Corporate advertising has become commonplace in professional sports. Even traditional teams and venues have fallen victim to the never-ending quest for additional revenue. Advertising — both subtle and unsubtle — has been woven into the fabric of our national pastimes.
For example, team owner Mike Ilitch plastered Tiger Stadium with overbearing advertising signs behind home plate and on the overhangs at Tiger Stadium within months of taking over the Detroit Tigers. Some of the signs even obstructed fans’ views. It was an early indication to the Tigers’ faithful that revenue was going to take precedent over tradition.
The boards at Joe Louis Arena and other NHL venues have long been plastered with advertisements — and now during telecasts, advertising images are projected onto the glass behind the nets for the benefit of TV viewers.
Oh my God, when will it end? Not anytime soon.
In fact, last week I found the following item buried on page 26 of Crain’s Detroit Business:
“The Detroit Red Wings have a deal with Amway to have players wear the Amway logo on practice jerseys and have it placed around the Joe Louis rink.”
Are we going to one day see the famous Detroit Tigers and Red Wings jerseys covered with corporate sponsor patches like the racing suit of a NASCAR driver?
Will the beautiful outfield grass at the ballparks soon have advertising on it?
Will Dan and Jim be saying “that’s another Ban Deodorant foul ball?”
When do you draw the line with all this corporate sponsorship B.S.?
How about now?
Jimmy Kemp
I honestly will stop watching any sport or league that places advertising on uniforms. That is sacred and to not be messed with. I’ve heard rumors the NBA may be the first to do it, they do that, I’m done with the NBA, like that. They can place ads anywhere else except the uniform, put it on the damn field I don’t care. I hope there would be an uproar when this does happen, I remember a few years back there was a huge uproar over spider man ads being placed on the bases, baseball actually listened and didn’t go through with it. Hope the uproar for ads on jerseys would be even louder.