Teams are no longer happy auctioning jersey space to the highest bidder. Kit deals now part of deeper partnerships.
Even before the NBA announced a three-year pilot project allowing teams to place sponsor logos on their jerseys, executives at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment were ready to make it happen.
Thanks to Toronto FC they already had experience with the details of jersey branding deals.
Wednesday morning the Boston Celtics became the third NBA team to reveal a jersey sponsor for next season, announcing an agreement with General Electric.