Soon after it was reported that Adidas would be the new jersey provider of the NHL beginning with the 2017-18 season, speculation quickly mounted that this change may usher in the era of ads appearing on uniforms. It has already been reported that the jerseys during the World Cup of Hockey will feature ads, but the news about Adidas taking over from Reebok has led many to believe that ads may be coming.
Fans are vocally opposed to ads appearing on NHL uniforms (shocker), but what do the league’s players think about the possibility of being skating billboards? Blake Wheeler is one player who has stepped up and offered his opinion.
https://twitter.com/biggiefunke/status/633790098832646144
Wheeler’s opinion is one which should be widely supported by hockey fans. Unfortunately, other players – especially those used to playing in leagues where ads are common – may not mind and will gladly accept corporate sponsors if it eventually leads to more money for the players.
Wheeler may not be the most prominent player in the NHL, but his stance should win over a lot of hockey fans. Time will tell whether the league will adopt jerseys with ads on a regular basis, but it’ll be interesting to see if other players come out against the idea as things progress.
