The Sixers and StubHub Partner to Form First Major Jersey Sponsorship in NBA

The Sixers announced this morning they’ve agreed to a jersey patch sponsorship with StubHub beginning in the 2017-2018 NBA season. The patch will appear on the front left of Sixers’ game jerseys. From the press release:

PHILADELPHIA, PA – MAY 16, 2016 – The Philadelphia 76ers and StubHub announce the first jersey patch sponsorship among major sports leagues in American history, making the Sixers the first NBA team to declare a jersey sponsor. The StubHub patch will feature the brand’s recently launched new logo and appear on the front left of Sixers’ game jerseys starting in the 2017-18 season. On April 15, 2016 the NBA Board of Governors approved the sale of jersey sponsorships as part of a three-year pilot program. Starting in the 2017-18 season StubHub’s jersey patch will be included on all jerseys sold at Sixers’ home games.
 
“This marks another groundbreaking first for the Philadelphia 76ers and StubHub. Our brands are now inextricably linked as we create lifelong memories for our fans in Philadelphia and around the world,” said Philadelphia 76ers CEO Scott O’Neil. “Our partnership with StubHub continues to generate progressive and forward-thinking platforms created to improve the fan experience and advance our industry. The essence of our relationship with StubHub is our shared culture and ambition to innovate, which drives us to reimagine traditional partnership activation and continually ask, ‘what if’?”
 
“Since day one, StubHub has been a pioneer and innovator within the live entertainment ecosystem and we could not be more excited to join the Philadelphia 76ers in making history with this ground-breaking partnership,” said StubHub President Scott Cutler, “The Philadelphia 76ers are not only a beloved global brand, they also serve as incredible partners and collaborators for StubHub – and we look forward to continuously innovating and improving the fan experience together.”
 
Continuing to break new ground in the sports and live event industry, earlier this year the Sixers made StubHub their Official Ticketing Partner and launched a revolutionary new ticketing platform. The new platform will give Sixers’ fans unparalleled access to primary and secondary ticket inventory with a seamless user and purchase experience starting in the 2016-17 season.
 
This landmark announcement continues the Philadelphia 76ers’ tradition of thought leadership in the sports industry. The team recently launched the Sixers Innovation Lab Crafted by Kimball, which will allow sports and consumer product focused start-up companies to receive office space at the Sixers’ new training complex, access to industry experts, executives, and financiers, as well as third-party consulting, legal, accounting, and business solutions services; and the opportunity to pitch industry-leading investors and venture capital firms. StubHub will act in an advisory role for participating entrepreneurs, along with major venture capital firms, business accelerators, and industry leaders including The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, DreamIt Ventures, Techstars, and DraftKings. Companies from across the country may apply at http://www.sixersinnovationlab.com.
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
 
Philadelphia 76ers Corporate Communications: [email protected] | 610-675-8153 StubHub Public Relations: Alison Salcedo | [email protected] | 310-947-2648

I hate this, mostly because I like clean, sleek-looking uniforms in professional sports without ads branded all over them. Now, more teams will get involved in this and it’s only a matter of time before ads are sold on hats, pants, shoes, socks, etc. Lame.

ESPN reports, through sources, that the Sixers “sold all three seasons at $5 million a year, with the option to extend the contract with StubHub should the league continue to allow the 2½-by-2½-inch logo patch to be on the jerseys in the future.”

What happens with the money generated? Glad you asked.

NBA teams will keep half of the money generated from selling sponsorships on jerseys with the individual team that does the deal keeping half and the rest going to a revenue-sharing pool. The other half will be split with the players and will contribute to a rising salary cap.