NHL uniforms will soon have ads on them.
That’s according to a report from Sportico that says the league is adding advertisements to its jerseys for the 2022-23 season. The report says the ads must fit a rectangle 3 inches by 3.5 inches.
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This news comes a year after the league first allowed advertisement on helmets during the pandemic-shortened season. The Detroit Red Wings sported a United Wholesale Mortgage “UWM” logo on their helmets. The organization has not announced a helmet ad for the 2021-22 season.
Jersey ads are very prominent in European hockey leagues, often covering players from head to toe. North American teams have long resisted it, but recently the writing the has been on the wall: Jersey ads will become more common on this side of the pond. The American Hockey League has allowed small jersey ads for several seasons, as shown near the upper right shoulder of Grand Rapids Griffins and Toronto Marlies players:
We should expect something similar from NHL teams -- a patch on the front of the jerseys near one of the shoulders.
Hopefully in a few seasons we don’t see NHL teams with uniform ads like the ones Daniel Alfredsson sported for the Frolunda Indians in the Swedish league:
Some say it’s only a matter of time before these kinds of ads end up on NHL uniforms.