NBA Jersey Sponsors: The Winners and Losers

With the NBA season officially underway, there has been a lot of chatter around the new NBA jerseys. Created by Nike, all NBA teams will now have the signature Nike swish on the right shoulder of each jersey. The left shoulder will be used as a sponsorship opportunity for pretty much any company who has the funds to pay.

A lot of teams do not have advertising on their jerseys yet. For the ones that do, the range of corporations being advertised is unique and in some cases comical. In light of this, I have decided to give you my top 5 winners in the new age of jersey sponsors, as well as my top 5 losers.

Let’s start with the WINNERS…

#5. FitBit – Minnesota Timberwolves: This is a great match for the youngest and arguably most exciting team in the league. When I think of FitBit, I think of a new technology helping people stay in shape. I think it aligns nicely with a young athletic team, where half the players are still under the legal drinking age.

#4. Goodyear – Cleveland Cavaliers: An awesome logo with the flying shoe is badass on the Cavs new-look jerseys. Also when you think of tires, you think of speed. Nice correlation for the top team in the East.

#3. StubHub – Philadelphia 76ers: Nice complement to an up-and-coming Sixers team. When you think StubHub, you think tickets. Philly is a great sports town with a bright future in basketball. There could be a marketing ploy here for the StubHub logo to subliminally help ticket sales.

#2. Harley Davidson – Milwaukee Bucks: What a perfect sponsor for this region of white america. Harley Davidson says badass, rugged, midwestern bikers, who now may have nothing better to do then to head to a few Bucks games. I guess we’ll see?

#1. Disney – Orlando Magic: Isn’t it perfect? Maybe the most enchanting part of this was when Disney signed, a picture was taken of the Orlando Magic GM’s and Mickey Mouse in front of the Cinderella Castle. Simply heart warming.

And now for the more illogical & irrelevant, let’s go down the line..

#5. Sun Life – Toronto Raptors: Nothing like a financial company to ignite the competitive spirit in Toronto. Sun Life does have a cool logo, but its out of place in “The North”. Last time I checked, Canada is frigid cold during basketball season. Better homes for Sun life would have been Phoenix or Miami.

#4. Rakuten – Golden State Warriors: I do get it. Asian electronic company sponsoring a team from the city with the greatest Chinatown in the world. But the Warriors are the face of the league right now. Simply put, if your the best in the world and I need to google the name of your sponsor to find out what they do, theres a slight disconnect.

#3. Blue Diamond Almonds – Sacramento Kings: Nothing says you’re more in rebuild mode then a health conscious almond. This speaks to the kind of season the Kings are expecting to have.

#2. Flagstar Bank – Detroit Pistons: Such a lack luster sponsor for a lack luster team. C’mon, Detroit!! Your the Motor City, and your go-to is a bank? Not even a well known bank like Capital One or TD? Can somebody please tell me why there sponsor is not Chrysler or Chevrolet? Get it together Detroit!

#1. Infor – Brooklyn Nets: I looked this company up, and I still don’t know what they do. Their business platform is as vague as “Prestige Worldwide” from the movie “Step Brothers”. Somebody please feel free to tell me what Infor does. As for now, I don’t know what’s more confusing.. Infor, or the Nets’ offensive game-plan?