I don’t think it would be inaccurate to say that the Philadelphia 76ers have become the disgrace of the basketball universe. This once proud franchise, with a rich basketball heritage and tradition, has posted a combined record of 81-247 over the past 4 seasons- which is a winning percentage of 0.247…. Woof.
Recently it was announced that the 76ers will become the first team in the ‘Big 4’ North American team sports to place advertisements on their jerseys.
I don’t want to mix words on this topic- this is garbage. A friend of mine may have said it best. A lifelong basketball fan, his comment to me was; “What the 76ers are doing with these ads on their jerseys is straight doggie-doo-doo.”
What angers me most are the comments made by Sixers’ CEO Scott O’Neil:
“We are an organization that takes pride in breaking ground and being innovative. This marks another groundbreaking first for the Philadelphia 76ers and Stubhub. As our brands are now inextricably linked as we create lifelong memories for our fans in Philadelphia and around the world.”
Excuse me Mr. O’Neil. I’d like to ask a few questions:
What is innovative about placing a corporate ad on a sports jersey?
What pride can Sixers’ fans take in being the 1st team to advertise for a ticket exchange company on their jerseys?
What lifelong memories are you referring to? Your team has been historically bad over the past 4 seasons.
Isn’t the only reason these jersey ads exist is to add a new revenue stream and increase profits?
The bottom line for me is Mr. O’Neil is putting a highly manipulative spin on something that’s very simple. Ads on the jerseys do not benefit anyone other than the Sixers and the NBA in adding a new revenue stream. This experiment is being done for one purpose only- to increase profits. There is no pride for fans in having a Stubhub patch on your team’s basketball jersey.
Notice that this first ad is for a sports company of sorts (Stubhub). This is not a coincidence. This is a psychological tactic done to ease fans into feeling ok about it being on the jersey. Their thought process is: ‘If the ad is a sports company that will warm fans up to the idea.’ (It’s not as strange as seeing Kleenex or Proctor & Gamble for example.)
As sports fans we have the power to influence everything these leagues do. As a collective group, we are in fact, their most valuable asset. The very best thing basketball fans can do to change this is NOT BUY these jerseys. We need to make a statement through our non-action that this is not ok with us. We need to squash this experiment before it gains momentum.
The NBA has advertisements all over TV, courtside, in the arenas, on promotion materials, GameDay programs, and even on the court itself. Are we as fans asking too much of the NBA that the integrity and purity of the uniforms should remain intact?
The 76ers should be about representing 2 things: The city of Philadelphia and the 76ers brand. They should not be about representing Stubhub.
Philly fan- Where are you in all of this? I thought you were the last fans anyone would want to mess with. Stand up and squash this perversion of the Sixers’ uniforms. Shout-down this ridiculous move.
Most of the blame for what has gone with the 76ers needs to fall on the man running the show. The owner Mr. Joshua Harris who is worth approx. $2.5 Billion.
Here’s why this issue is so important:
The League will keep pushing the envelope with ads on the uniforms until the fans make it clear that it’s gone too far. If this 1st experiment goes over well, then more teams and Leagues will begin adding these patches. 5 years from now the patches will get bigger. 5 years after that a 2nd patch will be added. And this incremental progression will continue as long as fans keep buying the merchandise.
