NBA All-Star Game jerseys to feature Kia Motors logo
The NBA will put a Kia Motors logo patch on the upper left chest of future All-Star game jerseys, reports Sara Germano of the Wall Street Journal.
The 3.25-inch-by-1.6-inch patch will be featured on jerseys for the both the 2016 and 2017 NBA All-Star games.
Sponsorships have been displayed on team uniforms in some professional sports leagues, such as the WNBA and Major League Soccer. However, this will be the first time a major American professional sport will feature a non-apparel logo on jerseys during a game.
Jerseys available for retail sale will also include the Kia logo. The patch is part of an advertising buy between Kia Motors America and media rights holder Turner Sports.
In 2014, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that sponsored logos could be on NBA jerseys in the next five years.
“It’s something we’ve been looking at for a number of years,” said Emilio Collins, executive vice president of global marketing partnerships for the NBA, adding that the league will continue to work on such partnerships beyond the All-Star games.
The 2016 All-Star Game will be in Toronto in February, and in Charlotte, N.C. for 2017.
