Is there a Boston sports fan who didn't cringe when the Red Sox unveiled the first of many advertisements now covering much of the Green Monster?
Ugly, right?
Or how about when the legendary Boston Garden was replaced by a facility originally known as the Shawmut Center? Then it was the FleetCenter, then TD Banknorth Garden and it's being renamed yet again to the TD Garden.
The giant 3-D Coke bottles at Fenway Park are just the beginning.
Recently the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury agreed to replace the team name across the front of their jerseys with a corporate sponsor, LifeLock, an identity theft protection company. The WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks also wear an advertisement logo on the front of their shirts for Farmers Insurance Group.
Corporate sponsorship is nothing new in sports. NASCAR cars are teeming with ads to the point where cars are identified by the main advertiser, such as "Jeff Gordon in the DuPont Chevrolet."
That's a double advertisement.
Practically every professional stadium has a corporate name, such as American Airlines Arena (Dallas Mavericks) and Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis Colts). International sports have also long embraced the practice of sponsorship. Premier League Soccer and foreign basketball leagues have allowed patches for advertisements on their jerseys for years.
But the Mercury and Sparks' decision goes beyond that. From a viewer's standpoint, they will now be the Phoenix LifeLock and L.A. Farmers Insurance Group. That is rivaled only by Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls, named after the energy drink.
But really, does it matter?
"People will change their minds," said Andover resident Stuart Layne, president of Seven 2 Sports Marketing. "Think of how sacrilegious it was to put a sign on the Green Monster. Now it's the hottest seat in the house. Fans get over it. If you win, you can get away with anything."
Sponsorship is a major part of professional sports. Does anyone see a Nike swoosh without thinking of Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods? Does anyone think of those two athletes without thinking of Nike?
Jordan is so synonymous with the sporting goods giant that Reebok asked Orlando Magic center Mircin Gortat, who has a contract with them, to cover a Jordan tattoo he has on his leg. Not a Nike symbol, just a Jordan tat.
When eccentric Cincinnati Bengals wideout Chad Johnson changed his name to "Ochocinco" (broken Spanish for his uniform No. 85), the NFL wouldn't let him wear it on his jersey for one year.
Why? Because it was a desperate plea for attention? Nope, because he would have to pay Reebok $4 million for "Johnson" jerseys they printed but couldn't sell.
"To some degree, commercialization has always been a part of sports," said Layne. "The Reebok logo is on NFL and NHL uniforms. Adidas has their stripes on the NBA All-Star uniforms. That's apparel, now blatant commercialization."
Could the Red Sox soon be sporting a "McDonald's" patch on their uniforms where Jason Varitek's captain "C" is?
"I would say anything is possible," said Layne. "I think the major sports will resist it. But it wouldn't shock me if it happened.
"Fans demand the teams be competitive, and to be competitive you have to pay for the talent. No one predicted we'd hit this recession, and it has impacted revenue in sports. And athletes haven't given back their salary."
Possible uniform ads
Team%Sponsor%Slogan
Bruins%Budweiser%Have a brew with the Bruins
Red Sox%Macy's%All our clothes look good with Red Sox
Red Sox%Zales%Where you'll find the most precious diamond this side of Fenway Park
Celtics%Green Giant frozen vegetables%You don't have to be a giant to love Green Giant
Patriots%John Hancock%Insuring your most valuable players
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