More Expensive Real Estate Up For Grabs For Brand. NFL and WNBA…

The continued quest for landing valuable real estate in the sports space got another nice pop this week, when Microsoft's Bing became the latest brand to make its way to a WNBA uniform, landing a partnership with the Seattle Storm. The jersey signage, especially for MLS and the WNBA, has been a boon to sponsorship, and last year patches made it on to the front of NFL and NBA practice jerseys as well, bringing some brands additional incremental value and teams some added revenue. While the four major team sports still are backing off from jersey signage which is common elsewhere, it is starting to seem more like an inevitability that the integration occurs, the question is porobably where, when and at what price. Would it start with minor league baseball and hockey, like it already has for the UFL and the D-Leagu.? And who would be the first to test the licensing water.? All to be seen, but certainly the backlash from the WNBA and MLS has been minimal (although it is true neither has invested the millions in brand development that the four major leagues have over an extended period of time).

So while the jersey issue popped up again this week, another interesting spot for promotion and branding also arose as a thought. The NFL, in its first round Thursday night, ceded the podium from Commissioner Roger Goodell first to a young person from Make a Wish for a pick, then to the Saints Drew Brees. Could the calling of an NFL pick eventually bring added brand value, maybe not for a sponsor to get up, but for a fan-based contest or for other endeavor.? Could there be brand value to a “presented by” sponsorship that has a company president opening the evening, or maybe tieing to a charit.? The NBA has made the Draft Lottery into something it was never intended to be, almost a stand-alone sponsored show, replete now with former players, fans, current players etc. Could a sponsor make it into the lottery sea.? It certainly is great exposure, a creative once in a lifetime moment that could have brand value and dollars attached, not to mention a PR spin. Sponsors are already gaining ground in coin flips, first pitches, ceremonial puck drops, team photos etc…could they integrate right into the platform fo. launching the next stars in hoops or football, or even hockey, which could use the ancillary bump and exposur. more than the NFL, MLB and the NB. Maybe it is pushing too far, but there did not seem to be any pushback or negativity associated with the slight change at the podium last night, so maybe it was a good way to test the waters for a new promotional and revenue stream for the future, especially if the NFL Draft sticks with the multi-day format it has this year.. The NFL and NBA Draft shows have really become media events and are interesting offseason showcase points…if they are more about the exposure than the onfield activity (most teams have minimal presence at the draft these days anyway), maybe the idea of new faces at the podium will continue to grow.