Companies interested in securing advertising space on the playing jerseys of NBA basketball franchise the Toronto Raptors have been set a target price of $4-5m (€3.5m-€4.4m) per season, according to a report.
Canadian broadcaster TSN said that executives at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which oversees the running of the Raptors and a number of other Toronto-based sports teams, have quoted the figure to any potential investors.
TSN’s report added that MLSE staff have discussed the possibility of branding space two-and-a-half inches in diameter, and that they have quoted the figure at an early stage to avoid comparison with less marketable teams that may demand much smaller fees.
The NBA has traditionally shied away from sponsor branding on playing jerseys but trialed the concept during its All-Star Game in Toronto on February 14. During the game, the branding of Korean automotive manufacturer Kia featured on the upper left chest area of the players’ jerseys.
NBA executives have confirmed that jersey branding during regular-season games could be introduced during the 2017-18 campaign. NBA governors are expected to vote on the move later this month.
“It’s something we’ve been looking at for a number of years,” Emilio Collins, executive vice-president of global marketing partnerships for the NBA, said in February. “We continue to work on that beyond All-Star, with all the considerations we have to factor in.”