The announcement of a Utah Jazz jersey patch deal shouldn’t surprise anyone, as it seems only a matter of time before all 30 NBA teams will have jersey ad sponsors. Utah’s deal is remarkable, however, because it takes a different angle than the others which have come before it.
Utah Jazz Jersey Patch Deal Different From Predecessors
Most of the deal is pretty standard. Qualtrics, a software company based in Provo, Utah, has made a deal with the Jazz, not only for the advertising space on its jerseys but also to become the franchise’s analytics partner. What Qualtrics plans on doing with the advertising space it has bought is unique.
Qualtrics has a non-profit extension called “5 For Fight,” which raises funds for cancer research. Instead of placing the Qualtrics logo on Utah player jerseys beginning in the 2017-18 season, the 5 For Fight logo in team colors will be placed on the Jazz jerseys next season and beyond.
To further the collaboration, Qualtrics and the Jazz have announced that they have jointly committed to raising $50 million for cancer research over the next five years.
Not only does this make Qualtrics the first company to purchase advertising space on an NBA team’s jerseys and not use that space to feature its own logo, but it also makes the Jazz the first NBA team to plan to feature a jersey ad bearing the logo of a non-profit organization.
It’s unclear how much money toward that $50 million Qualtrics and/or Utah will contribute individually or collectively. It has also not yet been announced how the two companies plan to raise whatever amount they don’t donate themselves.
What’s clear, however, is that this partnership is the first to include a message bigger than just the business of basketball and sponsorships when it comes to jersey ads. It’s a smart added element to the deals because of the positive spin that public relations can put out, and also as another way that both companies can take advantage of tax write-offs that charities provide.
As the dominoes continue to fall toward every NBA team having a jersey sponsor, fans should take note of how many future deals will feature a charity element to them. If this becomes a trend, it transforms a win-win situation into a win-win-win.
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