) should save on expenses? Just...ugh.
They've already said it's for this season because the divisions are different than the normal ones. The thing that will stick is the helmet sponsorships. Almost half the teams have already added that. Really smart move for a league that gets a big chunk of its revenue from ticket sales and won't have much/any of that this year. The desire for the "pure" look without sponsorship on jerseys, stadiums, etc is just as ridiculous as the desire for everyone to have an FC/SC in their team name and for the clock to tick up instead of down during each half.
My counterpoint to this, and I'm speaking about pro sports in general here, is the difference between being a fan and being a customer. The nature of sports (as designed now) is predicated on people being dedicated fans, whereby the teams hope we stick with them through thick and thin, good and bad. The relationship is largely premised on each team being representative of their community, and both teams and communities often go to great lengths to build those associations for the mutual benefits seen to each brand. The fear of encroaching sponsorship arrangements is the fear of dilution of that relationship with the community. That instead of seeing the Atlanta Falcons vs the Carolina Panthers we might someday get Team Coca Cola vs Bank of America FC. Yes, that's being hyperbolic, but the point is that each time the balance shifts closer to that direction expect the fans to feel aggrieved because it means that instead of paying the likes of Lebron James, Patrick Mahomes, et al fewer millions, or instead of billionaire owners settling for slightly smaller returns, the fans must sacrifice more on the relationship with their teams by having their favorite brand diluted a little more. At what point is a company no longer just sponsoring the team but instead calling the shots? Auto racing and other sports can get away with their shtick because fans are supporting individuals, per se, not teams with home stadiums and home crowds. I'm not so naive as to think modern teams will be devoid of partnerships and sponsorships, but from the outside it seems ludicrous for an industry that on the whole is paying athletes a s--- ton of money to act as if the only way to prosper is by selling everything possible. If a team is going to ask me to be a dedicated fan based on the hometown association I'd prefer that association be front and center and not 4th or 5th down the line. But that's just me. Cheers.
It's not a huge deal for me but I was a bit bummed when MLS introduced the jersey sponsors. And I certainly prefer the one central sponsor to the entire uniform covered in logos. On the other hand, a lot of soccer fans already consume the game in a manner that's not all that different from Brand A vs. Brand B. Nothing wrong with following a club in a country you've never set foot in, of course, but if that's the case I don't think it really matters if one is tuning in to see Juventus or Team Jeep.
As a Wild fan, it's going to be strange not playing Chicago, Dallas, or Winnipeg this year...actually, pretty much the entire division other than Colorado and St. Louis.
As a Wings fan, I'm so happy to have the Hawks back in the division. ....now if it was only still 2009ish...