Max Miller
The San Jose Sharks won’t finish last in the NHL on the ice this season, but they are last in a category every fan can appreciate.
With the explosion of NHL sponsorships, teams have begun putting advertisements on different parts of their uniforms. Every team has helmet ads, which most fans don’t mind, but the jersey is a different story. Fans want the jersey to stay ‘clean.’ While the ad placements are small and mostly unnoticeable unless there’s an up-close shot, fans will likely have an advertisement on their authentic jersey.
Per Icethetics, the San Jose Sharks are the last team in the NHL to add a sponsor to its uniform.
While the Sharks do have helmet ads, SAP and the newly added Aven, the Columbus Blue Jackets hold the honor of being the last team to put an advertisement on their helmet.
Hockey Brands get natural advertising with player gear. Gloves often have the brand in big letters around the cuff. Sticks have beautiful and colorful graphics, with brands like Bauer, CCM, and Sherwood plastered all over them.
It might be only a matter of time before the Sharks do put an ad on the jersey, but it is nice to see the beautiful teal jersey be all about hockey and nothing more. The Cali-Fin jerseys also don’t have an ad on them. The NFL is now the only of the four major North American sports not to have an advertisement on a game jersey. Teams have put ads on their practice jerseys.
Hockey fans often rate the Sharks jersey as one of the best-looking unis in the league. With no jersey ad, they get a bit of a bump in many fans’ eyes.