The Jazz announced this week that they will employ their first advertising patch. But unlike with other teams, it won’t bear the logo of the sponsor. It will say “5 for the Fight,” referencing the fight against cancer.
Sponsor Qualtrics spent $10 million for three years, hoping the exposure will lead to a cancer cure. Fans are encouraged to donate $5 each to the cause.
The sponsorship money will go to players and an NBA team pool. That’s how the league worked it out. And while I’m happy the patch will further a good cause, I wouldn’t have complained if it had said Chick-fil-A or Snickers, either. I’m no fan of uniform patches, but I am in favor of the NBA making money.
Considering the league’s new TV deal, I’m not sure it needs it anymore, but this is the column I wrote in 2012 about uniform patches.
I was resigned that enormous salaries command a lot of money and as a smaller market team, the Jazz could use the boost. Now I’m glad to learn the patch will do more than help keep the Jazz in Utah; it might even defeat cancer.
Having a patch on their uniforms is a small price to pay for that.