Logos still a no-go in most U.S. leagues
Rugby players serve as human billboards. So do cricket players, most of the world’s best-known soccer stars and athletes who play the NFL’s European brand of football.
And, now that the Galaxy is selling space on its Major League Soccer jerseys to Herbalife, the question is whether baseball, basketball, football and hockey are any closer to making room on their jerseys for advertisers.
“As soon as it pencils out financially and is deemed acceptable by fans ... corporate logos will take hold,” said David Carter, executive director of the USC Sports Business Institute.
Until then, Carter added, risk-averse league executives and franchise owners will stay on the advertising sidelines until they’re sure that jersey-generated ad revenue won’t conflict with the interests of broadcast networks and other sports marketing partners.
The athlete-as-billboard discussion heated up Thursday after AEG confirmed that its Galaxy franchise had sold jersey rights to Los Angeles-based Herbalife, which sells nutritional and weight-loss supplements. AEG will receive about $5 million a year during the five-year deal.
The Galaxy is a U.S. team, but Herbalife expects to generate its biggest payday overseas, where soccer is king and more than 75% of its revenue is generated. Herbalife hopes to benefit from the international coverage when soccer star David Beckham suits up for the Galaxy.
This country’s traditional big leagues already have made room on jerseys for the logos of such big names as Nike, Reebok and Adidas. Major League Baseball allowed marketing partners to put logos on uniforms during last year’s inaugural World Baseball Classic. And some jockeys are selling space on their apparel.
But beyond those sports, “a certain amount of taboo exists about the placing of logos onto uniforms,” Carter said. In addition to fan resistance, he said, leagues could have to consider the rights of individual players with endorsements and whether union approval might be required.
*
