Why isn’t the NFL rushing to adopt jersey sponsors: strategic decision or simple tradition?

The NFL is America’s premier sports league, with the highest average attendance and viewership per game among American professional sports leagues.

Yet, at a time when jersey ads are becoming ubiquitous in other major sports, the NFL remains steadfast in its refusal to join the parade of jersey patches.

Uniform advertisements have been a frequent talking point in recent years, with top-level American professional sports offering hundreds of potential ad spaces. Yet despite the potential for significant revenue generation, the NFL seems to be holding back.

The question is, why?

Elizabeth Lindsey, president of brands and properties at Wasserman, pointed to the league’s historic tendency to be last to market. The NFL, it seems, prefers to wait, learn from others, and then leverage its dominant position to demand higher prices and ensure better execution of new initiatives.

However, the reluctance to embrace the jersey ads also appears to extend to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who is reportedly adamantly opposed to the idea. A longtime NFL team president commented:

“You tell me the year Roger Goodell’s contract ends and that’s the year advertising patches will be allowed in this league. »

This stance, if accurate, suggests that the inclusion of ad patches might remain irrelevant for some time.

This perspective is reinforced by the comments of an NFL East Coast team sales manager who compared the possibility of game jersey ads to a line from a Taylor Swift song: “Never, never never. »

According to the chief, the league is not even having discussions on the idea, indicating that any changes may require a change in management.

So, is there a future for jersey ads in the NFL?

While some suggest change is inevitable, Jason Miller, head of properties at Excel Sports Management, is dubious, at least in the short term.

“If you gave me an over/under five, I’d bet big on the over”, Miller said via SBJhighlighting the current glut of advertising inventory in the sports landscape.

There is, however, another twist in the story.

Some speculate that the NFL could completely move away from traditional jersey ads, opting instead for virtual signage. Similar to strategies adopted by the NHL, virtual signage could offer a lucrative and less controversial alternative to physical jersey patches.

Michael Neuman, founder of Horizon Sports & Entertainment, suggested the NFL is in a prime position to lead the sports industry by introducing a platform that captures brand placement in the lower stands of the stadium. . He stated:

“I want the NFL to jump over the patches and lead the market with a cohesive platform that captures brand placement in the lower stands. »

Ultimately, the NFL’s decision to suspend jersey patches may be less about tradition and more about strategy. With the power to wait and learn from other leagues, the NFL is uniquely positioned to introduce new marketing assets at a time and in a format that best suits its brand and audience.