NBA Rule Changes: Ads On Uniforms, Replays Approved
Soon, you could see a McDonald’s logo next to “Lakers” on a Los Angeles purple and gold jersey – or most any other company placement on NBA garb, as the NBA Board of Governors approved the idea allowing small advertising patches placed on uniforms starting the 2013-14 season.
“The view is that the teams would need a significant time; one, to sell the patch; and number two, for adidas to manufacture the uniforms, because the patch that would be on the players’ uniforms would also appear on the jerseys at retail,” said NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver, who is handling the uniform change.
These NBA rule changes could add possibly $100 million in revenue to league teams. It is a financial boon for European soccer teams.
Additionally, the competition committee altered a few rule changes with respect to the use of video replay, primarily in the final two minutes or overtime of games.
At any point in the game, officials can now check video replay on all flagrant fouls.
“So the call is flagrant foul and then you go the tape, and you decide whether it’s a 1 or a 2, or in some rare instance, maybe even a common foul,” NBA commissioner David Stern said.
Officials now can use video replay in the final two minutes of overtime to decide whether a defender was in or out of the restricted area around the basket on charge and blocking fouls. Replay also can be used for – calls in the late stages of games as well.
In September, the competition committee will look at flopping and fouls away from the ball.
Stern said that under the collective bargaining agreement and the implementation of revenue sharing that profitable numbers are “optimistic.”
“We had a happy group of owners,” Stern said. “Our ratings are up 28 percent over the last decade, while television ratings are down around 30 percent the last decade. We are going to have our best year ever, both in gate and sponsorship this coming year.”