The Detroit Red Wings Ruined Their Iconic Jerseys

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Joshua Deeds
March 1, 2024 (3:09)

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Bettman and the NHL took advantage of the pandemic as an excuse to make a windfall out of a meager shortfall.

It's not even as if hockey fans don't get enough advertising through ESPN+, TSN, or Bally Sports.

Another iconic franchise is about to fall victim to ludicrous advertising: the Detroit Red Wings. A waste management company, "Priority", will be the team's first jersey sponsor.

Until recently, the team hadn't played a playoff game since 2016, but under Steve Yzerman, the product on ice has improved.

Can NHL teams and owners justify defacing an original 6 jersey such as this, with advertisements, while dipping deeper into fans' pockets for more money?

Entering the season, 17 of the NHL's 32 teams had an in-game jersey patch of some kind, including three Original Six teams (the Bruins, Maple Leafs, and Canadiens). If there is any consolation to fans disappointed by the news, perhaps it comes in the fact that (because of the iconic nature of the jersey) the deal to secure the patch for Priority is rumored to be among the most valuable around the league.

Welcome to Hockeytown, Priority. pic.twitter.com/xbsFMVWYBq� Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 29, 2024

In my opinion, no.

Despite making more money than it lost during the 2022-2023 season alone, the NHL continues to find more ways to fatten its pockets, but again, the product is subpar, and the presentation is terrible, as blackouts plague the league.

Sponsorship of the league increased 21% in 2022-2023, according to the Sports Business Journal, resulting in a significant increase in revenue.

The revenue from helmet and jersey patch sponsorships is "substantial," as helmet deals are «estimated at» $91.2M annually, while jersey patch deals are at $32.2M. There are 45 helmet partnerships, which is 10 more than last season, and «every team has at least one,» except for the Flyers. As of the end of last season, 13 of the league's 32 teams inked jersey patch deals but that «number is rising.» Most teams are «now able to command close to» $1M for the helmet sticker agreements.

The jersey and helmet deals bring in $123.4 million a year in revenue.

As a result, we see the greed in sports continue to grow exponentially, while some of us cannot even watch our local teams on ESPN+.

Thanks a lot, Gary Bettman.

As Seen On: thehockeynews.com

As Seen On: sportsbusinessjournal.com

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MARS 1 \| 186 ANSWERS The Detroit Red Wings Ruined Their Iconic Jerseys Do you think the NHL should use jersey and helmet advertisements still?
Yes	41	22 %
No	145	78 %
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