Report: NHL, NHLPA asking $8 million for jersey ads at World Cup of Hockey
Advertisements on jerseys could be a reality at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, but only if the price is right.
The NHL and NHLPA are reportedly asking $8 million for the rights to put ads on the jerseys of all eight teams. The exorbitant price tag has many advertisers hesitating, with some skeptical the league and the union will find a buyer at all.
"Someone paying $8 million? It's just not going to happen," a marketing executive in contact with the NHL and NHLPA told TSN's Rick Westhead. "They think they're going to get a global financial services company like Visa to pay that much, but it's just not going to happen."
While both the league and the union have remained publicly silent on the issue of jersey ads, there is speculation that any deal would go beyond simply including an ad on the jersey, possibly integrating advertising into team logos.
The World Cup - which will take place in Toronto from Sept. 17-Oct. 1 - is expected to generate more than $100 million in revenue.